WHEAT ALLERGY VERSUS GLUTEN INTOLERANCE

A wheat allergy versus a wheat or gluten intolerance can be an important distinction. An intolerance can make a person feel uncomfortable or sick, while an allergy can be life-threatening. Luckily, most wheat allergies are mild. Wheat allergy and gluten intolerance symptoms have both similarities and distinct differences. Wheat allergies cause hives, sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, headaches, asthma, and, less commonly, anaphylaxis. But one set of wheat allergy symptoms—nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, indigestion, and diarrhea—is similar to those caused by gluten intolerance. An allergist can determine whether or not an allergy is present with a simple skin prick or blood test. Wheat allergies are most common in children and are often outgrown at a young age.

P.S. Gluten intolerance is not an allergy. Celiac disease—a type of gluten intolerance—causes an immune response leading to severe gastrointestinal issues, but this is not the same as the immune response to an allergen, which causes the body to produce histamines.

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