Antigen Testing - Dunwoody Labs

[Kestrel]

Hello. I've done the EnteroLab testing & am abiding by the dietary info I learned from the results. I've also read all I could here about the fact that Colitis inflammation issues are best detected in stool ~ rather than blood ~ samples. IgA rather than IgE

A friend is about to do a blood test from Dunwoody Labs in Georgia after attending a lecture & seeing a sample report that breaks out allergies AND supposedly sensitivities relative to these markers: IgE, IgG4, IgG, C3d. I tried to attach the sample report tho can't seem to do it (it's a pdf), but it breaks down probably 30-50 foods relative to those markers, putting the foods into categories that should be eliminated, rotated or eaten without limits.

The test purports to show which "ingested foods are causing a response within your immune system" which sounds like inflammation & thus something of interest to those of us with MC. I'm wondering if anyone is at all familiar with this sort of testing or this lab and/or has an opinion re whether this test would be of any use to MC sufferers. There are so many more foods involved that I wonder if it would be helpful to know of more foods that work either for or against our bodies. OR... if this test of the blood would be unreliable for our needs, a waste of time & money (it costs $300).

Thanks much to anyone who has knowledge or opinions to share.

[tex]

I've never heard of that lab, but that doesn't mean anything. The type of inflammation that causes MC is lymphocytic infiltration into the lamina propria layer of the mucosa of the colon. That type of inflammation is provoked by IgA antibodies. You'll notice that IgA antibodies are not in the list of markers that you specified, and that's why I wouldn't gamble 300 bucks (to say nothing of my recovery prospects) on that test.

But remember, that's just my opinion based on the way reactions of this type normally proceed. I know nothing about the actual test.

Tex

[Kestrel]

Tex, thank you ~ once again ~ for your valuable input. I'm still learning about the various "inflammation markers" & want to know more. But given that what's important for our poor colons is the IgA factor ~ & this Dunwoody Lab test doesn't look for it ~ I'm not going to waste my money.

I assume everyone here trusts the EnteroLab results & has had good luck abiding by the results, ie staying away from the high immunologic-reactive foods. I was a bit underwhelmed by my EnteroLab report. It's helpful, for sure, but without reference points it's difficult to know where I (any of us) are on the continuum.

For instance, my anti-gliadin result was 54 units; I get that "normal" is less than 10, but where on the high continuum is 54 units? How do I know where I am in relation to other Colitis sufferers? Same with casein (28 units), egg (46), soy (17). I've removed all these entirely from my diet but it would be helpful to know where I am in the RANGE of my antigen activity.

And, Tex, without your experienced opinion re the "antigenic foods" I'd be unclear ~ from EnteroLab's report ~ which level of foods to avoid at all costs (so for now I'm avoiding all of them 1+, 2+, 3+). Bottom line, for the cost of the EnteroLab test I would hope for more detailed, real-world analysis & instruction.

Also bottom line: I'm so very grateful for this Forum & for Tex's books. We're sort of a lost tribe of Colitis sufferers waiting for science & medicine to wake up & catch up.

[tex]

Antibody levels continue to build with continued exposure. In general, those patients who have the longest untreated reaction periods, have the highest numerical test scores. But that's certainly not an absolute guide, because the scores also depend on the calibration of any given lot of test kits for ELISA tests. If you want to see how you compare with others, study and compare the test results that are listed for other members. More than a few are listed.

Food Sensitivity Test Results From Enterolab

The test results do come with what appears to me to be a rather complete, personalized summary of the patients food sensitivities, and how to interpret the results.

Look at your overall score on the 11 other antigenic foods. If it's below 10, you can ignore all the individual results and ranks. If it's high (20–40 or more), the results and ranks of the individual foods are important. And if it's somewhere in between those two extremes, you might be able to tolerate some of the 1+ and even 2+ foods, especially on a rotation basis, but 3+ foods will probably be a significant problem. The most important number is the overall score.

I would rank your results on the "big four" as moderately high, compared with most of us. I don't see why ranking those results is important, Anything above 10 is a positive result on the "big four" and if you have a positive result, the actual number is beside the point — you're sensitive to that food. Trying to rank the results is a bit like wondering whether someone is seriously pregnant, or just a little bit pregnant.

Tex

[Kestrel]

I understand, thank you for your feedback, Tex. In contemplating where I am on the continuum of sensitivity to a particular food, my primary interest was in terms of which foods I might try first to add back in (post-medication, one at a time). The 1+,2+, 3+ rankings on the "antigenic foods" make sense for that purpose; the other food numbers don't give a low/med/high range. Apparently I would wing it based on low to high numbers over 10.

[tex]

Any of the "big four" scores over ten should be absolutely avoided at all times.

Tex