Food Intolerance Screening Test: Costs, Purpose, Normal Range and Interpretation

Have you ever had that frustrating experience where you enjoy a delicious meal, only to later find yourself dealing with digestive discomfort, skin issues, headaches, or joint pains? It's quite perplexing, isn't it? Well, you're not alone. Many of us have been there, wondering which seemingly innocent food is responsible for these unwelcome reactions. Sometimes, these symptoms can even sneak up on us hours after we've finished our meal, making it incredibly challenging to pinpoint the culprit.

Food intolerance is referred to as a condition when your body’s immune system responds reactively to a certain food within a few minutes or hours. Food intolerances or allergies are often accompanied by skin rashes and abdominal pain, which are regarded as mild symptoms. However, certain foods might trigger an extreme reaction leading to anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. 

Some of the common dietary items that may trigger food sensitivities include 

• Milk
• Eggs 
• Peanuts 
• Tree nuts 
• Soy 
• Wheat 
• Fishes and shellfishes 

Food intolerance testing help your healthcare provider recognise the symptoms and gauge their extent and associated complications. While most mild symptoms of food sensitivities go away within a few hours or a few days on their own, at times, anaphylactic symptoms can be life-threatening. An on-time food sensitivity test is thus highly recommended. 

Learn everything about Food Intolerance Test before you book lab test online. Understand the why, how, and what of this test.

What Are The Types of Food Intolerances 

Food tolerance testing type may vary depending on your symptoms and the type of food sensitivity you might have. 

Some of the common food sensitivities or intolerances include:

• Lactose intolerance: It is the inability to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk and dairy products, due to a lack of lactase enzyme.
• Gluten Intolerance (Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity): Having digestive problems and weariness after eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, but not having celiac disease.
• Fructose Intolerance (Fructose Malabsorption): is the inability to absorb fructose, a sugar found in fruits, honey, and some vegetables.
• Histamine Intolerance: Intolerance to histamine, a chemical contained in foods that is released during allergic reactions, resulting in a variety of symptoms.
• FODMAP Intolerance: Sensitivity to fermentable carbohydrates (FODMAPs) found in certain foods, which can cause stomach pain.
• Sorbitol and Mannitol Intolerance: Intolerance to sugar alcohols, sorbitol, and mannitol, which are found in various fruits, vegetables, and sugar-free goods.
• Caffeine Intolerance: Hypersensitivity to caffeine, a stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some beverages that causes a variety of symptoms.
• Sulfite Sensitivity: It is a sensitivity to sulfites, which are food additives used for preservation, and can cause symptoms such as headaches, skin rashes, and breathing issues.

These sensitivities are often accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, bloating and diarrhoea symptoms. Based on your symptoms, your healthcare provider will recommend the appropriate food intolerance profile tests. 

Types of Tests Leveraged to Detect Food Intolerance

The key types of tests leveraged to detect food intolerances include:

• Elimination Diet
• Skin tests 
• Blood tests (such as IgE Blood Test (for allergies) or IgG Blood Test (for delayed sensitivities))
• slgE test
• Allergen-specific IgE in serum tests 
• Skin prick tests (SPTs)
• Oral challenge tests 

Why Do I Need  Food Intolerance Test? 

Your healthcare provider will recommend a food intolerance testing if:

• You are exhibiting food sensitivity symptoms within a few minutes to hours of consuming certain food item 
• Have symptoms, such as nausea, stomach pain, tingling sensations in the mouth, hives, rashes, coughing, stuffy, itchy or runny nose 
• Have chronic anaphylactic symptoms, such as trouble breathing, dizziness, fainting, swelling of the tongue, lips, and throat, rapid heartbeat, cold and clammy skin 

Children are highly susceptible to developing food sensitivities than adults. Your child will need to opt for the food intolerance blood test if she/he:

• Has Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) 
• Has moderate or severe eczema, enterocolitis,  enteropathy and allergic proctocolitis 

A food intolerance allergy test and its insights can help your healthcare provider:

• Identify whether you have any sort of food allergy
• Gauge the severity of your food allergy symptoms 
• Gauge whether your symptoms have ceased or amplified 

You've received your food tolerance test results, but you might be wondering whether these results fall within the normal range. This section will guide you in understanding whether your test results are considered normal or not.

What Does Food Intolerance Test Results Mean?

If the result is positive for the food intolerance test, it means you have existing symptoms of food sensitivities and you should consult with your healthcare provider for further diagnosis and appropriate treatment intervention. 

If the result is negative, it might mean that you don’t have the symptoms due to a food allergy and other diagnostic measures must be sought to understand the underlying health conditions. 

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Disclaimer: Although we have endeavoured to provide accurate information on this page, we strongly recommend that you seek advice from your doctor before relying on any of the test ranges or lab-test recommendations mentioned herein.