New York doctor explains why food intolerance tests are fiction

Dr. Tamara Ducker Freiman from New York, a nutritionist and a nationally known expert on working with eating disorders, shared her opinion on the reasons why food intolerance tests can be ineffective.

For many years of practice, patients, filling out questionnaires, listed in them products for which they allegedly have an allergy or intolerance, said an expert for US News... Most of the foods were predictable - peanuts, shellfish, fresh apples, carrots, peaches, dairy products, lactose, and the like.

But about five years ago, the lists began to swell and become more blurred. First, new patients began to regularly complain of gluten intolerance. They then began to fill in lists showing specific types of refined vegetable oils, such as rapeseed or safflower; specific types of fish, such as tilapia, and not only; some plants from one botanical family, but not others from it (broccoli, but not cauliflower); or some types of mammals meat (red), but not others similar.

What's going on? The specialist connected all this with the fashion for “food sensitivity tests” and blood tests, which supposedly should measure inflammatory reactions to certain foods.

All that the patient sees causes him a real panic.

How do you understand the world of food now? The answer is to eat well. There are many questions for these tests. None of them have been scientifically proven to diagnose anything, so they are not covered by insurance (some patients spend well over a thousand dollars on such tests!).

On the subject: Why are vegetarian, gluten-free and lactose-free foods not as healthy as they tell us?

Of course, food intolerances exist. Here are some of the more common problems - none of them, by the way, are diagnosed with a blood test:

• Enzyme deficiency: Some side effects on digestion are caused by a deficiency of enzymes, such as lactose intolerance or discomfort associated with eating wheat-based foods. An enzyme deficiency can explain why so many people feel better on a gluten-free diet. Studies have shown that the vast majority of people who consider themselves "intolerant to gluten," somewhere between 60% and 95% actually respond to carbohydrate in wheat, called fructan. (Some gluten-rich foods, such as sourdough bread, have low fructan levels and are well tolerated by most people with suspected gluten sensitivity.)
• Pharmacological reactions: some food intolerances are the result of a biochemical reaction to specific compounds in food or drink. The presence of these compounds in food often depends on the method of processing, food additives, or the age of the product.
• Histamines: some people, especially those with a history of environmental allergies, may react to foods high in histamine (a molecule that can trigger an immediate allergic reaction) and may trigger a range of symptoms: rash, hives, fast heartbeat, feeling “ foggy consciousness, bloating, diarrhea and acid reflux. The severity of the reaction can vary depending on how much food you consume and how high the dose of allergens is with meals.
• Tyramine: Like histamine, tyramine is a molecule derived from protein. For some, foods high in tyramine trigger migraines. Those who use drugs called MAO inhibitors can experience an acute and dangerous spike in blood pressure associated with the consumption of tyramine-rich foods.
• Sulfites: these are food supplements commonly used as preservatives in wine, dried fruits, processed fruit juices, frozen clams, processed potatoes and seasonings. They can cause asthma attacks or symptoms of an allergic type, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, wheezing, hives, swelling of the face in sensitive people.

Do not spend money on unproven tests of "food sensitivity".

Instead, keep a food diary - write down foods or meals that are likely to cause your intolerance symptoms. Enter there data on the type of reaction and the time interval. Bring this list to a board-certified dietitian, allergist, or immunologist and the real culprit for your mysterious food reactions will be more likely to be identified.

The material is published for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and does not replace medical advice. ForumDaily Woman is not responsible for any diagnosis made by the reader based on the site's materials, as well as for the consequences of self-medication, and may not share the point of view of the author or expert.

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