The number of food intolerance issues is seemingly growing in Western countries, which is leading many to wonder if they might have a food allergy. Although a food intolerance blood test is not a definitive test on its own to determine if there is an intolerance at play or an actual allergy, it is an integral piece of the puzzle to figure out what is going on with personal digestive health.
These blood tests are suitable for anyone of any age. In the case of an allergy, early detection is critical because up to 95% of children can outgrow many of the major food allergies, such as soy, wheat, egg, and dairy.
Is a Food Intolerance the Same as a Food Allergy?
Although the symptoms of a food intolerance can be the same as a food allergy, there are a little bit different. Both happen because of a bad reaction to the food that has been consumed, but the cause of that reaction is very different.
When there’s a food intolerance, it means there is an enzyme missing in the body that is needed to digest the food in question. For people who are gluten intolerant, for example, then you don’t have the enzyme that can process gluten found in rye, barley, and wheat products. Being lactose intolerant means not having enough lactase available for digestion.
A food allergy, on the other hand, will trigger an immune system response. This means your body will believe that the food you’ve eaten is a threat to your health, creating a histamine response to combat the threat. Some reactions are mild and may include a feeling of itchiness or the development of hives. Some people may experience severe symptoms, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the tongue, and feelings of dizziness.
A severe allergic reaction is considered a medical emergency. This is known as anaphylaxis. A food intolerance cannot produce an anaphylaxis outcome. What a food intolerance can do is damage the lining of the small intestine and create nutrient deficiencies due to the lack of an ability to absorb them from the food.
What Is a Food Sensitivity?
A food sensitivity is a little like food intolerance, but on a milder scale. They may make you feel lousy or sick, but don’t cause the damage of an intolerance or the potentially life-threatening reaction of an allergic reaction. A food sensitivity may cause heartburn, headaches, and gastrointestinal distress.
What You Need To Know About Food Intolerance Blood Tests
The false positive rate for food intolerance blood tests can be as high as 75%. This means the test may indicate that you are positive for an intolerance or allergy, but in reality you are not. For this reason, many doctors try to avoid the blood tests since the results are more often misleading than useful. Before a blood test is ordered, a food challenge watch-list will often be ordered instead.
This means you will be given small doses of a food and then watched to see if you have an allergic reaction to it. If intolerance is the issue, you may be asked to monitor yourself for physical symptoms after eating specific foods. Should there be no symptoms on the first small bit of food, the amount will be gradually increased. If no issues are seen still, then you’ll be declared free of an allergy or intolerance.
Even if the blood test is ordered first, the food challenge is often ordered to confirm the results. These challenges may also be used to determine if someone has outgrown a food allergy.
90% of Food Intolerance Issues Come From 8 Categories
There are 8 foods that currently make up about 90% of the food allergies in the United States. Those are shellfish, fish, soy, wheat, eggs, milk, tree nuts, and peanuts. Although people sometimes consider an allergic reaction to peanuts being the most severe, any food allergy can create a dangerous reaction that can be potentially life-threatening.
Social media posts, emails, and other informational sources have started talking about food intolerance and allergies to additives that are added to food. This includes artificial colors and flavors. In reality, fewer than 1% of adults have a food additive intolerance. Nitrates have been known to cause reactions that include hives and itching, but not because of an allergic reaction. Red and yellow food coloring have even been linked to anaphylaxis.
How To Treat a Food Intolerance
The most effective way to treat a food intolerance is to avoid eating the food in question. Avoid any foods that have the problematic ingredient in them. That can be particularly challenging for certain foods, such as gluten, dairy, or soy, that are seemingly in everything.
If you’re concerned about your digestive health and are seeking answers, then the food intolerance blood test is one piece of the puzzle. It is not considered a specific test, so it will not offer definitive results. When included with other tests, however, it can let you know what foods are safe to eat and which foods are best avoided.