Food Allergy Testing Toronto | Zentai Wellness Centre

Food Sensitivity Test

Find out the truth about your food sensitivities

When an allergic reaction occurs, the immune system reacts by releasing antibodies. The foods and inhaled particles that provoke the release of antibodies are called “allergens”. There are two commonly produced antibodies called IgG and IgE. IgE allergy responses occur immediately after ingestion or inhalation of an allergen while IgG allergic reactions occur over several hours or days and can be caused by multiple foods, thereby making them virtually impossible to identify without testing.

The problem with Food Allergies & Food Sensitivities

When an aggravating food is consumed, a reaction occurs between the allergen and antibody that trigger the release of chemicals that lead to inflammation in body tissues. 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 great thing about IgG food sensitivities is that, in many cases, with avoidance of a IgG positive food for a period of time, it can be re-introduced over certain intervals of time. This is because the allergen-antibody complexes have been gradually eliminated from the body with decreased exposure to the allergen. Your naturopath can assist you with re-introduction of foods.

What is the benefit of testing for IgG food allergies?

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 IgE food allergies (the classic immediate and acute “food allergy” response, leading to hives, swelling or anaphylaxis), IgG food allergies present as a chronic delayed response, which may not be noticeable until several meals or even days have passed. These IgG food allergies present more like what most would consider as an “intolerance” or “sensitivity” response. Commonly, these present as chronic digestive (eg. irritable bowel syndrome) or skin conditions (eg. eczema, acne, psoriasis).

How much does the IgG Food Sensitivity Test cost?

The standard 96-food IgG sensitivity test costs $270. The 96-food panel consists of 96 of the most commonly eaten foods in North America.

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.

Turnaround time for test results is 2 weeks.

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 the body. The above three terms (food allergy, food sensitivity and food intolerance) all refer to immune reactions to foods, but commonly are used to describe 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 more to IgG immune reactions, which are slower to manifest and can be confused for other causes (i.e. low-grade inflammations, skin conditions like acne or eczema, etc).

A food intolerance refers to the 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 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, this is not necessary. Because the responses are slow-building in the 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 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 the results to normalize, even with avoidance of foods that show positive on the test. Suggested re-testing can occur 6 months after initial testing.

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.