The Critical Difference Between Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities
Distinguishing between severe allergies, digestive intolerances, and subtle, delayed food sensitivities. Essential reading for those with chronic symptoms.
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Food Allergy vs. Sensitivity: Why Most Tests Miss Your Real Triggers
Many people assume any adverse reaction to food falls under the term "allergy," but the mechanisms driving your discomfort are vastly different. Understanding these distinctions is the first step toward root-cause resolution.
Food allergies are immediate, aggressive immune reactions involving IgE antibodies. Your immune system flags a harmless protein (like peanut or shellfish) as a major threat, triggering mast cells to release histamine, which leads to sudden and potentially life-threatening symptoms like throat swelling or hives.
Food intolerances are non-immune digestive issues. The classic example is lactose intolerance, where your body lacks the necessary enzyme (lactase) to break down a food component, resulting in symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Intolerances are often dose-dependent—a small amount might be fine, but a larger portion causes distress.
Food sensitivities are the puzzle most traditional practitioners miss. They involve subtle, delayed inflammatory responses (often linked to IgG antibodies). Because this reaction can take 12 to 72 hours to appear, it’s nearly impossible to connect a meal to chronic symptoms like migraines, joint pain, chronic fatigue, brain fog, or persistent skin issues. This slow-drip inflammation sustains chronic illness. Since standard medical diagnostics rarely target these delayed reactions, a systematic, controlled elimination and reintroduction process is the most effective way to pinpoint these hidden triggers and find lasting relief.
Are delayed food reactions fueling your chronic inflammation? Learn how a "clean slate" can help you pinpoint your unique triggers.
Dr. Swamy Venuturupalli is a board-certified rheumatologist and founder of Attune Healthspan, bringing decades of expertise in autoimmune and inflammation care through a functional medicine approach.
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