What’s The Difference Between Wheat Intolerance And Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac disease, classed as an autoimmune disease, is a lifelong intolerance in which the body’s immune system actively attacks its own tissues when gluten is consumed. According to Coeliac UK, the condition affects 1 in 100 people. It’s important to note that coeliac disease is neither a food allergy nor a food intolerance.

People suffering from a wheat intolerance have difficulty digesting wheat, which leads to unpleasant but non-life-threatening side effects.

If you feel that you might have coeliac disease, it’s important to discuss your concerns with your GP , who can take a simple blood test to check for antibodies which can indicate coeliac disease. YorkTest does not test for coeliac disease, and instead specialises in intolerance and sensitivity testing.

Can You Outgrow Wheat Intolerances?

It is possible to outgrow a wheat intolerance by eliminating it from your diet and reintroducing it later in life. This should always be carried out with the support of a nutritional professional, who can advise on healthy alternatives and ensure that your diet remains balanced.

Step one – Have you visited your doctor to discuss the symptoms you are experiencing? If not, you should consult with them so they can rule out any underlying medical conditions or coeliac disease.

Step two – Take a Premium Food Intolerance Test with YorkTest, which is a cost-effective indication of whether or not you are suffering from a food intolerance.* We’ve found that on average people show an intolerance* to between 2 and 8 food or drink ingredients. You should therefore be aware that wheat may be just one of your “trigger foods”.

Step three – With the help of a YorkTest nutritional therapist, carry out a 12-week elimination diet by cutting out your food intolerances* and substituting healthy alternatives into your diet.

Step four – If you wish to reintroduce your trigger food(s) back into your diet, we advise that this should be a gradual process in order to monitor how your body responds and to look out for a return of any symptoms.

How long does it take for a wheat allergy to show?

Unlike symptoms associated with an intolerance, the effects of a wheat allergy present themselves very quickly after consumption of the food. In some cases, severe reactions can occur just by touching wheat.

Is There A Wheat Allergy Test?

Do you suspect that you might be allergic to wheat? If so, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. They will most likely refer you to an allergy clinic. At the clinic they may perform a skin-prick test or carry out a blood test to assess the level of IgE antibodies present when your sample is exposed to wheat.

Is There A Wheat Intolerance Test?

The symptoms of a wheat intolerance are much less extreme than those of an allergic reaction, however they are still extremely unpleasant and can still be very disruptive to a person’s life. After your doctor has ruled out any underlying medical conditions, you can get a food intolerance test* designed by YorkTest.

There isn’t a specific wheat intolerance test, and food intolerance tests in general are not currently available on the NHS. However, YorkTest has been offering food intolerance* tests directly to consumers for more than 35 years. These tests analyse your IgG antibody reactions to up to 208 food and drinks, including wheat and gluten.

With this simple home-to-laboratory finger-prick test, you can identify whether or not your body is producing IgG antibody reactions to specific elements of your diet. Reactions to food and drink vary a great deal from person to person, and an ingredient that causes a problem for one individual could be completely okay for another. Fortunately, YorkTest’s team is on hand to identify your own personal “food fingerprint”.