17 replies to this topic

[IrishHeart]

THIS ARTICLE WAS POSTED IN THE PUBLICATIONS SECTION, but I thought some of you might find it interesting.

I paid (out of pocket) for IgG testing back in 2010 and it showed a severe intolerance to soybean, BUT NOT GLUTEN AND CASEIN. I was, however, gluten-free and dairy free for 5 weeks at the time, on a trial run to see if it would help me. (I did not know I was a celiac yet and my (then) doctor said it would not affect the test results.)

Given that I AM a celiac, that was a pretty dangerous assumption on his part and I continued to ingest gluten and go downhill.
( But that is a story for another day)

The article, however, suggests these tests are not necessarily valuable at all.


Be wary of food intolerance tests — they may not live up to their claims
Published: April 19. 2012 4:00AM PST

If you’re considering taking a food intolerance test, it’s best to read the company’s marketing materials with a critical eye.

A quick scan of websites selling food intolerance tests revealed some inaccurate statements.

Here are some of the most common:

Claim: Food intolerances are caused by eating a repetitive diet; this overloads the immune system and the body responds by rejecting those foods.

Reality: “The gut-associated immune system is well-equipped to deal with loads of antigenic material, and there is just no evidence that it may become overloaded by exposure to large amounts of the same antigen,” said Stefano Guandalini, founder and medical director of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.

Claim: The number of Americans with food allergies may have risen to a whopping 60 to 75 percent.

Reality: Food allergies, which are different from food intolerance, affect 5 percent of U.S. children younger than age 5 and 4 percent of older children and adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As many as 1 in 3 people think they have a food allergy, but only about 1 in 28 have a food allergy that has been confirmed by a health care official, the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases says.

Claim: Most insurance covers food intolerance testing.

Reality: Not true.

Claim: Hair sampling is a safe and noninvasive method of revealing nutritional deficiencies.

Reality: Hair is made up of a protein, keratin, that can be analyzed to determine its mineral content.

That data can be used to find out if the body is lacking in certain minerals, but it can’t tell you whether you have food intolerances, allergist Lee Freund wrote in “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Food Allergies.”

Double-blind studies haven’t shown any diagnostic value for this test.

Claim: The IgG blood test is 95 percent reliable.

Reality: The test is prone to false positives and not considered reliable by any U.S. or European allergy or immunology society.

— Chicago Tribune

[Bubba's Mom]

I found the article interesting too. I've seen several tests offered that are supposed to tell your intolerances, and have been tempted to try them out of desperation.

Instead, I've just ordered the Fed Up book by Sue Dengate after Skylark mentioned the Failsafe diet. It tells in detail how to figure out intolerances on your own...and I think that's the key. We must figure it out on our own.

[Juliebove]

This article makes me angry. Says the testing may not be accurate but doesn't say why. Just like celiac testing may not be accurate. Because if you don't eat gluten prior to the test it may not be!

This article has caused people to call me crazy and say I'm am idiot for believing my test results.

I just know that I got better after the test. YMMV.

[Lori2]

THIS ARTICLE WAS POSTED IN THE PUBLICATIONS SECTION, but I thought some of you might find it interesting.

I paid (out of pocket) for IgG testing back in 2010 and it showed a severe intolerance to soybean, BUT NOT GLUTEN AND CASEIN. I was, however, gluten-free and dairy free for 5 weeks at the time, on a trial run to see if it would help me. (I did not know I was a celiac yet and my (then) doctor said it would not affect the test results.)

I had an IgG food test a year ago. Two of the items that I showed an intolerance to, I have not eaten in over thirty years--lobster and lamb. Interestingly, I showed an intolerance to gliaden but not to gluten or wheat--?????

[IrishHeart]

I had an IgG food test a year ago. Two of the items that I showed an intolerance to, I have not eaten in over thirty years--lobster and lamb. Interestingly, I showed an intolerance to gliaden but not to gluten or wheat--?????

That IS interesting!



Since the premise of IgG testing is that you have to be actively consuming a specific food protein for an antibody to it to show, how is that possible??

The "treatment" is to REMOVE that food protein so the antibodies die down and theoretically, you can tolerate them once more.

hmmm....

[IrishHeart]

This article makes me angry. Says the testing may not be accurate but doesn't say why.

Actually, it does say why (according to the medical experts).

If these tests measure high antibodies to food proteins, and this doctor is saying there is no evidence that it even happens, how can it be measured?

“The gut-associated immune system is well-equipped to deal with loads of antigenic material, and there is just no evidence that it may become overloaded by exposure to large amounts of the same antigen,” said Stefano Guandalini, founder and medical director of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.

IMHO, if you feel better, and you know that omitting certain foods has made you feel better then that's all that matters.

[Juliebove]

That IS interesting!



Since the premise of IgG testing is that you have to be actively consuming a specific food protein for an antibody to it to show, how is that possible??

The "treatment" is to REMOVE that food protein so the antibodies die down and theoretically, you can tolerate them once more.

hmmm....

Our tests showed positive to things we have never eaten or things I haven't eaten in years. They are not things that sound appealing so I will not be eating them.

[Victoria6102]

Not every thing published is true.....if you're at wits end and can spend $100 to take this easy test, I don't see what's the big deal. It makes the elimination process easier. It worked for me. everyone I know personally who did this feel better from following the results of this test and I've found it quite reliable!

