Difference Between A Food Allergy And A Food Intolerance?

Many people think that food intolerance and food allergy are the same… Food Intolerance which are also called Type III Food Allergies are very different from classical food allergies. Although they can be treated in a similar manner ( avoiding the foods that are causing harm ) there are several difference between the way our bodies react to them :

• Unlike allergies, most intolerances are not caused by an immune system response but by a reaction in the digestive tract. Because of this, it can be difficult to treat an accidental exposure to a substance one is intolerant to. (Benadryl and other allergy drugs will usually have no effect on an intolerance because most allergy drugs are antihistamines, and intolerances are not caused by histamine release).
• Food intolerances are often less severe than food allergies — in many cases, in fact, intolerant individuals can eat small amounts of the food they are intolerant of without ill effect. Lactose intolerance is a familiar example; many people with lactose intolerance find they can eat one serving of dairy products every other day or so without ill effect.
• Food intolerances, unlike allergies, do not require a first exposure to a food to “prime” them.
• Intolerances manifest a wide variety of symptoms. Many are gastrointestinal, though some may be fatigue, headaches, and “brain fog” — feeling muddled in thought. Intolerances, however, do not cause hives or other allergy symptoms.
• Food allergy is a rather fast response (minutes) by the body’s immune system to a perceived invader. Signs or symptoms are typically immediate, dramatic and visible: coughing, sneezing, vomiting, migraines, watering eyes, rashes, swelling tissue, hives – or in severe cases an anaphylactic shock which requires emergency intervention. However other symptoms like the gastro-intestinal responses nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can be delayed for hours or even days.
• Food intolerance on the other hand is rather slow onset reaction, hours, days or even weeks. It is an inability to process a particular food. It is also thought to be an immune system response. The gastro-intestinal tract in some people is simply unable to produce appropriate enzymes for normal chemical breakdown. The food passes through unprocessed, or lingers in the gut fermenting producing excess ‘gas’. In some cases protein fragments rupture the lining of the intestine allowing foreign particles into the bloodstream.

Additionally, a normal food allergy test will not detect any food intolerance, you will need to pass a food intolerance test , such as imupro 300 in order to specifically detect type III food allergies.