Food Sensitivity Test
Find out the truth about your food sensitivities with a food allergy test
When an allergic reaction occurs, your immune system reacts by releasing antibodies. The foods and inhaled particles that provoke the release of your antibodies are called “allergens”. There are two commonly produced antibodies called IgG and IgE. IgE allergy responses occur immediately after you ingest or inhale an allergen. Alternatively, an IgG allergic reaction may show up several hours or days later. Also, symptoms can be triggered by multiple foods, making it difficult to figure out the culprits without food allergy testing.
When an allergic reaction occurs, your immune system reacts by releasing antibodies. The foods and inhaled particles that provoke the release of your antibodies are called “allergens”. There are two commonly produced antibodies called IgG and IgE. IgE allergy responses occur immediately after you ingest or inhale an allergen. Alternatively, an IgG allergic reaction may show up several hours or days later. Also, symptoms can be triggered by multiple foods, making it difficult to figure out the culprits without food allergy testing.
The problem with Food Allergies & Food Sensitivities
When you consume an aggravating food, a reaction occurs between the allergen and the antibody. This triggers the release of chemicals that lead to inflammation in body tissues. Consequently, this can contribute to a variety of health problems:
- Headaches and high blood pressure
- Mood disorders (such as hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, inability to concentrate)
- Asthma, chronic congestion and recurring respiratory infections
- Eczema, psoriasis, acne and other skin conditions
- Chronic fatigue
- Joint pain
- Runny noses and puffiness around the eyes
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
Do I have to avoid IgG positive foods for the rest of my life?
The good news about IgG food sensitivities is that with avoidance of an IgG positive food for a period of time, you may be able to re-introduce that food later on without symptoms. This is because the allergen-antibody complexes gradually eliminate from your body with decreased exposure to the allergen. Your naturopath can assist you with re-introduction of foods after taking a food allergy test.
What is the benefit of testing for IgG food allergies?
Your IgG food allergies are extremely useful to test for and detect by way of food sensitivity testing because they are difficult to identify based on observation alone. Unlike your IgE food allergies (the classic immediate and acute “food allergy” response, leading to hives, swelling or anaphylaxis), your IgG food allergies present as a chronic delayed response. You may not notice symptoms until several meals or even days have passed. Your IgG food allergies would show up more like an “intolerance” or “sensitivity” response. Commonly, you may experience chronic digestive (eg. irritable bowel syndrome) or inflammatory skin conditions (eg. eczema, acne, psoriasis).
How much does the IgG Food Sensitivity Test cost?
The standard 96-food IgG sensitivity test costs $295. The 96-food panel consists of 96 of the most commonly eaten foods in North America. Click on the test to see a list of foods included in the 96 food panel.
The expanded 184-food panel IgG sensitivity test costs $395. This includes the standard 96-food panel as well as foods found in various ethnic cuisines becoming popular in North America. Click on the test to see a list of foods included in the 184 food panel.
Turnaround time for test results is 14 business days.
What is the difference between a food allergy, food sensitivity and a food intolerance?
The term allergy is basically an all-encompassing term that describes any ingested/inhaled/contacted substance that causes an undesirable response in your body. The above three terms (food allergy, food sensitivity and food intolerance) all refer to immune reactions to foods. Typically, these terms are used to describe the different pathologies behind these reactions.
A food allergy usually refers to IgE immune reactions to foods (think anaphylactic shock or other classic allergic symptoms).
A food sensitivity usually refers to IgG immune reactions to foods. These reactions manifest more slowly and have a delayed presentation. They can present as chronic inflammatory conditions, such as eczema or irritable bowel syndrome.
A food intolerance refers to your body’s general inability to metabolize a food, which can lead to an immune response against that substance. For example, lactose intolerance and celiac disease are considered food intolerances because the body cannot breakdown or deal with lactose or gluten, respectively.
Is there a test that accurately determines all types of food allergies?
Unfortunately, no. Food allergies can fall into so many domains, with many different mechanisms of action, and there is not one universal test that can possibly detect all of your negative reactions to foods.
The only true, but challenging, gold-standard method is a process of elimination followed by re-introduction of foods one at a time. This is often termed an “elimination diet.”
Speak to a naturopath for guidance with an elimination diet or other testing methods.
In preparation for the IgG Food Sensitivity Test, do I need to fast or ensure that I have consumed many types of foods before having it administered?
With the IgG food sensitivity test, you don’t have to consume every food beforehand. Because your response builds slowly in your body, it will only be affected by foods you eat on a regular basis. Eating a small sample of many foods a week before the test will not greatly affect the results of the food allergy test.
When can I be re-tested to determine how changes I have implemented have affected the results?
Because of the delayed response with IgG food sensitivities, it will take time for your results to normalize in a re-test. This means that even when you avoid trigger foods, it will still take time for your immune system to re-calibrate. Although your symptoms may improve fairly quickly, if you are interested in re-testing you should wait a minimum of 6 months after the initial food allergy test.
Zentai Wellness Centre offers IgG sensitivity testing of 96 common or 184 different foods from a variety of food groups including meat, fish, dairy, grains, vegetables and fruit. IgG testing is done via blood spot, which requires only a tiny amount of blood and is just as accurate as testing with a more invasive blood draw. This also makes this test more comfortable to test for food allergies in children.
Consult with our Naturopathic Doctors to find out if this test is right for you and discuss potential treatment options. Book an appointment or contact Zentai Wellness Centre for further inquiries.