But who really needs to lower or eliminate gluten?

Dr. Stefano Guandalini, MD, director of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center says, "People think that gluten-free diets are more healthy. This is, of course, not the case." The diet is difficult to follow and may also pose nutritional drawbacks when people have no medical reason to be on it.

What is gluten? It is not a protein itself but rather a protein composite, made of the proteins found commonly in wheat, barley, and rye, which are elastic compounds in the protein family known as prolamins. Gluten is not soluble in water.

People can be intolerant to gluten. One significant diagnostic group is referred to as Celiac Disease, which occurs when the proteins in gluten (glutenin and gliadin) trigger your immune system to overreact with strong and unusual anitbodies. While not technically an allergy to wheat, it is sufficiently similar, and it warrants attention and possibly an elimination of products that contains wheat or similar grains.

There exists a large list of symptoms and conditions associated with gluten, not all of which are centered on the gut and the digestive system. There are gluten associations with anemia, arthritis, ADHD, bone density loss, skin rashes, depression, anxiety, irritability, diabetes, fatigue, mouth sores, osteoporosis, neuropathy, (swelling, tingling, numbness), and problems with teeth and gums.

There are numerous tests that can help pinpoint the specifics of a gluten intolerance, but it seems most prudent to be cautious about what is consumed, regardless of the test results.

Some medical professionals claim that true gluten intolerance or allergy is only found in 5% of the population. While that may be true on a statistical level, it certainly seems that the numbers of people who experience the gluten-like symptoms is on the rise. I take the position that a test does little more than just identify a potential cause. The proof is in how well the person feels when he/she works to avoid gluten in their diet.

Is our pharmacy gluten free? Over the years we've been asked regularly about making compounded medicine that is gluten free. That is a fairly easy thing to accomplish, as we just need to make sure the ingredients we use start off without gluten. We're doing that and we can state that our compounds are gluten free.

True, if there is gluten in a compound or supplement, the amount is very tiny. Yet, it may be enough to cause some level of discomfort for those who are sensitive. Rather than being satisfied with the unlikely possibility our preparations may contribute to distress, we have decided to be sure we don't sell things with gluten.

We also make sure the supplements we sell are also free from gluten. Our primary suppliers assure us their products and chemicals meet this requirement.

It is also important to note that we do not use lactose in any human preparations. Our capsules are gelatin-free. We do not use propylene glycol, soy, or any paraben preservatives.

For a little help in determining what might contain gluten, take a look at the following link: http://whatisgluten.net/foods-containing-gluten-the-ultimate-list/

Also, if you see the following symbol on our website, it means the vitamin or supplement has been certified Gluten Free.

For our selection of Certified Gluten Free products, please visit the Gluten Free category of our online store.