What is the difference?
Food Sensitivities and Food Allergies
The key difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity or intolerance is how your body responds to a trigger food. With a food allergy, your immune system overreacts and causes an allergic reaction. In contrast, a food intolerance arises from your digestive system’s inability to properly process the food.
The terms “allergy” and “sensitivity” both describe the body’s reaction to a foreign substance. However, food allergies and sensitivities are quite different. Keep reading to learn more about the unique causes, symptoms, and treatments for each.
Food Sensitivities.
Your gut may have trouble processing or digesting certain foods, a condition known as food sensitivity or food intolerance. Experts estimate that up to 20% of the population experiences food sensitivities.
Symptoms.
Allergy UK explains that while food sensitivities are not usually life-threatening. However, they can still cause a range of uncomfortable digestive symptoms. These may include discomfort, bloating, and other digestive issues.
- gas
- bloating
- diarrhea
- constipation
- cramping
- stomach pain
- fatigue
- nausea
Causes.
Your body may have trouble properly breaking down certain substances in your digestive tract, leading to food intolerances. This is often caused by a lack of certain digestive enzymes or by sensitivities to specific foods.
Some common types of food sensitivities include:
- Lactose: Lactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products like cow’s milk, cheese, and yogurt. Lactose intolerance occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough lactase enzymes, which are needed to break down lactose in your gut.
- Histamine: Histamine is a chemical found in preserved, processed, or fermented foods. Your body normally breaks down histamine in your digestive tract using the enzymes diamine oxidase and histamine-N-methyltransferase. However, if these enzymes are impaired, histamine can build up to high levels in your body.
- Gluten: This is a group of proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity is when you experience symptoms after eating gluten but haven’t received a diagnosis of celiac disease, an autoimmune condition.
- Sulfites: Sulfites are common food preservatives that may cause food intolerance symptoms, such as asthma, in some people, according to Allergy UK.
Food Allergies.
Your immune system is your body’s loyal protector, defending you against invaders like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Food allergies occur when your immune system mistakenly identifies something you eat as a threat, triggering it to produce antibodies to fight back. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, around 8% of children and 11% of adults in the United States have a food allergy.
Symptoms.
Food allergies can trigger a wide range of symptoms, from mild discomfort to life-threatening reactions. These may include:
- dizziness
- hives, rash, or itchy skin
- swelling in your face, lips, or eyes
- coughing
- shortness of breath
- wheezing
- sneezing
- stomach pain
- diarrhea
Causes.
A food allergy occurs when your immune system mistakenly identifies a harmless food protein as a threat and attacks it. Your immune system does this by producing specialized antibodies, usually immunoglobulin E (IgE), which then trigger the release of defensive chemicals like histamine. This can cause an immediate, and potentially severe, reaction.
Unlike food intolerances, food allergies can be life-threatening. In extreme cases, even tiny amounts of the allergen can prompt a dangerous overreaction known as anaphylaxis, where the immune system floods the body with high levels of histamine.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that just 9 foods cause 90% of all food allergic reactions, these include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- shellfish
- peanuts
- tree nuts
- wheat
- soybeans
- sesame
In addition to IgE-mediated food allergies, there are also non-IgE-driven food allergies. These occur when other immune cells become activated, rather than the IgE antibodies.
Symptoms of non-IgE food allergy reactions primarily affect the skin and digestive system. You may experience symptoms like vomiting, bloating, or eczema. While less is known about this type of reaction compared to IgE allergies, it is generally not life-threatening.
Treatment.
While there is no cure for food sensitivities or allergies, we offer advanced lab testing to determine the foods you are sensitive or allergic to. We can also develop a management plan to provide relief from your symptoms and prevent future reactions. Potential strategies may include:
- Be mindful of foods that may cause you to have an adverse reaction, and try to steer clear of those.
- Taking over-the-counter or prescription medications, like antihistamines or topical creams, can help manage your symptoms.
- If you’re having a severe allergic reaction, use an emergency autoinjector (like an EpiPen) right away.
- Immunotherapy can help reduce the severity of your reactions.
In an emergency, here is what to do.
If you or someone you know has an anaphylactic reaction after eating, seek immediate medical care.
The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that you take the following steps.
- If you have an adrenaline auto-injector like EpiPen, use it and be sure to follow the instructions on the device.
- If you or someone you’re with is experiencing anaphylactic shock, quickly call 911 or your local emergency number and let them know.
- Lie back and raise your legs and shoulders.
- If your symptoms don’t get better within 5 minutes, go ahead and use a second adrenaline auto-injector.
If your child has a food allergy, it’s crucial that you know how to respond to accidental food ingestion. Always keep a self-injectable epinephrine on hand, as allergic reactions can be severe.
Accommodations are often made for those with food allergies. For instance, many school lunchrooms are peanut-free to cater to children with peanut allergies. Additionally, product labels must clearly state if a food is produced in a facility that also processes common allergens.
By taking these precautions, you can help ensure your child’s safety and well-being.
Our unique approach to food sensitivities and allergies.
At biowoRx, we view our patients as partners in care. If you’re looking for a collaborative relationship with your practitioner, then we may be right for you. That being said, it’s important to understand that food intolerances and allergies can both trigger unpleasant symptoms, but they’re fundamentally different types of reactions. It’s crucial to steer clear of any foods that may set off a reaction, especially if it’s an allergen. In some cases, food allergies can even lead to the life-threatening condition of anaphylaxis.
Annamarie Salyer FNP-C
Founder – bionwoRx