“My naturopath told me I’m sensitive to these foods”, my client tells me, handing me a wallet-sized, laminated card. Wheat, dairy, eggs, celery, gluten, and about thirty other foods were listed. “I have no idea what to eat now” she says. “I’m intolerant to everything!”
So many people get these ‘food intolerance/sensitivity’ tests, at $500-$700 a pop, and walk around afterwards wondering how they can be ‘intolerant’ to so many foods.
Because I have a deep desire to never hear another person tell me that they’ve had one of these tests, I’ve decided to write this post about them. Let’s take a closer look at what they are and if they stand up to their claims.
Food allergies vs Food Intolerances
First of all, we need to chat for a second about allergies versus intolerances, because that’s an important thing to understand. I see from at least one Toronto-based Naturopath’s website that she’s confused about the two, which is sort of scary. First rule of business: don’t be confused about something you claim to be an expert at.
Food allergies and food intolerances are very different:
Are mediated by the immune system
Cause systemic reactions like vomiting, hives, and anaphylaxis
Can be life threatening
Allergies are IgE mediated – IgE is an antibody that the immune system makes in reaction to a an allergen The purpose of IgE is to protect us from what the body perceives to be a threat – in this case, a food protein that it doesn’t recognize. IgE antibodies sense the protein and cause the allergic reaction, usually immediately after the food is eaten.
Lactose intolerance, for example, is not an allergy. The symptoms of lactose intolerance occur because some people don’t have enough lactase, which is an enzyme that specifically digests lactose – milk sugar. So when people say, ‘I’m allergic to milk’ because they get bloated and farty after having an ice cream, that’s probably not the case.
IF a person has projectile vomiting and hives after eating that same ice cream, that would appear to be an allergy. If a person eats strawberries and develops a rash, that’s likely an allergenic reaction to that fruit. Yes, fruits have proteins in them too, but these can sometimes be tolerated by allergic people if the fruit is cooked to denature the protein.
Legit allergy testing often includes an IgE test, and a food challenge, which is considered the ‘gold standard’, done in a doctor’s office. There are also skin prick and blood tests, both valid but may times inconclusive, and food diaries/food history.
Are not life-threatening
Are mediated by the digestive system, not the immune system
Symptoms of intolerances vary, but are usually gastrointestinal but can include things like migraines
The terms ‘sensitivity’ and ‘intolerance’ are generally used interchangeably.
Food sensitivities are typically blamed for a wide variety of symptoms and health conditions. These include: migraines, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hyperactivity, anxiety, irritability, arthritis, fatigue, muscle soreness, issues with balance and coordination, chronic infections, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s, colitis), brain-fog, headaches, acne, eczema and weight gain.
Ah, brain fog. My favorite non-specific symptom that somehow always pops up!
What Are Food Sensitivity Tests?
Food sensitivity tests are usually ordered by naturopaths or other alternative health practitioners. They’re also offered at some pharmacies, even though, in my opinion, that’s totally shifty and their regulatory body should never allow pharmacists to use a non-evidence-based test for diagnosis.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the more popular food sensitivity/intolerance tests out there:
ALCAT
The ALCAT is a blood test that measures swelling of the cells when they’re exposed to the food in question. There is not a single Allergy and Immunology society in the entire world that recognizes the ALCAT as reliable and credible for the diagnosis of food intolerance or allergy. That’s sort of all you need to know about that.
IgG testing
The IgG blood test is probably the most popular of the intolerance tests. The big issue is that IgG is a normal immune response to certain foods in the diet. Meaning, when you eat these foods often, you’ll likely have IgG specific to them in your blood, and that means a positive for those foods on an IgG ‘intolerance test’. Whoops! The presence of this IgG is a completely typical physiological reaction and nothing to be worried about.
So when your IgG food sensitivity test reads positive for a smorgasbord of different foods, it probably means that you’ve recently eaten those foods, not that you’re sensitive or intolerant to them. That’s really the bottom line. You don’t want to waste $700 on a test that shows you nothing. Please don’t.
Recently, someone with an axe to grind sent me a list of citations to research that apparently proves that IgG is legit for food sensitivity testing. The issue with research is that, just because it exists, that doesn’t immediately prove anything. A study has to be well-designed to be credible. Even if IgG has hinted at being able to predict food intolerances, no Allergy and Immunology Society in the developed world recognizes it as being able to do that. That means that as of now, we know that the position on them from reputable agencies is a very strong negative. If any of the research that exists was pro-IgG and convincing, IgG would certainly be part of an official testing protocol, and the positions of these very reputable agencies would have changed.
