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Food intolerances explained
continued from page 5
IBS and Food Intolerance
People with IBS often notice that certain foods tend to bring on their symptoms. Anti-food IgG antibodies can be detected in a pin-prick sample of blood using an immune ELISA test. The test exposes blood to up to 113 different food antigens and the strength of any antigen-IgG reactions is measured using fluorescence. This shows how much antibody has reacted with each food, which in turn gives an indication of the severity of the food intolerance. Once the results are known, you are advised to avoid eating the foods to which you are intolerant and, in most cases, symptoms will improve significantly. Interestingly, once you have avoided foods to which you are intolerant, the immune system seems to reset itself, the specific IgG levels come down and may stay down. Many people have managed to re-introduce problem foods a year or two after their symptoms have gone without further ill effects.
An independent, blinded audit on behalf of Allergy UK showed that around 52 per cent who rigorously altered their diet experienced quite significant reduction in long-term symptoms following the test. Over 70 per cent of people who benefited from the test, reported continued health improvements one year later. A copy of the report is available here.
A clinical study carried out by the University of York investigated the effectiveness of a three-month exclusion diet, based on the YorkTest FoodScan test, in 150 people with irritable bowel syndrome. The study was a double-blind, randomised controlled trial which is one of the most rigorous forms of research. Volunteers were randomised to receive either a diet excluding all foods to which they had IgG antibodies, or a sham diet excluding the same number of foods but not those to which they were sensitive. Symptom severity and quality of life were recorded at the beginning and at the end of the three month trial. The results showed that the true diet was significantly better than the sham diet in reducing symptom severity scores. Response to the diet was significantly affected by how well people stuck to the diet, and the number of foods to which they were sensitive. When these factors were accounted for effectiveness of the diet was even greater. Reintroduction of the offending foods also led to a greater return of symptoms in the true diet group. The researchers concluded that a clinically significant improvement can be achieved in some patients with IBS using a food elimination diet based on IgG food antibodies.
Food intolerance testing is now available from a number of pharmacies and health food shops. You can order a test kit through Lloyds pharmacies, for example, and will receive a kit through the post to obtain a pin-prick sample of blood which is then sent back to York Nutritional Laboratory.
Resources
Allergy UK, helpline: 020 8303 8583
Dr Sarah Brewer is medical director of YorkTest Laboratories, who provide the FoodScan IgG test
Dr Sarah Brewer is a member of the British Society for Allergy Environmental and Nutritional Medicine, Tel: 0906 3020010 w whose members are doctors with a specific interest in this field.
IBS and Food Intolerance
People with IBS often notice that certain foods tend to bring on their symptoms. Anti-food IgG antibodies can be detected in a pin-prick sample of blood using an immune ELISA test. The test exposes blood to up to 113 different food antigens and the strength of any antigen-IgG reactions is measured using fluorescence. This shows how much antibody has reacted with each food, which in turn gives an indication of the severity of the food intolerance. Once the results are known, you are advised to avoid eating the foods to which you are intolerant and, in most cases, symptoms will improve significantly. Interestingly, once you have avoided foods to which you are intolerant, the immune system seems to reset itself, the specific IgG levels come down and may stay down. Many people have managed to re-introduce problem foods a year or two after their symptoms have gone without further ill effects.
An independent, blinded audit on behalf of Allergy UK showed that around 52 per cent who rigorously altered their diet experienced quite significant reduction in long-term symptoms following the test. Over 70 per cent of people who benefited from the test, reported continued health improvements one year later. A copy of the report is available here.
A clinical study carried out by the University of York investigated the effectiveness of a three-month exclusion diet, based on the YorkTest FoodScan test, in 150 people with irritable bowel syndrome. The study was a double-blind, randomised controlled trial which is one of the most rigorous forms of research. Volunteers were randomised to receive either a diet excluding all foods to which they had IgG antibodies, or a sham diet excluding the same number of foods but not those to which they were sensitive. Symptom severity and quality of life were recorded at the beginning and at the end of the three month trial. The results showed that the true diet was significantly better than the sham diet in reducing symptom severity scores. Response to the diet was significantly affected by how well people stuck to the diet, and the number of foods to which they were sensitive. When these factors were accounted for effectiveness of the diet was even greater. Reintroduction of the offending foods also led to a greater return of symptoms in the true diet group. The researchers concluded that a clinically significant improvement can be achieved in some patients with IBS using a food elimination diet based on IgG food antibodies.
Food intolerance testing is now available from a number of pharmacies and health food shops. You can order a test kit through Lloyds pharmacies, for example, and will receive a kit through the post to obtain a pin-prick sample of blood which is then sent back to York Nutritional Laboratory.
Resources
iVillage Recommends Body moisturisers
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