Food allergies and sensitivities

Food Allergy and food sensitivity are two distinctly separate adverse reactions to food, and both may present with a variety of symptoms. Food allergies involve an immune response after consuming a particular food. This response may cause reactions that range in severity, and the most dangerous, anaphylaxis, can be life threatening. An anaphylactic reaction can cause restricted breathing and low blood pressure upon exposure to an allergen. Food sensitivity is an adverse reaction to food that does not have an immune-mediated response. Due to the potential severity of food allergy and the prevalence of food intolerance, an understanding of these conditions is warranted.

Common foods individuals may develop allergies to include peanuts, shellfish, cow?s milk, wheat, and soy. Symptoms include but are not limited to trouble breathing, skin rash, swelling, runny nose, nausea, and vomiting. Food allergies are more common in children than adults, and allergies may diminish or resolve with age. The allergic response is reproducible with exposure, and once a problem food has been identified the best method for handling the allergy is to eliminate the food from the diet completely. This is absolutely necessary in cases of severe allergy which may result in anaphylaxis. Carrying an EpiPen in case of accidental exposure may be required.

Food intolerance tends to have a more delayed reaction to ingestion of specific foods than food allergy. Symptoms include but are not limited to abdominal pain, excess gas, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Lactose intolerance is a condition that many are aware of; however, there are other foods which may cause problems. Due to the delayed reaction and wide variety of foods, it may be more difficult to identify a food sensitivity than a food allergy. One method which might help identify a problem food is keeping a diet and symptom diary. This is done by writing down all foods eaten and what time they were consumed throughout the day while at the same time keeping track of the time when symptoms seem to be better or worse. By observing patterns after eating a certain food, a sensitivity may be identified.

The prevalence of food allergy and sensitivity may be increasing, and more research on this issue is needed. Besides eliminating problem foods, eating specific foods might be beneficial, and yogurt is such a food that has been researched. Yogurt contains probiotics which are considered good gut bacteria, and may have a positive effect on inflammation in the GI tract. A study by Water et al. found that consumption of live-culture yogurt had beneficial effect on allergy symptoms when consumed over a long time period.

Discuss with your doctor if you have concerns about food allergy or food sensitivity. Discuss with your doctor about changes in your diet due to either condition. Due to potential serious reactions from food allergy, medical evaluation is necessary and advanced treatment options may be needed.

references

1. Kimber I, Dearman R. Factors affecting the development of food allergy. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2002;61:435-439.

2. Turnbull J, Adams H, Gorard D. Review article: The diagnosis and management of food allergy and food intolerances. Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2015;41:3-25.