ALCAT and IgG tests are discredited for food intolerance diagnosis by: The Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI), the Allergy Society of South Africa, Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, American Society of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and The European Academy of Allergy and Immunology, so I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that you shouldn’t be wasting your money on them.
Electrodermal/Iridology/Vega/VoiceBio
These are all fringe tests that haven’t been proven at all. You can’t determine someone’s food intolerances by looking into their eyes or performing electroacupuncture on them.
Nope nope nope.
MRT/LEAP
The MRT/LEAP test is one that has actually been done by dietitians for quite some time. In 2016 though, the Commission of Dietetic Registration discontinued its support for it due to insufficient evidence for using it for diagnosis of food intolerances.
Who’s Selling These, and What Are They Promising?
Just like a lot of diets I review, practitioners who sell this testing seem to follow the same sort of messaging to rake in the dough:
- Convince a person that they have a problem
- ‘Diagnose’ the ‘problem’ with an expensive test
- Sell the person a diet or supplements to help with the ‘problem’
Sigh. See how it works?
I went through several cycles of anger, disbelief, and resignation while doing research for this post. I guess that’s what happens when I spend too much time on Naturopathic Doctors’ sites and see the sorts of things they’re selling their patients on, literally and figuratively.
Not all ND’s are like this, but it’s disconcerting to see what some of them are up to. Not okay.
When people are desperate for answers, these tests may be misleading them, big time. And you know that nothing pisses me off more than seeing people being taken advantage of.
So Should I Take A Food Sensitivity Test?
The companies that do these tests are also shifty as hell.
Hemocode, which is a company that offers these bogus tests, is clearly confused when they state right on their homepage that hives are a symptom of food intolerance. Actually they aren’t, Hemocode, so get your shit together. Hives are a systemic response commonly found in food allergies, which this company doesn’t test for. That doesn’t stop them from posting other scary untruths and anxiety-provoking vernacular on their site:
‘A SINGLE FOOD OR INGREDIENT COULD BE KEEPING YOU FROM NUTRITIONAL WELLNESS AND A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE.’ and ‘NEARLY 1 in 3 PEOPLE SUFFER FROM A FOOD INTOLERANCE AND DON’T EVEN KNOW!’
I can’t imagine where they get their data, but I’m pretty sure it’s from somebody’s active imagination.
Even worse is the content on the ever-popular Rocky Mountain Labs’ site.
In a dark corner, they state: “IgG testing for food is not considered diagnostic for food reactions because a direct cause- effect relationship has not been established. Elevated levels of IgG have not yet been proven to cause patient symptoms, however, more studies are emerging to show a correlation between elevated IgG reactions and a variety of conditions.”
The company that sells these tests is admitting on their site that the tests don’t prove anything. Can you even believe it? Not shocking from a company that also sells a ‘candida’ test. Enough with candida already! Believe me, if you truly have systemic candida, you’ll need a hospital, not this test and a special ‘candida diet’. Insanity, I tell you.
How much more proof do you need that you should back away from anyone who wants to sell you this stuff? The fact that regulated health professionals are allowed to sell something that’s not recognized as accurate or credible and mislead people that it is, is mind boggling. I just can’t.
Overall, these tests have consequences (aside from being a total sham):
- They can cause people to restrict foods from their diet that are totally safe and harmless to them. Doing this will not improve their symptoms.
- They can cause a lot of anxiety, worrying about not-real ‘sensitivities’ and what you should and shouldn’t be eating.
- They can distract you from something that might actually be wrong. If you’re having what you believe are food-related symptoms, an elimination diet is the gold standard to figure out what could be causing them. Don’t waste your time with these tests that won’t tell you anything legit.
- They’re a waste of money. I mean, take the $700 and do something better with it, like NOT giving it to someone who’s trying to scam you.
Have any of you ever had one of these tests? Leave me a comment below (no judgement, I promise XO)
Hi Abby! Thanks for the article! I appreciate that you dig into the research and then translate it into everyday language 🙂 I actually have had the IgG test done and the ND explained that when lots of foods are flagged it means there’s something wrong with the gut, namely leaky gut, NOT that the person is permanently intolerant to all of those foods. Care to comment? Thanks!
