Food Sensitivities - What You Should Know
Overview:
There are various types of adverse food reaction that can take place in our bodies. These food reaction often fall into one of two categories:
- Immune Mediated
- Non-immune Mediated
An immune mediated food reaction is when a certain food antigen is seen as a threat by our immune system causing the immune system to produce antibodies to attack this 'foreign' food protein. This over-reaction to food is known as a hypersensitivity.
Depending on the type of reaction, a hypersensitivity can further be be classified into four distinct types of reactions as well. The most common being type I and III hypersensitivity reactions.
Type I Hypersensitivity reactions are IgE-mediated allergies. This is your classic anaphylactic food allergy. These hypersensitivities are immediate and can often be life-threatening if not addressed.
Type III Hypersensitivity reaction are IgG-mediated allergies. These are your food sensitivities. Food sensitivities are delayed, meaning symptoms may appear hours (2-48 hrs) or even days (4-5 days) after consuming a triggering food.
Other examples of immune mediated food reactions include, non-IgE mediated reactions like food protein induced enteropathy, FPIES and Celiac disease.
Non-immune mediated food reactions are primarily food intolerances. This includes metabolic reactions such as a lactose intolerance which is often due to an enzyme deficiency or pharmacological and toxic reactions.
Food Sensitivities:
Given the delayed nature of this type of hypersensitivity, food sensitivities are often hard to guess at. This is due to the fact that symptoms can sometimes show up days after consuming the triggering food. Symptoms of a food sensitivity can vary widely as well and can be very individualized. Some of the more common symptoms include:
- bloating
- gas
- abdominal pain
- migraines or headaches
- cough
- runny nose
- hives
- IBS
- fatigue
- high blood pressure
- eczema
- joint pian
- weight changes
A food sensitivity doesn’t always mean that a certain food is “bad” for you or must be permanently removed from your diet. It is often a signal that something else is going on beneath the surface. The key is to determine what exactly is setting off the immune system and why this is happening in the first place.
Contributing Factors To Developing Food Sensitivities:
-
High consumption of certain foods
- this is common with all the food alternatives, and substitutes available these days
-
Decreased digestive function
- low HCl, pancreatic enzymes, bile insufficiency etc.
-
Sensitivity to food components
- histamines, oxalates, salicylates, additives, preservatives, nitrates, sulphites, MSG etc.
-
Intestinal Permeability
- increases the likelihood that food particles or pathogens pass through the gut lining and provoke the immune system
-
Compromised gut immune function
- secretory IgA can indicate reduced oral tolerance to food, due to gut inflammation and decreased gut immune function
-
Gut-Brain Axis
- physiological or psychological insult can lead to loss of tolerance to previously tolerate food antigen
-
Imbalanced Gut Microbiota
- certain opportunistic bacteria can increase the antigenicity of food meaning they cause your body to react more strongly to certain foods (ex. gluten, dairy)
- beneficial microbes promote immune oral tolerance
- pathogens/opportunistic bacteria promote immune mediated food reactions
- opportunistic bacteria can crowd out brush border enzymes that help with the breakdown of food
- bacteria and yeast most commonly linked to adverse food reactions include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and H. pylori and Candida spp.
Therefore, if you are experiencing what you suspect to be a food sensitive it is important to ask:
- ls your immune system reacting because your gut lining (barrier) is compromised?
- Are there any underlying infections or sources of inflammation triggering your immune system?
- Do you have decreased digestive capacity that is contributing to food proteins being exposed to the immune system?
- Is there a lack of beneficial bacteria resulting in poor digestion & overall intestinal health?
When can Food Sensitivity testing be Useful:
The only times I have run a food sensitivity test are when a patient has specifically asked for one. Or, with really stubborn cases where we have addressed digestive function but certain symptoms, like a persistent rash still remain. In these cases the food sensitivity test often shows 2-3 reactive foods that are very specific compounds or additives hidden in foods that we couldn’t have guessed at.
Some examples include:
- vanilla, certain gums, chickpeas, almonds, casein, soy, whey, etc.
Can I ever eat that food again?
Yes, food sensitivities are not permanent, often you eliminate them for a short period until your main concern is addressed and then you slowly re-introduce it back into your diet. The key to remember is that for some reason your body is seeing a certain food antigen as a threat and mounting an immune response. We need to remove the insult, calm the immune system, address digestion and that should help reset the system
