Wheat contains the four proteins gluten, gliadin, globulin and albumin. A wheat allergy is characterized by an abnormal immune system response to one or more of the four proteins found in wheat. Wheat allergies usually affect children and, according to the Food Allergy Initiative, most children outgrow their wheat allergies by the time they turn 3. In some cases, however, a wheat allergy can continue on through adulthood.
Physiology
An allergic reaction occurs when a person's immune system interprets a normal substance as a potentially harmful invader. In response to this interpretation, the immune system triggers the production of antibodies, which attack the specific substance. When someone with a wheat allergy consumes a food or food item containing one of the wheat proteins, the immune system sends out antibodies that attack the wheat protein. The immune system also triggers the release of histamine, which causes a widespread inflammation response that causes the symptoms often associated with an allergy.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a wheat allergy include swelling and itching of the mouth and throat, hives, itchy skin, watery eyes, itchy eyes, difficulty breathing, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to MayoClinic.com. If a person has a severe wheat allergy, he may experience a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is characterized by swelling of the throat, chest pain and tightness, trouble swallowing, bluish skin color, dizziness, weak pulse and severe difficulty breathing.
Treatment
There is no cure for a wheat allergy, so the only way to avoid symptoms is to avoid the wheat proteins to which you are allergic. If you consume wheat and a mild allergic reaction occurs, symptoms can be reduced with the use of over-the-counter antihistamines, which block the action of histamine and reduce widespread inflammation. Anaphylaxis requires an emergency injection of epinephrine, or adrenaline.
Importance of Reading Labels
Many commercially produced food items contain ingredients that contain some or all of the wheat proteins. The ingredient list of a food item does not always contain the word wheat. It is important to familiarize yourself with ingredients and learn how to determine which ingredients contain wheat. Some of the most common wheat-containing ingredients include bulgur, cereal extract, couscous, triticale, spelt, semolina, kamut, farina, einkorn, emmer and durum, according to the Food Allergy Initiative. Wheat is also a common ingredient in a variety of ales.
Considerations
A wheat allergy differs from celiac disease, which is an intolerance to the wheat protein gluten. Those with celiac disease experience a variety of different gastrointestinal symptoms when consuming gluten, but the condition does not involve an immune system response. Those with celiac disease can tolerate the other three proteins found in wheat.