Hi Kristy! I don’t believe that’s correct. As I wrote in the post, IgG is a normal physiological reaction and doesn’t indicate that anything is actually wrong. Leaky gut or otherwise. What do you think?
I was told I have fructose sensitivity and to do an elimination diet. I am struggling with that – because my most recent symptoms have only been around for a year or so. I am an ovo-lacrosse vegetarian, so I am trying a “Pegan” diet (vegetarian) to see what might trigger gas and bloating. It’s all very frustrating and demanding.
I just had this test done. I have fibromyalgia and have tried everything BUT this test, so I figured what the hell!! I’m sick and tired of elimination diets and still have issues my gut. Always crampy or bloated. Fully constipated or the complete opposite. I already avoid gluten, and sugar, I’m vegan, and also avoid processed food and preservatives. I was avoiding night shade vegetables too but my options are getting scarce! This was an act of desperation for my. My dietician friend rolled her eyes at me and warned me to expect a long list of positives. So, I get my results next week. I guess I’ll see for myself.
You may not want to hear this, but if you are willing to put your health over everything else, you might consider that your vegan lifestyle is the cause of your autoimmune and digestive issues. I know it’s hard to believe, but just over the past year I have discovered a large group of people who have similar health problems that were completely healed once they stopped eating all plant based food and switch to an all meat, carnivore diet.
I know this idea may be drastic, but if you want to identify the source of your problems, you must consider all foods., including ALL plant foods. This is the only way you can eliminate plants as the possible source of your health problems.
A first step might be to do an extended fast of 5-7 days or longer. I am confident your symptoms will definitely improve, and your body’s inflammation will subside.
Weird how my symptoms of bloating and digestive discomfort went away once I removed the foods that came back on my LEAP test as high intolerances. Many intolerances came off my list after eliminating them for a year, and some remained. I feel so much better now. Well worth the money and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. The test was recommended by a Functional Medical Doctor who previously practiced western medicine…I think I’ll trust my doctor and actual first-hand experience.
I’m glad it worked for you!
If the IgG reactions are a measure of exposure to foods, can you please explain why my food sensitivity test had almost no significant reactions to anything except for green beans (which I admittedly hardly ever eat). I’m now confused.
Everybody’s IgG reactions to foods are different, so your test not having any significant reactions (except for beans) can be completely normal. I was saying in the post that it’s normal if you do have IgG reactions, and likely indicates actual tolerance, not intolerance, of a food. The beans may have a cross-reaction to another food that you do eat?
Hi Abby
It seems you’re unaware of the growing body of evidence that food sensitivities can exacerbate numerous medical conditions and are likely contributors to a variety of GI disorders. I’ve taken the time to provide you with (some of) the available studies, links to the articles, and a summary of their findings (below).
In the future, I recommend doing more research before posting something like this so you don’t look so misinformed. Thanks and have a great day!
Compiled Research: Food Sensitivities, IgG Testing, and Exacerbated Medical Conditions
Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity Diagnosed by Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Challenge: Exploring a New Clinical Entity
https://www.nature.com/articles/ajg2012236
“Our data confirm the existence of non-celiac WS as a distinct clinical condition. We also suggest the existence of two distinct populations of subjects with WS: one with characteristics more similar to CD and the other with characteristics pointing to food allergy.”
Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome with a Food Elimination Diet Followed by Food Challenge and Probiotics
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2006.10719567
“These data demonstrate that identifying and appropriately addressing food sensitivity in IBS patients not previously responding to standard therapy results in a sustained clinical response and impacts on overall well being and quality of life in this challenging entity.”
Food elimination based on IgG antibodies in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomised controlled trial
http://gut.bmj.com/content/53/10/1459.short
“After 12 weeks, the true diet resulted in a 10% greater reduction in symptom score than the sham diet (mean difference 39 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 5–72); p = 0.024) with this value increasing to 26% in fully compliant patients (difference 98 (95% CI 52–144); p<0.001).” “ Food elimination based on IgG antibodies may be effective in reducing IBS symptoms and is worthy of further biomedical research.”
Testing for Food Reactions
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0884533610362696
“IgE-based testing continues to be the gold standard for suspected food allergies. Among modalities used by many conventional and alternative practitioners, immunoglobulin G (IgG)–based testing showed promise, with clinically meaningful results. It has been proven useful as a guide for elimination diets, with clinical impact for a variety of diseases.”
