22/03/2023
What is the difference between Coeliac disease, Gluten Intolerance, and Wheat Allergy?
Coeliac Disease, Gluten Intolerance and Wheat Allergy are often confused because they all have similar symptoms so CoeliacScreen can be very useful in distinguishing these conditions.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition that is triggered by eating foods containing gluten. People with Coeliac Disease are genetically predisposed to the condition, and once they have reached a gluten threshold in their diet, an autoimmune reaction is triggered and their immune system is stimulated to attack the lining of the small intestine. This gives rise to the symptoms highlighted above.
Gluten Intolerance (or Non-Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity) occurs when gluten causes the body to have a stress response. Unlike Coeliac Disease, the response does not involve the immune system. This often results in gastrointestinal symptoms that are very similar to Coeliac Disease, but Gluten Intolerance does not lead to intestinal tissue damage. Gluten intolerance often arises when there are insufficient enzymes to digest the amount of gluten consumed, and the symptoms can be avoided by supplementing digestive enzymes, or reducing the gluten in your diet below your intolerance level.
Wheat Allergy causes your immune system to respond to a type of food it considers harmful. The immune response it triggers is often temporary and does not cause long lasting harm to the small intestine, unless it produces anaphylaxis. Those people who have wheat allergies are often affected by a number of proteins found in wheat, including gluten. Unlike Coeliac Disease, wheat allergies are not permanent. Symptoms include skin rash, nasal congestion, headache, difficulty breathing, cramps, nausea or vomiting, and can be avoided with a wheat-free diet.
CoeliacScreen is used to support the diagnosis of Coeliac Disease, although this must then be confirmed by your doctor. There are no tests specifically for Gluten Intolerance, but if CoeliacScreen is used to help rule out Coeliac Disease, it is most likely that you will have a Gluten Intolerance if your symptoms are the same. A Wheat Allergy produces specific IgE antibodies that can be detected by a food intolerance test.
Visit our wevsite for more details: https://www.personaldiagnostics.co.uk/coeliacscreen