Allergy Vs. Intolerance Vs. Celiac Disease

[dbuhl79]

Can anyone explain to me, in brief laymen terms what the difference is from the above? I understand that some can have a "wheat allergy" others are just intolerant to gluten while not yet having developed Celiac Disease, is that accurate?

My other question is, if one has a wheat allergy or is intolerant to wheat, whats the difference in avoiding wheat vs. avoiding gluten? Since I understand gluten to be something derived from wheat.

Thanks for any insight you may be able to lend!

[Melanie]

I'm confused about this too because I'm wondering if I'm just allergic to wheat. You should be able to have barley and rye if you are just allergic. Someone also told me I should be able to eat spelt. I guess these items I distantly related to wheat so they don't cause a reaction if you are allergic to wheat. It seems like if you are allergic to wheat that you still have to avoid lots of the same things as someone with celiac disease. You will also have some absorption problems too because you will poop it out before you can absorb all of it if you have wheat.

I have no idea what the difference between celiac and gluten intolerance.

[tarnalberry]

An wheat allergy means that your body produces IgE antibodies to the proteins in wheat, but usually not other proteins. Gluten intolerance means that your body produces IgA and IgG antibodies to a particular protein sequence found in the proteins of wheat (gliandin), barley (horedin), rye (secalin), and possibly oats (avenin). Technically, celiac is diagnosed when gluten intolerance causes damage to the intestines in the form of flattened villi.

[tom]

Celiac will cause a multitude of gradually worsening symptoms, while an allergy will produce a temporary reaction to the allergen.

The scope of celiac symptoms can be staggering. (literally for those of us affected by cerebellar ataxia - it becomes difficult to walk w/out some stumbling due to a loss of fine motor control)

The disease has associated genetic markers, DQ2 and DQ8, which the allergy and GI folks do not have. People can have the disease and not yet have the villi flattened yet, or can be gluten-free long enough that the villi have sufficiently repaired to not be easily seen as flattened.

To me, the most technically correct method of diagnosis is the genetic test, tho it IS possible to find ppl w/ the genes but the disease hasn't yet triggered.

(i could NOT believe my jackass doctor last week telling me to eat bread for a month for a blood test. I thought stanford's celiac disease 'expert' would have a clue.)

[flagbabyds]

celiac damages the intestines while a wheat allergy you get an allergic reaction to. Now i have both so i get bost symptoms, anaphlytic and gi problems.

[kabowman]

An intolerance can also mimic a LOT of the symptoms of celiac disease (among many other diseases). So only testing can diagnose (sp?) Celiac Disease. An allergy causes immediate reaction that be diagnosed through an allergist.

My docs thought I had rhumatoid arthritis (among a few other things which have all been ruled out) until my pain went away after months of being psychotically careful about my diet. celiac disease has been rulled out too and my allergist has ruled out "true" allergies. An intolerance is a different form of allergy and does not show up with the skin prick test.

-Kate