What is the the best food intolerance test on the market, With so many around it’s essential to be cautious when picking one so you end up with the best. Most at-home intolerance tests require sending a sample to the labs, where scientists will investigate IgG to know your intolerance.
When suffering from food intolerance, it means that you’re clinically not allergic to that substance. However, it can cause uncomfortable symptoms, so you must avoid substances you’re intolerant to.
Most times, food intolerances involve additives in foods and some foods too. Eating a food you’re intolerant to causes IBS symptoms like diarrhoea and stomach pain. Unlike food intolerance, food allergy symptoms can sometimes be life-threatening.
How can you tell the difference between an allergy and an intolerance?
Even though most people confuse food allergy and food intolerance, these are different conditions and have different tests to check for them in the body. A food allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to a food item that’s usually harmless. Food intolerance is more of a chemical reaction to a food or drinks you’ve consumed.
When suffering from a food allergy, you’ll notice symptoms from a few minutes after consuming the item, upto two hours later. However, food intolerance symptoms can take upto 72 hours for the symptoms to show up because the food needs to get to your colon for the symptoms to appear.
The testing for food allergy is IgE, while food intolerance is IgG4 because these two have different reactions in the body. IgE antibodies are involved in reactions that cause rapid immune reactions (allergies). IgG4 antibodies on the other hand show reactions involving food antigens that haven’t yet developed into allergies (intolerances).
Upon consuming a food you’re allergic to, you can develop anaphylaxis which is a life-threatening condition, and if not promptly treated one can die. However, food intolerance doesn’t cause life-threatening symptoms and many people tend to suffer from it unknowingly.
Even though food intolerance symptoms aren’t life-threatening, they cause IBS-like symptoms which can interfere with one’s quality of life. While you can’t treat an allergy, sometimes with the help of a doctor, you can make your body more tolerant to a specific food thus eliminating food intolerance. But with food allergies, you will need to avoid that trigger foods for the rest of your life.
Food intolerance symptoms include cramps, headache, bloating, diarrhoea, and headache. Some symptoms of food allergy include swelling of the throat and tongue, difficulty breathing, anaphylactic shock, and rashes.
Comprehensive food intolerance tests in the UK
These are some of the common food intolerance tests you can find in the UK.
Test Your Intolerance (£85)
This test checks for 63 intolerance in food and drinks. Once you order your food intolerance test, you’ll receive the kit in your mail within three days. Upon getting your food Intolerance Test, you can take a blood sample by pricking your finger.
Upon sending your sample back to the labs, you’ll receive your results within seven days of the sample reaching the labs. Your sample undergoes ELISA testing, which checks for IgG4 antibodies.
Once you get an email with your results, you will receive complete guidance on conducting an elimination diet. Blood tests from Test Your Intolerance also contain UKCA and CE markings as they comply with regulatory requirements.
Test Your Intolerance also has a customer LiveChat 24/7 where you can ask questions you need to and get elaborate explanations of what you’re looking for. On LiveChat, you can get the nutritional advice that you need.
Lifelab Testing (£89)
Lifelab Testing has a Basic Intolerance Test that analyses your reaction to 40 food items to help identify common food intolerances that affect can everyday life, optimise your diet and relieve possible symptoms.
The results report also contains recommendations for eliminating specific items and substitutes to replace them with. You will also have a 24/7 customer service team available to aid you in answering some of your concerns.
All the blood kits by Lifelab Testing are UKCA and CE marked to show you that they comply with regulatory requirements. Purchasing from Lifalab also means it’s risk-free. If you do not react, you can expect a full refund.
TMI Testing (£79)
If you’re solely looking for an Intolerance Test, TMI Testing offers one that checks for 80 everyday food items. If you’re looking for more than one test, say a couple’s test or family test kit, you’ll get that at a discounted price.
After the scientists conduct their test using your blood, you’ll receive your result within seven working days from the day your sample arrives at the labs. Upon purchase of the food intolerance test, you will get it within five days.
All their blood kits comply with CE and UKCA regulatory requirements. You will also receive your result via email. Their labs also use the most advanced and unrivalled ELISA equipment throughout the allergy and intolerance testing industry.
Are there any risks associated with taking these tests?
Taking a food intolerance test doesn’t entail any risks to you. These tests are meant to help you discover your food intolerances so you can take control of your diet. All you need to do is prick your finger, collect the sample needed then send it back to the lab for testing.
So, since you’ll only be suffering a little finger prick, the prick won’t hurt much and will soon heal before you even notice it. Taking an intolerance test is therefore quite risk-free. You’re also not required to leave your home to visit the doctor’s office for this at-home test. So, it’s quite convenient.
Finding The Best Test For Your Body
Getting the best food intolerance test UK can be hard, considering there are many options to choose from. Above, we have given you the best intolerance tests that can help you determine which food intolerance you have so that you can get started on your elimination and control your diet.
You can get the perfect Intolerance Test for all the common food and drink intolerances at Test Your Intolerance. Your test will be conducted in a quality-assured lab with the best allergy and intolerance industry equipment.
