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What’s The Difference Between An Allergy And Intolerance

How Causes And Symptoms Differ

Allergy vs Intolerance: what’s the difference? – Nuffield Health

Food allergies are the result of an immune response to certain foods. When an allergic reaction to food occurs, the immune system is specifically responding to a food protein that the body recognizes as a threat. In the case of allergies, food proteins are the small molecules that make up a particular food.

Food intolerance, on the other hand, is caused by any non-protein component of food. One common example of this is lactose intolerance.

Lactose is the naturally occurring sugar found in cow’s milk. People with an intolerance to lactose cannot break down this sugar, which typically results in symptoms such as:

Other symptoms of food allergies include gastrointestinal reactions like vomiting or diarrhea.

The most severe allergic reaction to food is called anaphylaxis, which can cause difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, and even death if not treated immediately with epinephrine.

People with food allergies who are at a higher risk of an anaphylactic reaction include:

  • People who have had an anaphylactic response to a food allergen in the past
  • People with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish.

Adolescents are also at a greater risk of food-induced anaphylaxis than adults.

Food Allergy Intolerance Or Sensitivity: Whats The Difference And Why Does It Matter

  • By , Contributor

Chances are that you or someone you know has experienced unpleasant symptoms after a meal or snack. Maybe you experienced some degree of sneezing, wheezing, rashes, brain fog, joint pain, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, or another symptom. This may have led you to believe you have a food allergy and maybe you do. But its also possible that you have a food intolerance, celiac disease, or a food sensitivity. This is important, because some of the reactions can range from just annoying to life-threatening.

Symptoms Of Allergies And Intolerances

One of the most common confusions amongst allergies and intolerances is the symptoms. Food allergy symptoms include:

  • Throat and mouth-tingling

It is very important to never ignore the early symptoms of an allergic reaction! Allergies can be life-threatening and require immediate attention.

As mentioned previously, intolerances involve the digestive system, resulting in the following food intolerance symptoms:

  • Nausea and diarrhea

Unlike allergies, food intolerances do not require immediate medical attention. Although still uncomfortable given the symptoms above, they will pass in time. Avoidance of the food is the best way to avoid experiencing any of the food intolerance symptoms above.

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How Food Allergies Work

Food allergies involve two parts of your immune system. One is immunoglobulin E , a type of protein called an antibody that moves through the blood. The other is mast cells, which you have in all body tissues but especially in places like your nose, throat, lungs, skin, and digestive tract.

The first time you eat a food you’re allergic to, certain cells make a lot of IgE for the part of the food that triggers your allergy, called an allergen. The IgE gets released and attaches to the surface of mast cells. You won’t have a reaction yet, but now you’re set up for one.

The next time you eat that food, the allergen interacts with that IgE and triggers the mast cells to release chemicals such as histamine. Depending on the tissue they’re in, these chemicals will cause various symptoms. And since some food allergens aren’t broken down by the heat of cooking or by stomach acids or enzymes that digest food, they can cross into your bloodstream. From there, they can travel and cause allergic reactions throughout your body.

The digestion process affects the timing and the location. You may feel itching in your mouth. Then you may have symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, or belly pain. Food allergens in your blood can cause a drop in blood pressure. As they reach your skin, they can trigger hives or eczema. In the lungs, they may cause wheezing. All of this takes place within a few minutes to an hour.

Symptoms Of A Food Intolerance

FAQ About Your Childs Food Allergy &  Intolerance

There are many possible symptoms that could be caused by having an intolerance to food. Depending on the type of food that is suspected depends on the possible range of symptoms. These symptoms may also be experienced in other conditions in the absence of food being a problem so should always be discussed with a healthcare professional. Symptoms commonly effect the digestive, skin and respiratory systems.

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The Most Common Allergies And Intolerances

As mentioned above, food allergy reactions are typically triggered by a protein. The most common are as follows:

Unlike food allergies, intolerances are not primarily triggered by a protein. Some of these words may be unfamiliar to you, which can be another confusion surrounding food intolerances. The most common foods are listed below, with their specific component responsible for the intolerance in brackets:

  • Pineapples, bananas, and avocados
  • Dried fruits, wine, pickled foods, tea, beer
  • Fruits and vegetables

In the case of intolerances, the body typically cannot effectively break down or absorb the food. This inability is what causes the symptoms of discomfort.

What Are The Symptoms Of Food Allergy

Allergic symptoms may begin within minutes to an hour after ingesting thefood. The following are the most common symptoms of food allergy. However,each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

  • Lowered blood pressure

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, itdoes not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highlyallergic people. In fact, as little as 1/44,000 of a peanut kernel cancause an allergic reaction for severely allergic individuals.

The symptoms of food allergy may resemble other problems or medicalconditions. Always consult your child’s doctor for a diagnosis.

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True Food Allergies Are The Body’s Most Serious Reaction To Food Food Allergies Happen When The Immune System Reacts To Certain Foods

Caption:

Celiac.com 03/24/2020 – Many of us have experienced unpleasant symptoms after a meal or snack. The effects might range from mild itching of the mouth, to nausea, or other symptoms, including sneezing, wheezing, skin rash, joint pain, bloating, diarrhea, and more.

