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Am I Showing Wheat Allergy Symptoms?
By Alex Christie (BA Hons, LCHE, MARH, B.Inst.A.T.)
Many people these days believe they have wheat allergy symptoms when in fact they are just intolerant of wheat, possibly because they have a Candida yeast overgrowth which causes aggravations on eating wheat. Coeliac Disease also causes wheat allergy symptoms, although this too is intolerance rather than allergy to the gluten in wheat.
Wheat allergy symptoms (IgE-antibody mediated) usually begin within minutes or a few hours after eating or inhaling wheat. The more common wheat allergy symptoms cause skin reactions such as urticaria or hives, eczema, or swelling. Wheat allergy symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract include abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, and of the respiratory tract asthma or allergic rhinitis. The most extreme wheat allergy symptom is anaphylactic shock. People experiencing these symptoms are likely to have other intolerances such as a reaction to cows’ milk protein.
Coeliac Disease
Coeliac disease is not an "allergy", despite apparent wheat allergy symptoms, but rather intolerance to the protein in gluten. There are two important factors necessary for the disease to occur: a genetic predisposition to the disease and the presence of gluten in the diet to trigger the condition. The gluten in wheat (gliadin), rye (secalin) and barley (hordein) are known triggering factors. These harm or even destroy the villi that make up the intestinal lining in the small intestine that take in nourishment. The mental disorders that Celiac brings to a child and adult is due to the malnutrition caused by the damage to the small intestine.
What is gluten?
Gluten is the elastic, rubbery protein present in wheat, rye, barley and to a lesser degree in oats. It is this which causes the wheat allergy symptoms in Coeliac Disease. It binds the dough in foods such as bread and other baked goods. It contributes to spongy consistency. Rice and maize do not contain gluten.
However, gluten is only one protein found in wheat, rye and barley. These foods, like all other foods, contain a number of discreet proteins that all can result in adverse reactions, including allergies.
For example, wheat protein comprises 4 main groups of proteins: water-soluble, salt-soluble, alcohol-soluble and alcohol-insoluble. The major proteins in wheat are albumin, globulin, gliadin and glutenin (gluten), which vary in proportion according to the type of wheat.
Ingredients indicating the presence of wheat proteins
Bread crumbs
Bran
Cereal extract
Couscous
Cracker flour
Enriched flour
Gluten
High-gluten flour, high-protein flour
Semolina wheat
Vital gluten |
Wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat gluten, wheat malt, wheat starch
Whole wheat flour
Gelatinized starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Modified food starch, modified starch
Natural flavoring
Soy sauce
Starch
Vegetable gum, vegetable starch |
In order to avoid the long-term complications of the disease, coeliac patients must follow a strict gluten-free diet. The UK Coeliac Society publishes a yearly updated list of gluten-free foods, which it produces on the basis of information provided by food manufacturers.
What are the symptoms of Coeliac Disease?
Typically Coeliac Disease starts producing wheat allergy symptoms by 6-24 months with signs of intestinal malabsorption, impaired growth, abnormal stools, abdominal distension, muscle wasting, poor muscle tone, poor appetite or irritability, following the introduction of cereals into the diet. In adults, the symptoms may be quite varied, from severe weight loss and diarrhoea and bulky, offensive stools to subtle complaints of cramps, abdominal bloating, flatulence and even constipation. These symptoms can also be caused by Candida, and you should see a practitioner who can diagnose the cause of your wheat allergy symptoms.
Dermatitis herpetiformis is a variant of Coeliac Disease in which clusters of itchy blisters occur, usually over the buttocks, knees and elbows.
Treatment of Coeliac Disease
The treatment for wheat allergy symptoms of Coeliac Disease is usually to completely remove gluten from the diet. This means avoiding all cereals containing gluten, including wheat, oats, rye and barley. Individuals on any avoidance diet are at risk of developing deficiencies of micro-nutrients (e.g., thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, iron, selenium, chromium, magnesium, folacin, phosphorus and molybdenum). It is therefore essential that patients visit a qualified nutritionist. Alongside nutritional treatment homeopathy can strengthen the immune system of patients and decrease the severity of reactions to wheat.
How is wheat-allergy diagnosed?
The diagnosis may be easy if a person has the same reaction repeatedly after eating wheat-containing food. Allergy tests by an allergy practitioner and kinesiologist can determine whether the wheat allergy symptoms are caused by Candida-generated wheat intolerance, Coeliac Disease, or more unusually wheat allergy.
How is wheat allergy treated?
The majority of young children with wheat allergy symptoms will outgrow this. The best treatment for wheat allergy symptoms is a combination of complete avoidance of wheat and wheat-containing foods and homeopathic and herbal treatment to strengthen the immune system. Homeopathic desensitization remedies can reduce and even eliminate allergies.
 How can I help?
 Need help with Allergies? Find out more about my Allergy Consultation and Treatment << here >>
Need a personal or online consultation with Alex Christie? Let me book you in for a Consultation << here >>
Not sure if I can help? View some of my Allergy Case Histories << here >>
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