Sensitivity-related illness: The escalating pandemic of allergy, food intolerance and chemical sensitivity
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969710009083
“Avoidance of triggers will preclude symptoms, and desensitization immunotherapy or immune suppression may ameliorate symptomatology in some cases. Resolution of SRI (Sensitivity-Related Illnesses) generally occurs on a gradual basis following the elimination of bioaccumulated toxicity and avoidance of further initiating adverse environmental exposures.”
Between Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: The “No Man's Land” of Gluten Sensitivity
https://www.nature.com/articles/ajg2009188
“We discuss the hypothesis that GS and post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) provide two triggers that can explain at least part of the spectrum that constitutes IBS, further advancing an understanding of the role of mucosal responses to luminal factors in FBDs.” “A better understanding of how gluten can cause symptoms in sensitive individuals will illuminate the interaction between host genotype, diet, and intestinal microbiota in generating one of the most common GI conditions.”
Detection of IgE, IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies against raw and processed food antigens
https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-6-22
“We conclude that the determination of food allergy, intolerance and sensitivity would be improved by testing IgE, IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies against both raw and processed food antigens. Antibodies against modified food antigens, by reacting with AGEs and tissue proteins, may cause perturbation in degenerative and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, inflammation, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration and neuroautoimmunity.”
Case study: The effectiveness of a dietary supplement regimen in reducing IgG-mediated food sensitivity in ADHD
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d98c/6794d29fd580b5bc3bf0a857fa1d25a99052.pdf
“Our findings indicate: (1) the potential benefit of reduced antigen exposure for a specific supplementation regimen; and (2) the apparent lack of antigenic stimulation by the hydrolyzed fish peptides. We propose that the observed reductions in IgG levels in these cases can be explained by a combination of improved secretory IgA protection with enhanced regrowth of damaged villus structures” “The finding of elevated IgG concentrations to multiple foods implies an increased permeability to food antigens, and the most significant immune-challenging foods are reasonably expected to be those that elicit the most extreme IgG responses. For many individuals, eliminating foods showing extreme IgG elevations may be sufficient to ease the gut immune response and allow repair functions to proceed.”
A Cytologic Assay for Diagnosis of Food Hypersensitivity in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
http://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(09)01203-8/abstract
“Twenty-four of the patients (20%) had FH (cow's milk and/or wheat hypersensitivity); their symptom scores improved significantly when they were placed on an elimination diet. Patients with FH differed from other IBS patients in that they had a longer duration of clinical history, a history of FH as children, and an increased frequency of self-reported FH; they also had hypersensitivities to other antigens (eg, egg or soy). The basophil activation assay diagnosed FH with 86% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 87% accuracy; this level of sensitivity was significantly higher than that of serum total IgE or food-specific IgE assays.”
The gut–joint axis: cross reactive food antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis
http://gut.bmj.com/content/55/9/1240
“The production of cross reactive antibodies is strikingly increased in the gut of many RA patients. Their food related problems might reflect an adverse additive effect of multiple modest hypersensitivity reactions mediated, for instance, by immune complexes promoting autoimmune reactions in the joints.”
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: The New Frontier of Gluten Related Disorders
http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/5/10/3839/htm
“An overlap between the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and NCGS has been detected, requiring even more stringent diagnostic criteria. Several studies suggested a relationship between NCGS and neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly autism and schizophrenia.” “Recent studies raised the possibility that, beside gluten, wheat amylase-trypsin inhibitors and low-fermentable, poorly-absorbed, short-chain carbohydrates can contribute to symptoms (at least those related to IBS) experienced by NCGS patients.”
Effects of a restricted elimination diet on the behaviour of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (INCA study): a randomised controlled trial
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673610622271
“Between Nov 4, 2008, and Sept 29, 2009, 100 children were enrolled and randomly assigned to the control group (n=50) or the diet group (n=50). Between baseline and the end of the first phase, the difference between the diet group and the control group in the mean ARS total score was 23·7 (95% CI 18·6–28·8; p<0·0001) according to the masked ratings. The difference between groups in the mean ACS score between the same timepoints was 11·8 (95% CI 9·2–14·5; p<0·0001). The ARS total score increased in clinical responders after the challenge by 20·8 (95% CI 14·3–27·3; p<0·0001) and the ACS score increased by 11·6 (7·7–15·4; p<0·0001). In the challenge phase, after challenges with either high-IgG or low-IgG foods, relapse of ADHD symptoms occurred in 19 of 30 (63%) children, independent of the IgG blood levels. There were no harms or adverse events reported in both phases.”