So is the problem a food allergy, an intolerance, or a sensitivity, and what is the difference?

Celiac.com Sponsor :It’s not uncommon for people with food sensitivities or intolerances, or even celiac disease, to think they have food allergies. In fact, “food allergy” is a fairly common term that can mean any of these conditions, depending on who is doing the talking.

In reality, though, food allergies are more rare and usually more serious than food intolerances or sensitivities. True allergic reactions to foods can range from merely inconvenient to life-threatening.

Diagnosing A Food Intolerance

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If you suspect a food may be the cause of the symptoms you or your child has experienced it is important to avoid that food and discuss further with a healthcare professional they should take a detailed patient history and decide if a trial elimination and re-introduction is necessary. There are no tests e.g. a blood test used to diagnose a food intolerance. If a non IgE mediated food allergy is suspected then a trial elimination usually for 2-6 weeks is recommended.

Food intolerances can take some time to diagnose. Although not life threatening, food intolerance can and often does, make the sufferer feel extremely unwell and can have a major impact on working and social life.

Keeping a food and symptoms diary of the food eaten and symptoms experienced can be a useful way to build up patterns and highlight suspected food related reactions and reproducibility. You can find a downloadable version of a food and symptoms diary below.

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The Oral Food Challenge Method Of Food Allergy Testing May Sound Scary But All Food Challenges At Aspire Allergy & Sinus Clinics Are Performed With Three Important Elements:

1. Supervision by a board-certified physician.

2. Safety, with emergency medications ready for use if necessary.

3. Incremental doses of the allergen, given under close observation. If no symptoms develop after 20 minutes, the test proceeds with a slightly larger amount of food. This process is repeated over the course of 3-4 hours, with the goal of reaching a full serving size of the allergen food.

Do I Have To Avoid Giving My Baby Certain Foods If Theyre Intolerant

Being intolerant to a food means your baby is going to be uncomfortable if they consume that food, but eating that food every so often wont often result in much more than a bad tummy. If your baby loves dairy products, then eating a little bit of cheese or having a little yogurt every so often might be a trade-off youre willing to make to keep them happy and on a balanced-diet. If they react strongly, look elsewhere for the same dietary benefits.

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Symptoms Of Food Intolerance

Symptoms of food intolerance can include:

  • burning sensations on the skin
  • tightness across the face and chest
  • breathing problems asthma-like symptoms
  • persistent dizziness or collapse
  • becoming pale and floppy .

Several factors can influence the severity of anaphylaxis, including exercise, heat, alcohol, the amount of food eaten, and how food is prepared and consumed.To prevent severe injury or death, a person with anaphylaxis requires an injection of adrenaline . People who are considered by their doctor to be at risk of anaphylaxis are prescribed an autoinjector which contains a single fixed dose of adrenaline. They are designed to be used by non-medical people and should be administered into the outer mid-thigh muscle in the event of a severe allergic reaction. Adrenaline autoinjectors are also available directly from a pharmacy.

What Is A Food Sensitivity

Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergy

According to Harvard Medical School , food sensitivities encompass unpleasant symptoms that routinely happen after youve eaten specific foods, but theyre not related to food intolerances, food allergies or celiac disease. A typical example would be caffeine sensitivity. There is a lot of controversy surrounding these conditions, as not much is known about their origins. It appears that exposure to specific foods may trigger a strong non-allergic immune reaction that in turn generates symptoms such as joint pain, stomach pain, fatigue, rashes, and brain fog. These symptoms are not life-threatening, but they can significantly affect your quality of life.

Food sensitivities are not permanent conditions and they can diminish after some time. Its been suggested that the reduction or increase in symptoms may be due to changes in the functioning of our immune systems or the composition of our gut bacteria.

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Why Do Food Allergies Develop

Food allergies can develop soon after birth or arise later in life, as in the case of adult-onset allergies. Scientists do not yet fully understand how someone develops or is at risk for food allergies. Research is currently being done to evaluate risk factors for developing allergies like the hygiene hypothesis, environmental exposure, genetics, maternal diet during pregnancy, timing of food introduction, and breastfeeding status.

The cause of a food allergy comes from an immune system that mistakes a food protein for an infectious threat. Anyone can be affected by a food allergy, whose prevalence is constantly increasing, especially for males and those of Asian and Black ethnicity. As said before, while many foods can cause allergies, these nine types of food are the most common allergenic foods:

Unlike a food intolerance, symptoms of a food allergy usually occur even with small amounts of a âtriggerâ food, and symptoms are brought on very quickly.

What Is Food Allergy

Distinct from other adverse food reactions like food intolerance, pharmacological, and toxin-mediated reactions, a true food allergy only occurs when a body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a food protein as harmful and attacks it. To be considered a food allergy, a reaction requires the presence of immune mechanisms against the food.

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How Do You Treat A Food Allergy

The most effective way to treat a food allergy is by keeping away from the triggering allergen.

