Celiac Disease is Not the Same as Wheat Allergy

Celiac disease (also known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy or sprue) is not the same as a wheat allergy. Individuals with a wheat allergy experience a response (by the immune system) to a number of food proteins found in wheat, including gluten. People allergic to wheat are allergic to a part of wheat, which is not always the gluten part and the immune response is most often temporary.

On the other hand, celiac is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, triggered by eating the protein gluten which is contained in foods like wheat, rye, or barley. Over time, as gluten triggers immune responses in celiac disease, the small intestine’s lining becomes damaged. But a wheat allergy does not cause ongoing harm to the small intestine unless the reaction causes anaphylaxis.

Unlike celiac disease and gluten intolerance, a wheat allergy can actually be outgrown. Since the symptoms of both conditions are so similar, your doctor might conduct a number of tests. To test for celiac disease, the doctor will take a small biopsy of your small intestine. Using this sample, the doctor can identify if there are specific antibodies in your blood that correspond to celiac disease. A wheat allergy test is like any other food allergy test in which the doctor may use a skin prick test or blood test to identify the allergy. An oral food challenge, a test in which an allergist will feed you suspect foods in measured doses, may also be conducted.

Source: health.clevelandclinic.org