Hi, I’m not unaware that food sensitivities exist, and that they may play a role in certain conditions. I definitely agree with that.
The point of my post, however, was that IgG testing isn’t reliable, even though it’s sold as if it is.
So for food sensitivity, the only test is elimination trial and error? Or is there a legitimate test for sensitivity?
Trial and error doesn’t work. Some foods take 3 days to show symptoms. I did a sensitivity test and i eliminated the foods that came showed giving me problems and I’m no longer bed ridden. I suffered with severe rheumatoid arthritis. In pain, degenerative joints, severe inflammation it was horrible. Not anymore. A food sensitivity test saved my life.
How many ‘intolerances’ do you feel are actually FODMAP related??
A heck of a lot more than we would have ever suspected.
Hi, Abby
I had the ALCAT food sensivity test done about a year ago. I got some positive hits and changed my diet accordingly. At that time, I was
also starting the Gundry diet and eliminating lectins from my diet. I got better. So, another year later, I was having some inflammation
responses again, so I decided to try a more extensive ALCAT test again. Also, I was curious if I would get most of the same results as I had gotten
a year ago. Wow, was I blown away. Test results were totally different. The test results revealed I was severely sensitive to certain foods,
which I believed I had no problem with in my current diet. I called ALCAT and accused them of mixing up my blood sample results with
someone else. I wanted my money back. They reluctantly agreed to repeat the test at no charge. Just got the new results back, and
guess what? IDENTICALLY the same results as before for over 350 items. IMPOSSIBLE! No test is that accurate. I give up. I have no faith in
these food sensitivity testing panels.
Jimmy, could it be possible that the company just gave you a copy of your old results with the current date to appease you? So that you would not ask for your money back or give a bad review? If it were me, I would be weary of them. These companies are not mandated to meet certain testing standards from my knowledge.
Jimmy,
I have been talking with my chiropractor about getting the alcat done. My mom’s gastroenterologist also told her I should after she was talking about my issues with her. The chiro that I see said that the results could vary drastically each time you take it because sensitivities will get better once you eliminate certain foods while others may show up the next time you have the testing done. From research, it seems like within 3-6 months of elimination many people can reintroduce a food and your body tolerate it better.
You may want to check out AIP (Autoimmune protocol). They aren’t for food sensitivity testing but do an elimination diet that they feel is better. I am personally considering the alcat just as a way to see what comes up. I have tried the AIP and it is so limiting that I just can’t stay on it for months at a time and reintroduce like I need to (I just can’t cut out the spices). In the meantime I am educating myself which includes seeing what the pros and cons are for such testing.
Good luck
Jenn
I just sent this article to my GI doctor, excited about this research at Yale. Now I stumble upon your site and read that there is no validity at all to such tests. I’m confused. https://bmjopengastro.bmj.com/content/4/1/e000164
Hi Abby, thank you for the great article. I’m a completely distressed mother. It’s been over 1 year now that a naturopath has been ordering tests on my 6 year old son (and costing me a fortune) but the last tests were the IGg food intolerance test and a zonulin test. I am going in complete circles as the food intolerance test came back high to Gliaddin, wheat and wheat gluten as well as moderately high to casein. I have eliminated these foods from his diet as I believed they were causing him symptoms ? His paediatrician does bot believe anytime to be wrong with my son. Of course I am of European background and my son loves his pasta and bread….HELP and should I be avoiding gluten in my sons diet?
His zonin blood spot test came back highly elevated and I was told it was because he has leaky gut and damage to his intestines because of the gluten ?
I am worried that he may be celiac
I got diagnosed with crohns disease and wanted to avoid taking pills for the rest of my life. I saw a dietitian bought the mrt test, was not reactive to any food, moderately active to a few. But the dietitian still restricted me to 24 foods and almost half of them were spices. Charged me 125.00 an hour to give me no meal plan or offer recipes for my new restrictive diet. All she did was pick the lowest non reactive foods and had me take pictures of empty food boxes on her counter. What the hell?? I think taking the test if your curious and can afford it why not, but anything after that is a total scam and a rip off. The test is pretty expensive too. Wish I would of read this article before going through with it. And I do believe in alternative medicine. I go to acupuncture and it helps. Even my acupuncturist thinks it’s a rip off!
