What is the Difference Between Celiac Disease, Wheat Allergy, and NCGS?

Celiac, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) are three terms that I hear get tossed around and used interchangeably.  But this is actually not the case- these three conditions are very different from one another! What is generally the same about them is they all trigger an adverse reaction after eating either gluten and/or just wheat alone. 

The symptoms may appear similar as well- GI issues, headaches, nausea, etc. after eating certain foods.

So what IS the difference between them then?

In today’s article I will be going over the what these three terms mean and the difference between them. There will also be information on how to get tested to figure out what may be going on with you! 

So let’s get started.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that is triggered by foods containing gluten (wheat, barely, and rye). It requires a life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet and there is currently no other treatment for the disease. Symptoms of celiac disease include bloating, chronic diarrhea, constipation, lactose intolerance, pain in the abdomen, and more. The disease itself can be activated by stress, trauma and viral infections- although much more research needs to be done in this area!  Celiac disease is diagnosed by first doing a blood test for autobodies and then a biopsy of the small intestine.

People with celiac disease often have to be careful of cross-contamination between gluten products. Many people with CD are very sensitive to even trace amounts of gluten (the standard is above 20 ppm).  If you feel like you may have celiac disease, it is very important to see a dietitian or qualified health professional to start the diagnosis process. You do NOT want to just stop eating gluten because this will skew your testing results. 

Wheat Allergy

A wheat allergy is classified as an allergic reaction to wheat proteins. Your body begins to produce certain IgE antibodies to the proteins found inside wheat.

Symptoms of wheat allergies include:

• Swelling, itching or irritation of the mouth or throat

• Cramps, nausea or vomiting

• Nasal congestion

• Hives, itchy rash or swelling of the skin

• Headache

• Diarrhea

Eating a diet that is free from wheat is the primary treatment for wheat allergies.  However, some people with wheat allergies can still consume other forms of gluten like rye and barely. This is one major difference from celiac disease where the body reacts to all foods with gluten proteins. Although it may be a good idea to get a food sensitivity test done to see if you are allergic to those other gluten proteins like barley and rye, as well as wheat. 

To test for a wheat allergy you can do skin prick tests, wheat-specific IgE blood testing (like MRT), and an elimination-style diet. To find out more info about food sensitivity testing services that I offer, check out my last blog post that goes over MRT + LEAP! (link here)

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS)

NCGS is a sensitivity to gluten that is NOT caused by an immune or allergic reaction. There is still a lot of research that needs to be done on NCGS and why it occurs.  It is often mistaken for celiac disease because it shares many of the same symptoms.  However, patients with NCGS may feel more non-GI symptoms such as brain fog, joint pain, headaches, and numbness. But individuals with NCGS do not test positive for celiac in blood tests and do not have small intestinal damage seen in celiac patients. Therefore, NCGS is often a diagnosis given to someone who tests negative to both celiac disease tests and wheat allergy tests. Just because it isn’t celiac disease or a wheat allergy does not mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously! 

The Takeaway

As you can see, these three terms are interchangeable and what goes on inside your body may be entirely different depending on your diagnosis. It is important to understand the root cause of your symptoms to determine appropriate eating methods and lifestyle interventions. The more we know- the better! So I encourage you to get tested if you have any of the symptoms that are listed above and are consuming gluten/wheat in your diet. 

Don’t worry- you aren’t in this alone! I am now accepting clients as a registered dietitian and I have a lot of experience with celiac/wheat allergy/NCGS patients!

Sign up now through my services page.