IgG Food Sensitivity Test – Diagnostic Solutions – Latin America

The IgG Food Sensitivity Test evaluates more than 250* food antigens through a simple home collection. The results help professionals personalize their patients' diet and lifestyle to reduce and eliminate symptoms related to adverse food reactions.

What are food sensitivities?

Food sensitivity is an adverse response of the immune system to normally harmless foods. These food sensitivities are highly individualized and the symptoms are subtle and often delayed. Adverse reactions can occur 3 to 72 hours after eating the offending food.

Why perform food sensitivity tests?

Elevated IgG antibodies can promote systemic (whole-body) inflammation, leading to a variety of unwanted symptoms.

IgG Food Explorer tests immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies against a variety of common foods. This extensive food sensitivity testing can help doctors identify which foods may be triggering symptoms and better prioritize and individualize a diet and lifestyle plan for patients.

Generally, eliminating foods that promote an IgG antibody response can reduce stress on the immune system, decrease inflammation throughout the body, and help heal the gut. An antibody-guided elimination diet is more reliable and preferable than generalized diet plans or exclusion diets based solely on a food diary and dietary history.

IgG Food Explorer provides detailed information on adverse reactions to foods and the symptoms they create.

What food sensitivities does the IgG Food Sensitivity Test look for?

The IgG Food Sensitivity Test tests the antibody response to more than 250* food extracts.

Molecular antigens for gliadin from wheat and cow's milk are also included to improve understanding of the sensitivity of these two potentially immunogenic foods.

*The exact number of food extracts may differ from those shown in the illustration.

Which patients can benefit from food sensitivity testing?

Food sensitivities are common and increasing. As a result, most people can benefit from food sensitivity testing. The IgG Food Sensitivity Test can help patients who want to optimize their health and those who have experienced chronic symptoms for years.

The range of symptoms related to food sensitivity is wide and varies for each patient.

Symptoms may be gut-related or extra-intestinal symptoms, but are not limited to the following:

Gut-related symptoms:

• Swelling
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Reflux
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Extraintestinal symptoms:

• • Autoimmune conditions
  • Skin symptoms, including:
  • Eczema
  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Rashes and hives
  • bags under the eyes
  • Headaches/migraine
  • Blood sugar imbalances
  • Musculoskeletal/joint pain
  • Food Cravings

• Behavioral symptoms, including:

• • Anxiety
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Humor changes
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Understanding Food Sensitivity vs. Food Allergies

Food sensitivities and food allergies are not the same. Different arms of the immune system facilitate both conditions.

Food sensitivities are delayed reactions and elicit IgG antibodies, while food allergies are immediate, life-threatening, mast cell-mediated, and often involve IgE antibodies.

It is good practice to measure IgG and IgE antibodies together, as they create inflammation independently and play a key role in food-induced symptoms. A food may elicit an IgG sensitivity response and an IgE antibody response, or both.

By understanding a patient's food sensitivity, doctors can tailor dietary protocols that can help resolve uncomfortable symptoms.

NOTE: IgG Food Explorer does not test for dietary intolerances (such as lactose intolerance) and does not test for celiac disease-specific antibodies.

Why choose the IgG Food Sensitivity Test?

Simple, convenient and impactful information about symptoms caused by food.

The IgG Food Explorer uses an ELISA-based microarray test panel that specifically and sensitively quantifies the IgG antibodies present in a sample.

Using a simple finger-prick blood collection, IgG Food Explorer is a convenient collection that offers impactful information about symptoms caused by food.

The tests allow doctors to link patients' symptoms directly to adverse reactions to foods. Food sensitivities can then be addressed through diet to help resolve symptoms and optimize health.

Food Sensitivities and Gut Health

IgG-mediated food sensitivities are often a consequence of poor gut health, poor digestion, dysbiosis, and inflammation, all of which can lead to intestinal permeability or “leaky gut.” If the intestinal barrier is permeable or digestion is not optimal, poorly digested food proteins can cross the intestinal barrier.

Since intestinal permeability is not normal physiology, the immune system may detect food protein molecules as foreign or antigenic. The T cells then become sensitized and begin the immune response to produce antibodies against these foods. This phenomenon is called loss of oral tolerance to a particular food.

Food sensitivity and loss of intestinal barrier function is a well-known connection in functional medicine. However, it is essential to note that the intestinal cellular barrier is made up of highly interactive layers, including the following:

• Microbiota/Bacteria
• mucous layers
• Epithelium (includes tight junctions)
• Immune system

A compromise of any of these layers can spread intestinal permeability. Tight junctions are important, but they do not represent the full picture when considering a compromised intestinal barrier.

The IgG Food Sensitivity Test can not only help identify trigger foods that may be exacerbating a patient's symptoms, but can also provide essential clues about intestinal dysfunction, digestive insufficiency, and intestinal permeability.

If a patient has a highly reactive food sensitivity test, follow-up GI-MAP testing is warranted.

GI-MAP patterns that correspond to the development of food sensitivities

The proof GI-MAP (Microbial Assay Plus) can be used together with IgG Food Sensitivity Test when professionals delve into the root causes of food sensitivities. Key GI-MAP markers are especially useful for assessing gut health and food reactions at the same time.

When evaluating patients with food sensitivities, the following sections of the GI-MAP and key biomarkers that provide more information include:

• Pathogens: They alter the intestinal barrier.
• Normal/commensal bacteria: maintains a healthy intestinal barrier.
• Akkermansia muciniphila: Maintains a healthy layer of mucus
• Opportunistic bacteria (Pseudomonas) : It interferes with protein digestion and spreads food sensitivities.
• Digestive markers: provides information about digestive function.
• SIGA: reflects healthy microbial diversity and prevents pathogenic/opportunistic overgrowth
• Calprotectin: It reflects inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, specifically the colon.
• Zonulin: Maintains the protein that regulates the permeability of tight junctions.

Methodology

• Elisa-based multiplex food sensitivity test

*The IgG Food Sensitivity Test (IgG Food Explorer™) is not intended for the diagnosis of diseases. The information provided by Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory does not constitute medical advice; but it is only for educational purposes. Services provided are for laboratory testing only. There is no charge incurred for ordering collection kits.