Hi Abby
I developed a sensitivity to bananas about a year and a half ago. I was putting them in a shake for a quick pre workout meal. I had severe cramping and sometimes vomiting. Took me awhile to figure out it was the banana and not the shake – since then I was skin prick tested for bananas while I was there for insect venom testing . I was told it did not show allergy to banana (side note- need epipen for the other).
I have tried to introduce bananas again as I love them- but even one bite will cause cramping. I can eat them after they are cooked because of the denatured protein I guess.
In your opinion, is it possible that I will someday be able to enjoy them?
No single blood test can diagnose that number of allergens, the papers posted above are as Abby pointed out reliable studies of allergy symptoms and problems I think the point is there are a lot a very suspect companies making bogus claims to make a profit.
I spent 4 years with my Primary Care Physician and my OBGYN trying to find out what was causing my fatigue/hot flashes/headaches/GI distress/blood sugar swings/BRAIN FOG. When I refused yet another type of hormone replacement therapy, my OBGYN told me about a local functional medicine doctor. “She uses a lot of supplements, so if you believe in that sort of thing I guess she might help you.” In my first appointment, which lasted an hour, she suggested I might have a food sensitivity. She told me to think about how my GI distress changes when I travel versus when I’m home and eliminate things based on that knowledge. My symptoms started to improve within 2 weeks. After one year, I was 90% improved. And with NO supplements or medications of any kind! Just modifying my diet. To knock out the rest of my symptoms, I decided to do an elimination diet based on the results of an ALCAT test and I feel amazing. I’m so glad I did it. I’m now in the process of adding things back and noticing how they impact me, if at all. This whole process has been a lifesaver for me.
I find the vehemence in your post shocking. Every doctor, functional or otherwise, is selling more than their time. If my primary care physician or OBGYN only has 7 minutes to listen to me and is only willing to write prescriptions to address my my symptoms rather than look for the root cause, that’s a total waste of my time.
We are all an experiment of one. Just as not every medication works for every person, not every ALCAT test is going to work. But it’s still a tool that has been useful for some and so should not be discounted entirely.
Hi Abby, I was recently recommended to do the Leap MRT testing for my Hashimotos symtoms (mainly hair loss and brain fog). Obviously your opinion is it’s a rip off. Would you suggest I find a functional medical doc? It’s my understanding they will send me to a nutritionist who will do similar testing though? I feel I’m running out of options.
I did the Alcat test on the advice of my doctor. They said I’m basically sensitive to most everything and gave me a sheet of my sensitivities and told me not to eat any of the food. No guidance or food plans, just basically good luck with this. I have been trying to search for foods that I can eat. I cannot eat anything process/store bought because of sugar, black pepper, soy, canola or many other things that are red/high reaction foods. I can’t eat out anywhere and it has really affected my family life. In two months I have lost 22 pounds, down to my lowest weight in years. I feel awful, tired, weak and no energy. It’s the complete opposite of how the doctor told me I would feel. I’m dumping this craziness and going to a new doctor. I’ve spent a fortune, probably damaged my health even more than it was to start. My experience is it’s a waste of money, time and possible dangerous to your health.
Abby, I totally agree with you on the IgG test. I had one done, it only flagged foods I had eaten recently. A complete waste. However, after extensive research and a friend of mine having the Leap/MRT test done that yielded her extreme relief from symptoms(reflux, weight gain no matter how much she dieted and exercised, severe inflammation and frequent intestinal issues) decided to give it a shot. If you read the paperwork that the lab sends with results it explains that these are you sensitivities right NOW, it gave me a baseline to start with of foods that weren’t causing a reaction to my blood right NOW and that’s what I started with. It is truly just an elimination diet that gives you a list of foods to start with & to reintroduce over time in order of your reaction levels. At the same time it teaches you to pay attention to your body’s reaction to things. If you read the booklet that you receive after taking the test it also explains how sensitivities change, over exposure to a food could stimulate a reaction eventually, even if you haven’t been exposed to something for a long time it could trigger a reaction. The booklet also teaches you how to eat better, to understand ingredients, if one ingredient is made up of 5 things it is still listed as one ingredient (e.g. chocolate is not just made from a cocoa bean). This test promotes making healthy choices since of course it isn’t testing to see if you react to cheese curls or pop tarts. The key is to listen to your body, if you have indigestion don’t take something to hide it & keep eating the foods causing it, eliminate that food(s), at least for a while, or have it very sparingly! This test changed my world! I followed the suggested starting plan & went from there. Symptoms I didn’t know could change with just food, arthritis pain, chronic back issues, acne, early menopause symptoms, constipation,
and my shoe size even dropped 1/2 size after 20 years. My nutritionist that I seeked out didn’t sell me or even try to sell me a single supplement or anything at all (Massachusetts) my friends either (Kansas) I had two appointments and they were covered by insurance, I wrote a check and mailed it to the lab with my blood samples, therefore she didn’t upcharge that for a profit either. She offered to see me again if I wanted more guidance through my reintroduction journey or if I had any struggles on the way but I did fine on my own. If you need help starting an elimination diet this educates you more than you can even imagine! I highly recommend spending the few hundred dollars if you can afford it but don’t recommend it if you aren’t serious about following the plan 100% for at least few months.
