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Wheat Allergy

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Wheat Allergy

Wheat allergy can be defined as adverse reactions comprising IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies caused by one or more protein factors in wheat like albumin, gliadin, globulin, and gluten.

Among grains wheat is most likely to cause allergic reactions. Development of modern wheat is done for higher gluten content in manufacturing bread and other products. Human digestive system lacks a natural ability to handle indigestible proteins.

The occurrence of wheat allergy is triggered by gluten (i.e. the protein present in wheat, barley, rye, and oats). It’s a group of proteins causing difficulty in human digestion. One protein group, gliadin is presumed to be the most harmful for intestinal lining. Another protein group is glutenins, present in gluten & linked to ‘autoimmune’ skin diseases and ‘asthma’. Gluten has high resistance to intestinal digestion even after it’s been ground, cooked, processed and digested.

The wheat protein gluten harms intestinal lining due to erosion of the microvilli and villi, which are integral to the processes of digestion & absorption. The damage makes it more likely that partially absorbed gluten proteins enter the bloodstream. Some of the proteins trigger reactions in our immune system.

Allergic reactions caused due to wheat mostly occur either within a few minutes or hours after consumption or inhaling of wheat. Among the common symptoms are reactions on the skin like urticaria, angioedema and atopic eczema, gastrointestinal tract such as oral allergy syndrome, nausea & vomiting, abdominal cramps, and respiratory tract such as asthma or allergic rhinitis. IgE-mediated reactions to gliadin or gluten are at risk of angioedema, urticaria,or acute anaphylaxis related to exercise. Other cereals with gluten content like oats, rye, and barley can also result in these symptoms because of the allergens’ cross-reactivity.

In wheat cereals, unabsorbed partial proteins can have an effect similar to morphine on entering the bloodstream, which may have influenced the phrase ‘comfort-foods’ & addictive properties. Upon the initiation of immune response, numerous symptoms of wheat allergy start becoming visible due to inflammatory reactions. A wheat allergy needs no necessarily be a stern frequent reaction however could cause several digestive symptoms like flatulence, constipation, bloating, pain, diarrhea, etc.

Thus in case of wheat allergy, make sure you always check the label ingredients before purchasing a product.