Allergy Tests and Food Intolerance Tests

Allergy Testing (IgE) - Allergies are a result of the body's increased sensitivity to common substances. These substances are called allergens. Allergens cause reactions when entering the body through the skin, by inhalation or by ingestion. Wind blown pollens from grasses, weeds, trees, mold, animal hair, house dust and foods are all examples of allergens.

When an allergic person is exposed to an allergen, the immune system produces an antibody, called immunoglobulin E (IgE). It is the production of this antibody that can cause allergy symptoms; sneezing, hives, headaches, stomach cramps, joint paint or more serious reactions like anaphylaxis. Our allergy test measures the level of circulating IgE antibody in your blood to specific allergens that were tested from various groups of substances. The level of antibody to each specific allergen is expressed in the results. If you have not been recently ingested or  been exposed to a particular allergen of which you previously tested positive or suspect you are allergic, you may currently have little or no circulating antibody to that substance in your bloodstream.

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There's a lot of misunderstanding about the differences between an intolerance/sensitivity versus an allergic reaction. 

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The non-immediate (delayed) IgG response is commonly known as a Food Intolerance or  Food Sensitivity. This differs from an immediate IgE food allergy response in that symptoms may not show up for hours or days making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what foods are causing the reaction.  Some symptoms of food intolerances include:  sore throat, headaches, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, hormone issues, foggy head, weight gain, fatigue, joint pain, inflammation, poor nights' sleep, depression and skin issues. 

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Food Intolerance/Sensitivity testing (IgG) serves as a guideline to help clients determine the top foods that may be causing their symptoms.  Our dietitian can use these results help guide clients in a reasonable way to systematically remove certain food(s) from their diet and determine if that is the root cause of their symptoms.  Eliminating food intolerances can have life-changing effects.  Consider being tested to determine if food intolerances are the root cause of symptoms such as: chronic fatigue, joint pains, bowel issues, headaches, poor nights' sleep, skin rashes, difficulty losing weight, bloating, PMS imbalances or inflammation.

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Remember it is important to always consult your physician when interpreting medical test results and formulating a course of action if you have positive test results.