I've seen people post results of food sensitivity tests that list many sensitivities. I'm not seeing that long list on the Enterolab site. Could you please tell me which tests are best to assess sensitivity to a wide variety of foods?
Thanks.
EnteroLab Question
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Well, in addition to the tests for the basic 4 primary food sensitivities (gluten, casein, eggs, and soy), the "C" Panel at EnteroLab tests for IgA antibodies to 11 additional foods (Corn, Oats, Rice, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Tuna, Almond, Walnut, Cashew, White Potato). But if you want to test for a hundred or more different foods and chemicals, the best option for that appears to be the mediator release testing (MRT) combined with the LEAP program.
The MRT/LEAP tests are nowhere near as reliable as the EnteroLab tests, though, so they are good at detecting food sensitivities that we may have been overlooking, but they are of little value for confirming that certain foods are safe to eat. IOW, their "red" food ratings are more useful then their "green" ratings, because they typically miss foods such as gluten, casein, eggs, etc., or rate the as minor problems, when in fact they are major problems. Note that the MRT does not detect antibodies to foods. Here's an explanation of how it works (from page 149 of the book):
Tex
The MRT/LEAP tests are nowhere near as reliable as the EnteroLab tests, though, so they are good at detecting food sensitivities that we may have been overlooking, but they are of little value for confirming that certain foods are safe to eat. IOW, their "red" food ratings are more useful then their "green" ratings, because they typically miss foods such as gluten, casein, eggs, etc., or rate the as minor problems, when in fact they are major problems. Note that the MRT does not detect antibodies to foods. Here's an explanation of how it works (from page 149 of the book):
That means that their test results have to be followed up with trial and error dietary testing to confirm whether the foods rated as safe, are actually safe, except for any foods that have been tested by EnteroLab. EnteroLab results always trump MRT results.The test does not measure any specific antibodies, nor does it quantify changes in the numbers of any other specific inflammation modulators. Instead, the results are based on an indirect method that is claimed to determine a relative level of sensitivity to various foods and chemicals by measuring an increase in the ratio of liquids to solids in a blood sample that has been exposed to a given allergen.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Thank you Tex. My strict, long elimination diet* gave me the Enterolab equivalent loud and clear except for eggs. Eggs initially tested out then I retried them and added them back to my food list. The eggs were reintroduced during the trial after I had been completely* GF, DF, SF, NF so the cumulative effect of "offenders" may have been significantly reduced. Eggs don't seem to bring on my GERD cough and do not cause D. I'm wondering if they are a lesser "offender" but still offensive (based on my elimination test) and will slow my recovery.
*Notes to readers:
Elimination diet began with about 4 foods unlikely to cause sensitivity. One food added every three days. Dropped foods that caused sensitivity then waited 3 days before reintroducing another food. This is a very telling process. An elimination diet would need to be modified for people MC. Fiber is a problem and changes the process. I was not having fiber problems or D when I did the elimination diet.
I did not remain GF, DF, SF, NF after the elimination diet about three years ago, I just "stayed away" from the foods. At the time I began having extreme D, I was also taking the medications that are believed to play a role in MC.
*Notes to readers:
Elimination diet began with about 4 foods unlikely to cause sensitivity. One food added every three days. Dropped foods that caused sensitivity then waited 3 days before reintroducing another food. This is a very telling process. An elimination diet would need to be modified for people MC. Fiber is a problem and changes the process. I was not having fiber problems or D when I did the elimination diet.
I did not remain GF, DF, SF, NF after the elimination diet about three years ago, I just "stayed away" from the foods. At the time I began having extreme D, I was also taking the medications that are believed to play a role in MC.