P.s. I also removed all non life threatening medications, vitamins and supplements to start this plan, some of those caused negative side effects for me as well.
I just turned over a bunch of cash to buy MRT testing and a LEAP diet, but I am having a lot of doubts about how this can work. I have a bad case of IBS and was beginning my journey toward a low-FODMAP diet. Consultation with a dietitian was suggested. I acceded to the LEAP program without much thinking. However, it’s hard to understand how the MRT test could work, especially to accomplish all that is promised. I’m suspicious.
I just had the Alcat test done thru my Chiro Dr.
It came back showing a strong sensitivity to Cinnamon, Apricots, Button Mushrooms, Crab & Pork.
I had just returned from an Alaskan cruise when I went in for my Alcat test results. Ironically I had just had a week of enjoying plenty of Alaskan King Crab and bacon every morning for breakfast, which I never do! I was surprised to see Crab & Pork on my “Do Not Eat List!” I do have alot of inflammation in my body as every muscle aches and has for years. I get regular massages for some relief but I an not an exerciser as I should be. I have been following the Alcat food list for only 2 weeks along with PT exercises Chiro adjustments. I have also eliminated from my diet dairy, wheat and sugar as much as possible. I have lost 8 lbs., my muscle soarness and tightness is reducing and my hair loss that I was experiencing is almost nil. These results are astonishing to me and are likely due to all these things working in concert. Cannot say the Alcat protocol is the main reason but so far I am very happy with my results and intend to keep going. I have had both PT & Chiro previously but decided to go back again at the recommendation of my medical Internist.
Hi,
I personally got rid of some pretty serious health issues after having the MRT LEAP test and eliminating certain foods. I thought it sounded like a waste of money, too. But after years of stomach problems which eventually turned into nausea after eating pretty much any food and being prescribed prescriptions or over the counter drugs by doctor after doctor who had no idea why I was sick, I was ready to take a chance. I heard about it from a friend who cured his own chronic health problems using the same test and who is married to a nutritionist. I have since met several other people who have had remarkable results by adjusting their diet to specific foods after taking the test. For $700 this life changing test was worth every cent and has now saved me thousands of dollars on continuing doctor visits and expensive medical tests. I’m sorry you feel these tests are a waste because they do actually help a lot of people.
We are on week 3 of the MRT/LEAP elimination diet for my son. I was extremely skeptical at first but we were desperate for answers. He is 12 years old and had lost 11 pounds in 8 months. He had severe cramping and diarrhea daily, sometimes up to three times a day. It got to the point he was afraid to eat because it seemed there could be a landmine hidden in any meal. We had an IBS diagnosis from his gastro and we were taking shots in the dark eliminating all the wrong foods from his diet. My son went from a thriving and vibrant kid to lethargic, sick and skeletal-looking.
Since we had the MRT test done, he has gained a pound and a half back and has not had a single stomachache. I don’t see how this could be coincidence. I visited this blog post before we had the test done and wrote LEAP/MRT off because of it. When he lost an additional 2 pounds in December I knew we needed to try something different. Two separate gastroenterologists were of little help as I watched my son suffer. I am so glad we took a chance and have some answers now. The dietitian we have been working with (Carol Goodwin) has been an incredible resource and support explaining the results and coming up with diet plans for us.
Please keep in mind this testimony is coming from a person who rolls her eyes at essential oil remedies and most alternative medicine in general. If I didn’t witness this firsthand, there is no way I would have believed in it.