Of course, this is not always possible, and there are other precautions you can take and steps to take if an allergic reaction occurs. You can read about these in our guide to how to treat an allergy and our series ‘What to do if a customer has an allergic reaction‘, which is packed full of advice from allergy experts.

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When Do Food Allergies Develop

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Food allergies often become apparent early in childhood, especially from foods like milk, nuts, eggs and soy. Sometimes, though, these allergies can develop later in life, so this isnt always a sure bet.

Intolerances and sensitivities can also develop or worsen with age. Again, lactose intolerance is a common example: As you get older, your body may produce less of the enzyme that helps digest lactose in dairy products, Jaeger explains.

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How Do I Manage It

If you’re confident you are intolerant to a particular food, the only way to manage this is to stop eating the food for a while and then reintroduce small quantities while monitoring how much you can eat without causing symptoms.

Check food labels to see which sorts of foods to avoid.

If you think your child may have a food intolerance, check with a GP or dietitian before eliminating foods from their diet, as a restricted diet could affect their growth and development. Cows’ milk, for example, is an important source of calcium, vitamin D and protein.

Are My Symptoms Caused By A Food Allergy Or A Food Intolerance

If youre having unpleasant symptoms after eating, you might be unsure about the exact cause. Food allergies and food intolerances can both cause symptoms like stomach pain, diarrhoea, and rashes.

However, there are usually some key differences. This checklist may be able to help you narrow it down:

  • Did your symptoms come on very quickly or gradually? An allergy usually causes a reaction quickly i.e. within seconds or minutes. Symptoms of an intolerance tend to come on more gradually, over a few hours.
  • Did you eat a small or a large amount of the food? An allergic reaction can happen after consuming tiny amounts of the food youre allergic to. If you have a food intolerance, youll usually need to eat a substantial amount.
  • Did you have an allergic reaction? If youve had an allergic reaction to something youve eaten or drunk, you may experience tingling or itching in the mouth, a raised itchy rash, swelling of the mouth and throat, difficulty swallowing, and wheezing or shortness of breath. An intolerance might cause rashes and itching, but it wont cause the other symptoms.

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Unproven Ways To Diagnose Food Allergies

Some techniques can’t effectively identify food allergies. These include:

Cytotoxicity testing. A food allergen is added to your blood sample. A technician then checks the sample under the microscope to see if white cells in the blood “die.”

Sublingual or subcutaneous provocative challenge. It’s similar to a skin test, but the sample of food allergen goes under your tongue or gets injected under your skin.

Immune complex assay. This blood test looks for groups of certain antibodies bound to the food allergen. But these clusters normally form as part of food digestion, and everyone, if tested with a sensitive enough measurement, has them.

IgG subclass assay. This blood test looks specifically for certain kinds of IgG antibodies, but they’re part of a normal immune response.

How Do You Know If You Have A Food Intolerance

Difference: Food Allergy Vs. Food Intolerance  Buy Now

If youre experiencing some kind of digestive discomfort without experiencing allergic reactions , you may have a food intolerance. At this point, if youre not sure what food is causing your symptoms, you need to keep a food journal of sorts. Write down everything you eat and take notes of when symptoms occur and when they dont.

Intolerance symptoms can surface instantly for some people. For others, it can take up to 72 hours for the symptoms to manifest. Take this into consideration when keeping your food symptom log. Figuring out what food youre intolerant to can take some detective work. Sometimes a person is intolerant to a particular ingredient within a particular food as opposed to simply being intolerant to milk, for example.

You may need to really look at the ingredients that make up the foods you eat regularly in order to pinpoint what the culprit is. Once you start accumulating some data, begin cutting out possible offenders from your diet. Then add them back in after three days. See if your symptoms remain or if they stop. Eventually, youll nail it down.

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Treatments For Allergies And Intolerances

If your GP thinks you have an allergy or an intolerance, they may want to refer you to an allergy clinic for testing, or to a dietician.

If your GP isnt sure whats causing your symptoms they may need to do some tests. There are several conditions that can cause the kinds of symptoms associated with a food allergy or a food intolerance, including coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.

How To Treat Food Allergies

Many people have found success in treating food allergies with oral immunotherapy . More than 80 percent of patients are able to eat foods that formerly threatened their health within 6 months of OIT treatment.

Much like the oral food challenge, an OIT patient receives small amounts of a food to decrease their sensitivity. This dose gradually increases over about 6 months.

Because OIT involves the use of allergenic foods, there is a risk of anaphylaxis. Our staff carefully supervises all OIT patients, and all treatments and test are overseen by a board-certified allergist.

The OIT process involves four phases:

1. Initial dosing: Patients receive seven to 13 doses in a single day over a 4-6 hour time period, under physician supervision.

2. Build-up dosing: This dose is increased incrementally every 1-2 weeks under observation until the maintenance dose is reached. This process usually takes about 6 months.

3. Maintenance dosing: Based on physician recommendation, doses are taken daily for years.

4. With the maintenance doses, patients get long-term resistance and the ability to consume foods that previously threatened their health.

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