These days, most people you know will, at some point, have claimed to be 'allergic' to some food stuff or other. Whether it's your wheat-dodging best friend or your milk-skipping mum, allergies, and the methods used to diagnose them, are big money right now. But how accurate are some of the tests people are relying on to tell them what they are and aren't allergic to? Registered Dietitian Kirsten Crothers fills us in.
In recent years, as you've probably noticed, there has been a huge rise in people claiming to have food allergies or intolerances. In fact, 30% of the UK’s population is now claiming that they react adversely to one or more foods. With long NHS waiting lists for allergy diagnoses and treatments, many people are instead opting to pay privately for their allergy testing. In fact, allergy testing is so popular that the industry is going to be worth an estimated $761 million by 2022.
A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to a specific food. This reaction, as you're probably aware, can can cause things like skin rashes, stomach cramps and vomiting, right through to the life-threatening anaphylaxis. What people might not be aware of, however, is that as few as 1-2 % of people have a true food allergy. And that many of these so-called 'allergy tests' being advertised are highly inaccurate.
So why is this important? Well, the other 28-29% of people who believe that they have food-related symptoms could actually be suffering from any number of other digestive problems. Things such as Chron’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, a food intolerance or coeliac disease can cause similar symptoms to a food allergy or intolerance. The charity Coeliac UK estimates that there are currently around 500,000 people undiagnosed in the UK. If not managed correctly, these conditions can lead to nutritional deficiencies, permanent bone thinning or even death. Finding out whether you've got an allergy or something else is going on, then, is kind of important.
But as mentioned, and as The British Dietetic Association outlines in their official Food Allergy and Intolerance fact sheet, there are numerous ‘alternative’ allergy tests available which have little-to-no scientific basis. Meaning that while you will get a result, it has a good chance of not being as accurate as you might like...
The following tests are widely advertised, setting you back anywhere between £30 and £400, but may not give you accurate results.
IgG Blood Test
IgG is a type of antibody which works as part of the immune system to fight off infection. Although food allergies do involve the immune response, IgG antibodies themselves are not involved.
Find more information here.
Kinesiology
This test claims that any muscle weaknesses shown after placing a suspect food in the client's hand or mouth shows that they have an allergy or intolerance. Actually, there is no relationship between muscle weakness and food allergy or intolerance.
Find more information here.
Hair Analysis
Also called ‘electro-acupuncture’, this test is used to look at the electromagnetic resonance of a lock of hair. However, hair has no involvement with food allergies at all. Hair analysis is condemned by NICE.
Find more information here.
Cytotoxic Testing
A blood test where the suspect food is mixed with white blood cells. The claim being that if the white blood cells swell, this indicates a food allergy. But this is not based on any scientific basis at all and does not give an accurate result.
Find more information here.
Pulse Test
This test claims that if your pulse increases after having trialled a food, that you are having a reaction to it. Yet, scientific research has proven that there is no link between increased pulse rate and an allergic reaction.
Find more information here.
Vega Test/ Bio-Energetic Response Testing
Electronic resistance is measured across the skin. Again, this measurement does not have any relationship with food allergies.
Find more information here.
You can test for food intolerances
There are currently no tests available for testing food intolerances. To get an accurate diagnosis, you will need to see a dietitian who will support you safely through a specific diet process to find out what your intolerance is and work out your tolerance level.
You can test for all food allergies
Even with scientifically proven tests, there are a certain group of food allergies known as 'non-IgE mediated food allergies' which do not show up. Again, to get a correct diagnosis for these, you will need to see a dietitian.
You can self-manage your symptoms
With long NHS waiting times and possible incorrect private tests, it may be tempting to manage symptoms alone. But this can lead to serious conditions being undiagnosed or restrictive diets which cause nutritional deficiencies.
Food allergies and intolerances are the same thing
A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to a specific food. A food intolerance is caused when the body struggles to digest a certain food. People who have a food intolerance will be able to have small amounts of the food, whereas someone with an allergy must be 100% free from.
Adults cannot suddenly get a food allergy
While it is unusual for adults to become allergic to a specific food without any childhood history, it can happen.
A nutritional therapist or nutritionist will be able to diagnose a food allergy
Having a food allergy diagnosed correctly is a process involving medically certified professionals. A doctor will firstly need to ensure that you have had the correct medical testing and then a registered dietitian will guide you safely through the dietary process.
Coeliac disease is a wheat allergy
Coeliac disease is not a wheat allergy but an autoimmune condition which affects 1 in 100 people. For those with coeliac disease, eating gluten found in wheat, barley and rye causes the immune system to damage the gut lining. This can lead to digestive problems, anaemia, weight loss, osteoporosis (bone thinning) and even bowel cancer.
If you have any symptoms, which you think may be related to a food allergy, go straight to your GP. They will carry out initial tests to rule out other conditions and then refer you to a medically trained and certified specialist. If you do not want to wait, consider going privately to a GP. Do not pay for private testing unless it is through one of these routes as you will be putting your health, and possibly your life, at risk.
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