[Juliebove]

Not every thing published is true.....if you're at wits end and can spend $100 to take this easy test, I don't see what's the big deal. It makes the elimination process easier. It worked for me. everyone I know personally who did this feel better from following the results of this test and I've found it quite reliable!

I feel the same. Immediately lost 6 pounds, the bloated stomach, the upset stomach. The sinus issues.

[tom]

Aren't some of those quotes ignoring leaky gut & the implications of things in the bloodstream that don't belong?

Aha ..there!
The Dr starts sentence w/ "The gut-associated immune system" - so in that textbook-style context he might be 100% right - as long as nobody ever has compromised intestinal permeability.
But leaky gut's well-known now & quotes like that regarding what should happen in an isolated gut might be fine for a textbook but appear misleading when WHOLE immune system & leaky gut & actual patients are added to the conversation.

Even the Tribune article had effective patient testimony.

I did one of the 100+ foods intol tests, btw & thought it was worth it. Long time & a lotta $ ago.

[diandliam]

Long before my DH (dermatitis herpetiformis) became spectacularly evident one day I had one of those 'oh... wow' moments. I was in a health food shop and the owner/naturapthy asked me ( after inquiring about something to help my severe hayfever) what food I craved. Made me think.. eggs came to mind at the time. Two years later turns out that iodine is a problem for me (in the yolks).
After that day I've thought lots about the foods I've avoided and/or craved and pretty much all of them have been a problem one way or another.

[IrishHeart]

FWIW, here are Dr. Weil's thoughts on this. (since the maintream medical community does not seem to believe in their reliability). If people feel they are useful, then by all means, they should use them.

"With certain exceptions (such as sensitivities to lactose and gluten, both of which have a genetic basis), food intolerances are often highly individual and mysterious. In some cases, they are due to physical or emotional stress or exposure to environmental toxins rather than a reaction to the foods themselves. Lactose intolerance results from a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to digest the sugar in milk. At least one out of 10 people worldwide shares this deficiency and develops bloating, abdominal pain and, often, diarrhea when consuming milk. Gluten intolerance is caused by an abnormal immune response to the major protein in wheat and some other grains.

I discussed the issue of testing for food intolerances with Randy Horwitz, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, who specializes in immunology. We agree that the only reliable approach to determining food intolerances or sensitivities is to use avoidance and provocative testing - in other words, an elimination diet followed by a "challenge" to see whether a suspect food really does set off a reaction.

Dr. Horwitz notes that when food sensitivities - not true allergies - are a problem, traditional allergy tests such as the IgE RAST blood tests or skin prick tests often yield negative results. He says that in his practice, he has not seen uniformly good results with IgG anti-food blood tests, applied kinesiology (muscle strength testing), or "live blood" microscopic analysis, all of which have been advocated by some practitioners as ways of determining food intolerances. Results "go all the way from questionable to downright useless," he says.

Instead, he prefers to ask patients to keep a record for a few weeks of everything they eat and any symptoms that develop in response to specific foods. This can help narrow the list of foods that may be causing problems. The next step is a defined food elimination diet. This can be an avoidance diet of patient-defined triggers, a "hypoallergenic" diet for four to six weeks, or a rotation diet, in which new foods are introduced sequentially. Once symptoms have been associated with a food or food group, the intolerance can be confirmed with a "challenge" in which the patient is given the suspect food and then watched to see if symptoms develop (This isn't practical when symptoms are severe).

Sometimes you can overcome food intolerances by avoiding the food or foods to which you're sensitive for a few months. Then, you can try reintroducing each food (separately) on a regular basis beginning with tiny amounts. Eat some every day, gradually increasing the portions. With luck, you'll find that you are able to develop tolerance to foods that have previously bothered you."

[Mefellows]

The IGG test was the way that my mom, children and I found that we were probably Celiac. We have done really well an a gluten-free diet and avoid the other foods that got high scores (as necessary for each person). After lifetimes of unexplained symptoms, debilitating allergies, and shifting diagnoses we are starting to feel better thanks to that test. Elimination diets never worked for us, as there were too many things to eliminate (and it really does take a rocket scientist to discover all of the secret things where gluten lies hidden).

[1desperateladysaved]

I am glad I did my IGG testing. There were some things that showed up I was surprised I was eating. However, did you realize that dried seaweed may contain crab and other sea creatures? I mostly discovered that I needed a rotational diet for Leaky gut. I am afterwards feeling quite well. It may be too soon to tell for sure. I am so glad that I found that chicken and eggs were not a problem for me. The test can show some safe foods. But yeah, if you haven't been eating them they will be negative.

It is great with me if you want to try paleo, elimination diet, or food journals to accomplish a healthy diet for you. I just wanted to say that some things are not accepted in the media, but that doesn't mean they are not a great help to many people. I can't think the immuno suppressing drug a doctor offered me was a great way to deal with food intolerances!

[Juliebove]

The IGG test was the way that my mom, children and I found that we were probably Celiac. We have done really well an a gluten-free diet and avoid the other foods that got high scores (as necessary for each person). After lifetimes of unexplained symptoms, debilitating allergies, and shifting diagnoses we are starting to feel better thanks to that test. Elimination diets never worked for us, as there were too many things to eliminate (and it really does take a rocket scientist to discover all of the secret things where gluten lies hidden).

How could an IgG test say that it was celiac? My daughter and I have had this done. Twice she tested positive for gluten and wheat and once for spelt. But it never said anything about celiac and now wheat, gluten and spelt are not problems for her.