Do you struggle with recurring bloating, eczema, headaches or fatigue? Nonspecific or vague symptoms may be due to food hypersensitivity or intolerance to something you eat or drink. Here you can read about the most common signs of food intolerance, what causes hypersensitivity to different foods and how to get tested for food intolerance.

Click here to order your food intolerance test today!

What is food intolerance?

The word intolerance is used as a synonym for hypersensitivity. Food intolerance, also called food allergy (type III), creates low-grade inflammation in the body, which in turn may be a cause of many different health problems. Food intolerance is caused by a reaction to certain foods, additives or preservatives found in food or drinks. An intolerance means that you lack the enzymes needed to break down and absorb certain ingredients. Unlike allergies, food intolerances are often delayed, which means it can take several hours or even days before you notice symptoms. Because of the delayed reaction, it is very difficult to determine on your own which substance or substances caused the symptoms.

What are the symptoms of food intolerance?

In short, food intolerance is a type of slow and gradual reaction that can present through many different symptoms. In people with food intolerance, complete digestion is prevented, which can cause symptoms such as:

• Stomach pain
• Constipation 
• Diarrhea
• Gas and abdominal cramps
• Abdominal bloating 
• Overweight 
• Nausea

Food intolerance can also cause more vague symptoms such as drowsiness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, overweight, headache, palpitations, skin rash, eczema, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, anxiety, restlessness or brain fog.

People who have problems with food intolerances often have other underlying stomach and intestinal problems. If the intestines receive substances they have difficulty handling and lack the enzymes needed to process and break them down, what is often called leaky gut may occur. This in turn means that nutrients can pass straight through the body without being fully absorbed or utilized. It is therefore common to also see deficiency conditions such as iron deficiency and vitamin D deficiency in people with food intolerances.

What is the difference between food intolerance and food allergy?

Food intolerance is often confused with food allergy. Both are negative reactions to food, but they should not be confused. Broadly speaking, food intolerance differs from food allergy in that it does not involve antibodies in the immune system.

FOOD INTOLERANCE is caused by the body's inability to break down and digest certain foods, most often as a result of a lack of enzymes in the digestive process. As a result, irritation and inflammatory processes occur along the intestinal wall. Put simply, the intestine loses its "filter", allowing microbes, toxins and undigested food molecules to pass through the intestinal barrier and into the blood. These food molecules must be handled by antibodies formed by the body - a food hypersensitivity has developed.

FOOD ALLERGY is an immune reaction in which the body's own defense cells classify harmless proteins as a dangerous substance and form specific IgE antibodies. The reaction in food allergy occurs immediately, usually within 2 hours, and is independent of the amount consumed. Characteristic symptoms of allergic reactions include skin irritation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, breathing difficulties and, in the most severe cases, anaphylactic shock.

How can you tell the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

With food allergies, the reaction occurs every time the food is consumed and can be triggered by even a small amount of the allergenic food. People with diagnosed food allergies are advised to avoid the food completely. Food intolerance instead causes a delayed reaction that occurs hours to days after consumption. People with food intolerance can sometimes tolerate a smaller amount, or a dose-related amount on specific occasions, without developing symptoms. One example is that a person with lactose intolerance may be able to have milk in coffee or drink a small glass of milk, but reacts if they drink several glasses.

How common are food intolerances?

Food allergies affect approximately 1 percent of adults and 7 percent of children. Food intolerance is much more common. In fact, almost everyone has experienced some form of hypersensitivity. Any food can cause food intolerance, but common triggers include wheat, gluten, eggs, lactose and coffee.

What causes food intolerance?

Many factors can contribute to food intolerance. It may be due to stress, antibiotics, long-term use of medication, alcohol or foods that irritate the gastrointestinal tract. It is usually due to a lack of enzymes needed to break down certain proteins found in food. Intolerance to chemical additives such as preservatives, colorants and simple salts that are often added to improve shelf life, stability and taste is also common.

How are food intolerances treated?

By learning which foods, and what amounts of them, your body can handle, you can prevent symptoms associated with food intolerance. Once the food that triggers reactions has been identified, you are advised to avoid it for a period, at least 3 months. By excluding foods from the diet that the immune system reacts to, it may be possible to reduce inflammation, relieve the body and allow symptoms to subside. Sometimes it can take up to 2 years before symptoms have a chance to improve. This partly depends on how damaged the intestinal barrier is. After a period of exclusion from the diet, the food can be slowly and cautiously reintroduced.

What can untreated food intolerance lead to?

An untreated intolerance may eventually develop into an allergy if the food in question is not avoided for a period. A damaged intestinal barrier resulting from food intolerance may also trigger a series of reactions and impair the efficiency of other organs, which may lead to, among other things:

• Several types of allergies (pollen allergy, animal dander allergy, etc.)
• Eczema 
• Crohn's disease
• Fibromyalgia and other pain disorders
• Depression 
• Asthma
• Hypothyroidism