What is the best food allergy test?

Sometimes certain foods make you feel uncomfortable....this has nothing to do with whether the food is healthy or not....they cause a significant number of food allergy symptoms such as headaches, digestive problems, joint pain or skin problems....it is difficult to identify troublesome foods....the reason is that food allergy reactions are delayed or after a few hours professional food....diagnosing inherently problematic foods they suggest food allergy testing Do it.

Here we take a look at food allergies and the best ways to diagnose them through food allergy testing

Food sensitivities

Three different terms are used to refer to adverse reactions to foods: food allergy, food sensitivity, food intolerance... Of course, not everyone has the same definition of these terms.

The term food allergy is mostly used for food reactions that are potentially life-threatening.... In these reactions, the immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies of the immune system are activated.. These are true food sensitivities.

On the contrary, food sensitivities and intolerances are not necessarily life-threatening, but they create an unpleasant feeling.

Here we quickly compare food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances.

Summary

True food allergy is a life-threatening reaction of people.. Therefore, ige antibodies of the immune system are activated.. Other food sensitivities also activate antibodies and cells of the immune system... Food intolerance does not lead to the activation of this system.

Learn more: What is a blood iron test?

Read this article: Difference between food sensitivity and food allergy

Expulsion from diet and challenge test

The gold standard for diagnosing food sensitivities is elimination from the diet, followed by a food challenge and consuming the eliminated foods one after the other, after a period of abstinence.. In this way, the reaction is determined without knowing the tested food.

If you don't follow an elimination diet after a food challenge to determine food sensitivity, symptoms in response to the food antigen will be masked or barely detectable.

When you stop eating the problem food, the symptoms will stop temporarily....you should follow the elimination diet for two weeks until the symptoms disappear....then you will be ready to try challenging foods.

Following an elimination diet requires commitment and responsibility.. Also data must be recorded carefully.... You have to be aware of the ingredients of all the foods you eat and that makes it difficult.

The foods that you should avoid in the elimination diet are different from each other... Some experts prefer to eliminate problematic foods such as dairy and wheat.

All but a few foods are eliminated for a short period. For example, these foods are stopped for two weeks and then reintroduced.

To reduce the guesswork about problem foods, some experts first perform food allergy testing to better diagnose an elimination diet.

The important thing is that if you have a true allergy, never eat a food with your permission.... If you suspect a severe food allergy, consult an allergist.

Summary

The gold standard for diagnosing food allergies is an elimination diet followed by a food challenge... So, after a period of avoidance, challenging foods are tested one by one.... Some experts recommend food allergy testing to resolve food problems.

Cell-based food allergy testing

Cell-based tests for food allergy diagnosis began in the 1950s with the common cytotoxicity test....due to low accuracy, this test was banned by several countries in 1985.

Since then, immunologists have advanced and automated testing technologies.. Two cell-based blood tests are available, MRT and ALCAT

Although some experts have found these tests useful, published studies in this field are limited.

Mediated Diffusion Test (MRT)

This test requires a blood sample. This sample is usually taken from a vein in the hand. A special kit from an exclusive company is used to perform the test.

In the MRT test, if the number of white blood cells decreases against a specific food antigen, the ratio of solid particles (white blood cells) and liquid (plasma) changes with this amount of reactivity to the food.

A diet based on MRT results, known as LEAP (Lifestyle and Nutrition Action), is designed by health professionals. This diet is developed during the test and then interpreted.

A limited study published in the College of Gastroenterology-Nutrition Conference found that people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who followed an elimination diet based on MRT results for at least a month had about a 67 percent improvement in their bowel problems, including diarrhea.

Of course, this study does not have a control group....and it has not been fully published....Furthermore, pubmed, a large medical database that publishes medical studies, has not identified any studies on mrt testing.

Cellular leukocyte antibody test (ALCAT)

The ALCAT test is considered a precursor to the MRT test....while many health and laboratory professionals still recommend it.

To determine which foods cause a reaction, only the change in the volume of white blood cells exposed to the antigen is measured (rather than the ratio of solid to liquid particles), thus reducing accuracy.

When people with IBS followed a diet based on ALCAT results for 4 weeks, their IBS symptoms were cut in half...abdominal pain and bloating were reduced compared to the placebo group.

But people on this diet didn't find IBS treatment enough to improve their quality of life during the study.

Summary

Tests based on blood cells, such as MRT and ALCAT, measure changes in the amount of white blood cells when exposed to food antigens. Some experts consider these tests suitable for identifying food sensitivities, but more studies are needed in this area.

Antibody-based tests

Antibody-based food allergy tests measure the amount of immunoglobulin G (IGG) antibodies in the body.. They are available under different brand names.

This type of test has more published findings than other allergy tests, but it is still limited. According to these studies using IgG tests, it is helpful for improving symptoms in people with IBS and migraines.

