Food intolerance? Allergy? What you need to know.

What is a food intolerance?

A food intolerance can occur when the body has difficulty digesting certain foods. When this occurs over time, large food particles (proteins) may enter the bloodstream and this can cause inflammation.

When foods and drinks are digested, the proteins within them are broken down into smaller fragments for easy absorption into the body. Larger fragments can pass through without breaking down, and sometimes the body’s immune system reacts by attacking them using antibodies called immunoglobulins.

What is the difference between an allergy and an intolerance?

The term ‘food intolerance’ and ‘food allergy’ are often confused and are two very different things.

A food allergy is a swift response by the body’s immune system to a specific food. In this type of reaction, the body’s immune system mistakes a food for an ‘invader’ which often results in a rapid allergic reaction often within minutes, but generally within hours. This type of allergic reaction is commonly associated with reactions to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs and seafood.

The UK has some of the highest prevalence rates of allergic conditions in the world.

Food intolerance is quite different to food allergy and whilst the symptoms can impact the person’s quality of life, they are not life threatening. Food intolerances are much more common than food allergies.

Symptoms of a food intolerance

Food intolerance is a condition with a wide range of symptoms including digestive symptoms, bloating, migraines, low mood, weight gain, fatigue and skin problems such as eczema*.

Symptoms of food intolerance can take up to 72 hours to appear after eating the trigger food or group of foods. On average people who suffer from food intolerances usually have around 4 or 5 trigger foods. Many people suffer for years, having formed a coping mechanism to deal with the symptoms but are unable to enjoy a normal work and home life.

A food-specific IgG reaction should not be confused with food allergies, nor other types of food intolerances, which food intolerance tests do not test for. These include: Enzyme deficiencies e.g. lactose (milk sugar) intolerance, Coeliac disease; requiring lifelong avoidance of gluten, and Chemical sensitivities e.g. histamine, tyramine, sulphites etc

*These symptoms must always be checked out by a medical professional. If you have seen a medical professional but have not been given a diagnosis for your symptoms then you may be suffering from food intolerance(s).

Food Intolerance Testing

If you like to find out more about Food Intolerance testing please book a free discovery call.

As always, please consult your health care practitioner if you or your child suffers any type of allergic reaction. This article isn’t intended to be in place of medical advice.

For further information on living with allergies or Coeliac Disease, Allergy UK and Coeliac UK have some great information.