If you are wondering whether you or someone you love should get IgG allergy testing, then you may be unsure as to what an IgG allergy exactly is and what kind of testing is available. For many people, surfing the web and seeing others’ success stories makes them wonder if they too have an IgG food allergy. With this article, we hope to provide educational information and help you with the next steps.
In this post, we will discuss what an IgG allergy is and how it compares to an IgE food allergy. Also, we will list the symptoms of an IgG food allergy. Knowing this information can help you have a better quality of life! Finally, we will discuss several types of IgG food allergy testing available so that you can make the best purchasing decision.
What is an IgG allergy?
An IgG allergy is more commonly known as a food intolerance. Compared to a food allergy, a food intolerance is something that ails you over the long term. Food intolerances may go unnoticed for years. If you are curious as to whether you have a food intolerance, check out the list of symptoms in the next section. Identifying a food intolerance and eliminating your problematic foods can improve your quality of life!
What are the symptoms on an IgG food allergy?
IgG food allergy sufferers experience chronic, mild and/or ambiguous symptoms related to food. You may have an IgG food allergy and not even know it. Check out the chronic symptoms below:
- Acne and skin rashes
- Frequent sinus infections and minor respiratory ailments
- Bloating and excessive gas
- Diarrhea and/or constipation
- Chronic fatigue (even when you get several hours of sleep per night)
- Headaches
If you suspect someone has an IgG food allergy, seek help from your doctor and Registered Dietitian.
How do I get tested for IgG food allergies?
While you can easily purchase a food intolerance test online, it is important to note that current research behind these tests is limited. However, you can gain some valuable information from these tests that can springboard your custom diet plan with a Registered Dietitian. By using the results, your Dietitian can help you formulate a plan to relive your chronic symptoms.
Above all, a Dietitian can give you the most complete nutrition plan, however, if you are still interested in taking an IgG allergy test, here are some options available:
- Keeping a food diary and recognizing patterns (leading to trial and error in identifying problematic foods)
- Elimination diet with reintroduction of certain foods
- Food intolerance test (blood test)
- Antigen Leukocyte Cellular Antibody Test (ALCAT)
- Mediator Release Test (MRT)
- Hydrogen Breath Test (HBT)
- Gastric Juice Analysis Test
As you may imagine, some tests are more invasive than others. Also, these tests can have a wide range of price points. So, it is important to talk to your doctor and Registered Dietitian to determine the best IgG allergy testing method that is best for you.
