YorkTest > Allergy or Intolerance?
Allergy or Intolerance?
The difference
What is the difference between food intolerance and food allergy?
There is a lot of confusion about the terms food intolerance and food allergy, and the differences between them. Many people speak about food allergy when their symptoms can sometimes indicate food intolerance instead.
According to the leading medical charity Allergy UK, as many as 45%* of the population
suffer from food intolerance which, whilst not life threatening can make all aspects
of life very uncomfortable for sufferers.
Food allergy is different from food intolerance in that it is a rapid response
by the body's immune system to a particular food. In this type of reaction, the
body's immune system mistakes a food for an 'invader' often resulting in a rapid
allergic reaction within minutes. This type of allergic reaction is commonly associated
with nut and seafood allergies.
The causes
What causes most food intolerances and food allergies?
People react differently to different foods. There is no one definitive test
because food hypersensitivity takes on different forms such as:
- Classical immediate reactions to foods known as food allergy which is mediated by IgE antibodies.
- Coeliac disease which is a reaction to the gluten protein and is detected by measuring anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA) and anti-endomysial (EMA) antibodies.
- Delayed onset food intolerance.
- Enzyme deficiencies such as lactose intolerance.
- Chemical sensitivities such as reactions to food additives e.g tartrazine(E102) and sunset yellow (E110) or other chemicals in foods.
- Reaction to histamine in foods.
The symptoms
Symptoms of food intolerance
Food intolerance is a condition with a mixture of symptoms and can be difficult to recognise and diagnose. Those affected often suffer for years without knowing the proper steps to take, unable to enjoy normal life and activities and in some cases, unable to work.
According to the leading medical charity Allergy UK, common symptoms that food intolerance can contribute to include:
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Abdominal pains
Aches and pains
Asthma
Arthritis
Bloating
Constipation
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Diarrhoea |
Eczema
Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Fluid retention
Headaches
Lethargy M.E.
Restless Leg Syndrome
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Rhinitis
Sinusitis Skin problems
Stomach cramps
Tension
Urticaria
Weight loss
Wheezing
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Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to you? It may be time to think about
taking a food intolerance programme click here.
YorkTest FoodScan 113 Food Intolerance Programme
The NHS acknowledges food intolerance and recommends food diaries and elimination
diets as the preferred method of treatment. Those that have chronic symptoms and
are concerned that food may be a contributory factor can sometimes get involved
in taking lengthy blind elimination diets which can be limited by the fact that
they require a high level of compliance. Furthermore, it is virtually impossible
to test all the different combinations of food types that may be contributing
to the problems.
YorKTest Laboratories is Europe's leading provider of food intolerance programmes
with over 30 years' experience which has resulted in our food intolerance programmes being
recommended by the leading medical charity Allergy UK.
Working alongside trained Nutritional Therapists, YorkTest have developed programmes
to help people manage their symptoms of food intolerance . YorkTest Nutritional
Therapists have chosen to use the YorkTest food-specific IgG antibody test as
a strategy for the elimination diets that they recommend. Many people have circulating
levels of IgG antibodies to foods in their blood, but, in order to support their
strategy for dietary elimination, YorkTest and their Nutritional Therapists have
defined the cut-off used to determine whether food-specific IgG antibodies are
detected or not as 10 AU (arbitrary units) per millilitre (AU/mL) of blood, with
a "borderline" result being defined as 6-10 AU/mL.
The YorkTest First Step and FoodScan 113 tests measure food-specific IgG antibodies.
The tests are CE marked and meet the requirements of the European in Vitro Diagnostics
Directive 98/79/EC.
The YorkTest FoodScan 113 programme is aimed at those with chronic symptoms,
and therefore includes comprehensive aftercare support through professionally
qualified Nutritional Therapists to help manage dietary changes. Some individuals
have detectable levels of raised food-specific IgG antibody levels without showing
symptoms and so for this reason we recommend that only those with symptoms embark on the programme. Measuring food-specific IgG antibodies to foods is used by YorkTest Nutritional
Therapists as a strategy for food elimination diet; it does not provide information
about Coeliac disease, enzyme deficiencies such as lactose intolerance, IgE-mediated
allergies, histamine sensitivity or other chemical sensitivities.
To find out more about the FoodScan 113 food intolerance programme click here.
* Allergy UK Report (2007)," Stolen Lives 3, The Food Allergy and Food Intolerance
Report".
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