Testing for Food Intolerances

Food intolerances can be confused with food allergies, as both result in adverse reactions to certain foods. Unlike some allergies, however, food intolerances are not life threatening and do not cause anaphylactic shock. Still, food intolerances do cause discomfort such as nausea, headaches and bloating. Find out about testing for food intolerances and learn about the symptoms.

Intolerance vs. Allergy

• An allergic reaction from food occurs when the immune system creates antibodies when it mistakes an ingredient in food as harmful. The antibodies fight the food and causes various types of reactions, including possibly rash or swelling of the airways. Food intolerances, on the other hand, are responses by the digestive system. These responses occur when the digestive system is unable to properly digest the food because the person lacks an enzyme to break down certain proteins in the food. The most common food intolerance is lactose intolerance or the inability to digest the lactose found in dairy products.

Symptoms of Food Intolerance

• When a person ingests something to which he has an intolerance, he can become nauseous, gassy, irritable and/or nervous. Other symptoms include stomach pains, cramps, bloating, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea and headaches.

Trial & Error

• Two types of tests can determine food intolerances. The first is trial and error. This procedure requires the afflicted to keep a food diary to keep track of what she eats and to record any symptoms or reactions (if any) that she has with certain foods. This helps to narrow down the foods that may be causing the reactions.

Elimination Test

• This procedure requires the person to eliminate all suspect foods, which a doctor can give advice on, until all the symptoms are gone. The patient can begin to reintroduce these foods to his diet one by one in a course of four to six weeks. Once the reactions can be attributed to certain foods, the intolerance can be confirmed. Before taking this test, a person should first consult with his doctor or dietitian to make sure he will get enough nutrients while going through the test.

Treatment

• The only sure treatment for food intolerances is to reduce the intake of the food or cut it out completely. Luckily, many people can still eat small amounts of a food they have an intolerance to and they may not get a reaction unless they eat a large serving.