Wheat Allergy- Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Posted on February 26, 2008 in Latest News

Wheat allergy, most commonly a food allergy is one of the eight most common allergy-causing foods. Also known as wheat hypersensitivity, wheat allergy can sometimes be a respiratory or contact allergy resulting from occupational exposure.

While wheat allergy most often affects children, it can also occur in adults. Like all allergies wheat allergy involves IgE and mast cell response. Typically the allergy is limited to the seed storage proteins of wheat, some reactions are restricted to wheat proteins, while others can react across many varieties of seeds and other plant tissues. Allergic reactions usually occur in susceptible individuals a few minutes to a few hours after they’ve consumed wheat.

Causes

Not all reactions to wheat are caused by wheat allergy. Some people have a digestive reaction to proteins found in wheat and other grains. There are four different proteins in wheat that can cause allergies: albumin, globulin, gliadin and gluten. If you have a reaction to gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains such as oats, barley and rye, you may have gluten intolerance or celiac disease rather than a wheat allergy.

Symptoms

Allergy symptoms differ from person to person and generally occur a few minutes to a few hours after wheat’s been ingested. Commonly, allergy symptoms include:

Treatment

Medications, such as antihistamines, may reduce signs and symptoms of wheat allergies. These drugs can be taken after exposure to wheat to control your reaction and help relieve discomfort.

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