However, many scientists advise people not to use IgG tests to determine food allergies....They believe that IGG antibodies to foods do not accurately reflect the body's exposure to foods....Sometimes they protect against food allergy reactions.

Other scientists believe that it is not normal for a person to have high IGG antibodies against certain foods.

Another concern is that laboratories that perform IgG tests develop their own techniques....many have poor reproducibility....this means that if previous samples are retested, different results will be obtained.

If blood samples are used twice, it is recommended that only the IgG test be used....Like double testing, minimize error in results.

The blood spot test is one of the traditional IGG tests, during which a phlebotomist draws blood from a vein in the hand... a small sample of blood is placed on the test sheet... it is not clear how reliable this method is?

Summary

Tests that measure the level of IGG antibodies in foods are available under various brand names and are useful for identifying symptoms such as migraines and IBS..

Also read this article: All About Allergy Testing

Other food allergy tests

There are other tests to measure food sensitivity. Other specialists such as chiropractors, naturopaths and environmental doctors do this.

Some of the most common options include muscle response testing, provocation tests, and electrical skin monitoring

Muscular response test

It is also called applied kinesiology... In the muscle response test, the vial containing the antigen is placed in one hand, while the other hand is opened parallel to the surface.

Then the specialist squeezes the open hand....if the pressure is not easy, it means that there is muscle weakness....that means you are sensitive to the tested food.

In the published articles about this method, the detection of food allergy by it has no advantage over random detection

How the accuracy of this method varies with the skill of the physician is unknown.

Stimulation and neutralization test

In this test, extracts of foods that are suspected of causing a reaction are injected under the patient's skin, usually in the upper arm. After 10 minutes, it is checked to see what kind of inflammation and hives have occurred... This means that the food is causing a reaction.

After the urticaria is formed, a second injection of the same food is administered in a weak form, up to 5 times weaker....therefore, the reaction is neutralized.

After 10 minutes, the condition is checked... If there is no skin reaction, the dose is considered neutralized.

Several more neutralizing doses may be needed to reach the neutral zone....You can teach the person to take additional doses to neutralize the sensitivity.

When subjects undergo skin tests for 5 oral challenge foods, the results are consistent 78 percent of the time.

Given the number of injections performed in each test, however, it is slow and the process involved is potentially painful.

Electrical skin monitoring

This test determines changes in the electrical activity of the skin at certain points.... These points reflect different food antigens.

To perform this test, a brass tube (electrode) is placed in one of your hands. This tube is connected to a computer that contains digital frequencies of different foods.. The specialist measures a specific point on the hand with a computer probe.

According to the electrical resistance of the skin, when each food is digitally challenged, a numerical value corresponding to the response to the food is recorded.

No published studies have investigated the use of this method to assess food sensitivities

Summary

Muscle response tests, provocation tests, and skin-electrical monitoring are complementary types of food allergy testing. These tests usually require more time than a simple blood draw. In addition, studies on their validity are limited.

Precautions and problems

Food allergy tests come with some caveats... the main thing is that these tests are not designed to diagnose true allergies.

If you have a proven allergy to a food such as almonds, you should avoid these foods regardless of food allergy test results.

If you are looking to use these tests to diagnose food allergies, be aware that they are unproven..so insurance companies don't offer much coverage....most tests cost several hundred dollars.

Furthermore, to confirm accuracy, the results of each sensitivity test should be compared to actual conditions after eating the food (double validation).

One of the main reasons for the difference in results is that most laboratories use raw extract materials... Of course, after cooking or processing food, new antigens are created... The current antigens are destroyed.

The purity of the samples extracted by the laboratories is also subject to change.. therefore, the results are distorted.

As mentioned, food sensitivities change after eating a food....a test done 6 months or a year ago does not reflect a person's current condition or recovery from an illness.

Using the results of old and incorrect sensitivity tests leads to undesirable dietary restrictions, nutritional deficiencies and reduced quality of life.

Finally, scientists and health professionals need to learn more about food allergies.. Testing and treatment are always changing with ongoing analysis.

Summary

Food allergy tests are not used to diagnose true allergies.... Some are used to diagnose food allergies, but insurance companies usually do not provide coverage.... Several factors affect test results... Allergies change over time.

final conclusion

Elimination regimen, after the structured elimination of foods in a sequence, after a period of avoidance, is the best way to diagnose food sensitivity.

Laboratory tests such as antibody MRT, ALCT, IGG all have limitations and their accuracy varies from laboratory to laboratory... they are useful in reducing guesswork... these tests have not been compared in written studies... so it has not been proven whether one test is better than another?

If you suspect that you have an adverse reaction to certain foods, consult your doctor first...then you will be referred to a gastroenterologist, an allergist, or other specialist.

Remember that if you need food allergy testing, you can use GCORP LLC home or work testing services instead of going to a lab.

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