Introduction – Food Sensitivity Testing

Food sensitivity testing is a multi-million (or possibly billion) dollar industry that has grown with the food and health fear that has permeated our media in the last few decades.

Clients interpret test results as confirming something is wrong with their body (body mistrust) or certain foods (food mistrust). However, I have talked with hundreds of clients over the years, and I cannot recall anyone saying they had negative test results (i.e., they do not have food sensitivity).

A broad range of unvalidated testing modalities is available, including:

Laboratory: Blood is drawn and analyzed at a lab for various cells (e.g., food-specific IgE, food-specific IgG, white blood cells, immune system mediators, etc.).
Home tests: Clients order a test kit and return their sample by mail (e.g., blood dropped on a test card or their hair). The companies selling home testing seem to change frequently. However, the same companies might market themselves under new names and websites.
Electrical or Strength Changes in the Body: The premise is that the body’s electromagnetic energy changes in response to problematic foods. Practitioners might push on the client’s arm or leg (to measure their strength), or they may employ a machine. These tests go by several names, including Vega, Electrodermal, Applied Kinesiology or NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique).

IgE Food Panels and IgG testing are the most common.