Menu
Nutrition Rites - Charleston and Mount Pleasant, SC Dietitian Nutritionists
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Blog

THE BLOG

Nutritious habits that last a lifetime.

The 411 on food allergy testing

4/25/2019

0 Comments

 
​Author: Savannah Weeks 
 
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), “a food allergy is defined as an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly on exposure to a given food.” Prevalence of food allergies has increased significantly over the past decade and is an important health issue for millions of Americans. However, false or clinically irrelevant positive allergy tests for foods are common. Indiscriminate and non-evidence-based screenings often lead to unnecessary dietary restriction.

Specifically, tests such as allergen-specific IgG are not supported by evidence and should not be used to diagnose food allergies. Only serum IgE tests and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges can be used to diagnose food allergies. Many serum samples show positive IgG results for foods that cause no clinical symptoms in patients. There are no controlled studies demonstrating the diagnostic value of IgG testing in food allergy. IgG results indicate that someone has been repeatedly exposed to food components, recognized as foreign proteins by the immune system. This does not mean that the person is hypersensitive to the food component, but rather that there is immunological tolerance. It merely shows a normal physiological response of the immune system after exposure to food components.
 
Food allergies can be frightening and serious, but they are still rare. It’s estimated that >20% of the population is modifying their diet due to a perceived food allergy, but it is estimated that only 4% of adults have true food allergies. Unnecessary dietary restriction can lead to nutrient deficiencies, lower quality of life, and decreased enjoyment of food. If you suspect you might have a food allergy, talk to your doctor and avoid testing from any non-medical professional.
References
  1. Collins, S. C. (2016). Practice Paper of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Role of the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergies. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(10), 1621-1631. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.07.018
  2. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. (2010). Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 126(6). doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.007
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Cheyenne is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist located in the Charleston, SC area. 

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.