Your meals may cause gas or bloating—people who want to know how food affects them like at-home health testing kits with food sensitivity tests.
Home testing is irresistible. Results are usually available by computer or phone within 1–2 weeks, making it easier than a doctor’s appointment. Does a food sensitivity test diagnose your issues best, and are the results reliable?
Our comprehensive blog explains Food Sensitivity Testing.
What Are Food Sensitivity Tests?
Remember that food sensitivity testing is not a medical diagnostic. Though undiagnosed, “food sensitivity” is commonly used interchangeably with “food allergy” and “food intolerance.” Since “food sensitivity” has no medical meaning, it could signify anything.
Food allergies and intolerances should be defined while defining “food sensitivity test”. Food allergies occur when the immune system attacks a protein or other dietary component. Food allergies can be hazardous. If you have difficulties digesting some meals, you may be intolerant. Food intolerances rarely cause autoimmune reactions or offer serious health risks.
How does food sensitivity testing work?
Sending saliva or blood for a food sensitivity test can determine your food sensitivity. These tests often detect your antibodies to over a hundred different meals.
Food allergy testing detects one antibody, whereas food sensitivity testing analyses another. IgG is assessed in food sensitivity tests, and IgE in food allergy tests.
We provide you with the results for every food that we analyze. A score or color coding is typically applied to the foods based on the amount of IgG antibodies discovered. It is recommended that you cut out items with the greatest levels of IgG from your diet as they may be foods to which you are allergic.
When you get your results from tests for food allergies and sensitivities, you may see instructions for an elimination diet.
Is That True or False?
Food allergy testing and testing for food sensitivity are similar. The immunoglobulin antibody test detects severe and mild food allergies. However, they differ significantly: Food allergy tests look for IgE antibodies, while sensitivity tests look for IgG. How are IgE and IgG antibodies different? It is unclear if IgG antibodies can detect food allergies or intolerances. Food Sensitivity Testing is rarely covered by insurance because most doctors don’t recommend IgG antibody testing due to a lack of data.
Additionally, ALCAT testing is utilized in food sensitivity tests to quantify cell swelling in response to specific foods. No allergy or immunology center backs ALCAT as a reliable tool for identifying food intolerances or allergies. In conclusion, medical professionals still need to have sufficient data to recommend the use of food sensitivity tests.
Conclusion
Our laboratory tests are primarily designed for wellness monitoring and to provide information for educational and informational purposes; however, Celesta Health does provide various health and wellness solutions. Our tests are designed to cover a wide range of health-related topics, but please be aware that they are not meant to diagnose or treat any conditions except the specific panels mentioned.