Everlywell At-Home Food Sensitivity Test Explained by a Dietitian
By: Alexis Michel MS, RDN, CLT
If you suspect you have food sensitivities then you might have heard of the Everlywell at-home food sensitivity test. In this article Registered Dietitian, Certified LEAP Therapist breaks down what you need to know about food sensitivity tests, the limitations, and how you should proceed if you want to get tested.
What is it?
The Everlywell at-home food sensitivity test measure’s your body’s current immune response to 96 foods. Through a fingerprick test, it measures your body’s current level of IgG antibodies for a variety of foods. It rates your reactivity from 0-3, with higher scores indicating a potential food sensitivity. There is a two step elimination diet protocol to follow the test results. There are two issues with this. 1-There is a potential that the test will flag foods that aren’t actually causing issues for you. 2-Eliminating a list of foods that are not causing any adverse reactions may cause disordered eating, fear around food, and nutrient deficiencies.
What is IgG?
IgG is one type of immunoglobulin/antibody our body makes. There are 5 types of antibodies: IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM, IgD. Our body makes antibodies to protect us from foreign invaders like chemicals, allergens, and in some cases foods. IgG is the most common type of immunoglobulin, making up 75% of antibodies in our body. The Everlywell food sensitivity test claims that by measuring the amount of IgG in response to various foods, you can identify foods that cause symptoms like migraines & headache, gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea, constipation, pain/discomfort) arthritis, fibromyalgia (joint pain), skin issues (acne, rosacea, eczema) etc. However, the presence of IgG in response to foods does not always indicate an inflammatory reaction. IgG levels can be elevated simply because our body marked that food as a potential threat. IgG functions as a protection of our immune system by “marking” potential foreign invaders. Elevated IgG may be normal and just means your body is doing it’s job. Due to it’s lack of scientific evidence to support the claim that IgG is a reliable measure of food sensitivities and symptoms, many organizations, including the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology have recommended against using IgG testing to diagnose food allergies or food intolerances / sensitivities.
What are Food Sensitivity Reactions?
There are several pathways that lead to an immune mediated hypersensitivity reaction. IgG reactions are a type III hypersensitivity. When IgG picks up on a potential food antigen it binds to that cell and forms an immune complex in circulation. The igG immune complex settles in various tissues of the joints, skin, & blood vessels throughout the body and promote the formation of the complement pathway. Complement activation leads to the accumulation of WBC (monocytes and neutrophils) that release inflammatory mediators (histamine, cytokines, or prostaglandins) which cause tissue damage to the area. The mediators are what cause symptoms like GI issues (bloating, gas, pain, diarrhea); skin issues (acne, rosacea, eczema); neurologic issues (migraine’s, headache) etc.
Another type III hypersensitivity pathway is IgM immune complexes. Because the Everlywell test only tests for IgG antibodies, they do not test for IgM antibodies. Another hypersensitivity reaction is type IV cell mediated reactions again, not tested by Everlywell. In type IV hypersensitivity reactions, the body flags a food antigen as a threat, and forms an immune reaction which triggers T-cell inspection. When T-cells are activated by food antigens they release inflammatory mediators (cytokines, chemokines, histamine, prostaglandins) which cause tissue damage and inflammatory symptoms. Mediators released by T-cells in response to certain foods are pro-inflammatory causing symptoms such as GI issues, migraine’s, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and skin issues.
What is MRT?
MRT is an evidence based food sensitivity test that measures your bodies reaction to 170 foods and food chemicals. MRT does not measure IgG, IgE, IgA, or IgM antibodies. It is not a food allergy test. MRT measures mediator release from WBC in your blood. Mediators are pro-inflammatory and when released from WBC, cause a host of symptoms ranging in severity and form. The MRT tests your blood against 170 food and food chemicals and measures the amount of mediators released from your WBC. The amount of pro-inflammatory mediators in your blood corresponds to symptoms. MRT measures the amount of mediators from several immune reactions against each food. MRT measures the end result of food hypersensitivities, which gives you the best look at which foods are causing your inflammatory reactions and unwanted symptoms. Everlywell is only testing one possible mechanism (IgG) which may not even cause symptoms.
The Bottom line: Food sensitivities are tricky and often misunderstood because they cause a variety of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Inflammation caused by mediator release in type III and IV hypersensitivity reactions are what cause unwanted symptoms. If you’re suffering from any of the mentioned symptoms in this article and want to get tested for food sensitivities, then it’s worth it to try something that actually works. The MRT is backed by science and recommended by Dietitians. You can get tested and have a Dietitian review the results with you, and develop a custom meal plan that treats the root cause of your symptoms. Learn more here.
