Beware of placebo ‘food intolerance tests’
Posted: 7th February 2018 | Posted by Costa
Beware of placebo ‘food intolerance tests’
The Irish Food Allergy Network has recently openly shared the Health Products Regulatory Authority’s (HPRA) latest review. It covers the types of food intolerance tests readily available on the market. If you are not familiar, the HPRA is the Irish competent authority in charge of the regulation of medical devices. These include the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices that are part of the food intolerance testing process. While they are not responsible for regulating allergy or intolerance advice, they are in charge of monitoring the products on the market. In this case, it is their advice to the public to not rely on them; an opinion that is backed up by the IFAN. While this may be the case in Ireland, the situation with the products in the UK are the same story.
Intolerance vs allergy
To be clear, there is a distinct difference between food intolerance and food allergies. A food intolerance refers to the condition where the underlying medical causes are undetermined, yet the patient clearly demonstrates unpleasant symptoms as a result of eating particular foods. These symptoms may typically be severe indigestion, uncomfortable bloating, or excessive flatulence. In contrast to a food allergy which has severe effects. An allergic reaction usually comes in the form of rapid swelling of the face and trouble catching one’s breath. In bad cases, anaphylaxis will occur, which requires immediate medical care.
It only takes a small particle of the offending food to trigger a food allergy. These symptoms can lend themselves to be life-threatening. Unlike an intolerance which is unpleasant but manageable.
The trouble with tests
We can reflect a lot on the reports from across the water when it comes to intolerance and food testing. For one thing, as there is little known about the root cause of food intolerance, any test on the market claiming to indicate the existence of an intolerance to food has no clinical validity. Making it both pointless and a waste of money. The test work by examining a blood marker known as ‘immunoglobulin G’ (IgG). For the most part, all these IgG tests might show is that you had an increase of proteins recently – which is standard in everyday eating – which has zero relevance to your intolerance to any foods.
Taking the advice of tests without a medical professional with the right credentials can be dangerous. It is not worth the risk when it comes to your health. It could turn out to be that the symptoms you face are the result of an underlying issue that you have missed because you have wrongfully diagnosed yourself as having a food allergy.
Doing it the right way
To accurately review your intolerance and perform a food intolerance test your medical history and symptoms need to be adequately analysed by allergy immunology and gastroenterology consultants.
When done in the right way, food intolerance tests are incredibly useful. Mainly because they can help you better understand how to eat for your body. With our food intolerance tests, our expert clinicians will provide and explain your results in plain English and help you plan how to eat accordingly. It is vital you get a balanced and healthy nutritious diet and so it is better to have the appropriate dietary advice from registered dietitians instead of diagnosing yourself off of bad information from the wrong people.
If you would like help or advice on food intolerances and allergies, we’d love to help you. Book an appointment with one of our consultants today. They can arrange the appropriate monitoring along with your symptoms.