An Inside Look on Food Allergies and Food Sensitivities

An allergy, despite its cause, is often categorized as a common chronic disease. This means, that allergies tend to last a long time or re-occur from time to time. There have been cases where children have outgrown their allergies, yet; for some, their allergies seem to worse as they get older.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies are mainly due to an unbalanced immune system. Hence, the immune system will recognize a substance (allergen) in the body as harmful and in turn, release antibodies. The antibodies released by the immune system to fight the allergens are commonly referred to as Immunoglobulins E (IgE).

Allergies can range between mild to severe. In some cases, allergies may only cause discomfort, while in other cases; they may be life-threatening. Some individuals tend to react to different allergens such as pollen, dust and even food. However, for the purposes of this article, we shall be focusing on food sensitivities and allergies.

To better understand this topic, we shall address IgE, IgA and IgG immune responses or reactions in detail.

IgE, IgG and IgA Immune Responses Defined

First things first, IgE, IgA and IgG are antibodies, otherwise known as immunoglobulins, are released by the immune system.

 They are often released when our bodies come in contact with foreign, yet harmless substances such as pollen and food. They can also be released to respond to harmful substances such as bacteria and viruses. Essentially, antibodies are released to fight foreign substances that enter the body.

IgA and IgG Immune Responses /Reactions

IgA and IgG immune reactions can both be categorized under food sensitivities. These types of reactions are often delayed, whereas an IgE is often immediate in terms of reacting. In other words, IgA and IgE reactions may take between mere hours or days before manifesting.

The IgA immunoglobulins are specifically located in the mucus membrane. These antibodies tend to respond to viruses and bacteria present in our bodies. However, IgA immunoglobulins tend to respond to foods that cause inflammation and may lead to symptoms such headaches and joint pain just to name a few.

The IgG immunoglobulins tend to respond to food proteins, as well as those that may cause inflammation. Such a reaction can often manifest itself in the form of itchy skin, diarrhea and stomach ache, just to name a few.

IgE Immune Reaction

This type of allergic reaction is considered a food allergy, not a food sensitivity. As previously mentioned an IgE reaction is immediate and can take less than a few hours or a few minutes to react. The types of food that result to such a reaction incidentally peanuts, dairy products and even fish.

Unlike the IgA and IgG reactions, the IgE reaction often manifests itself differently. The symptoms include the following:

Coughing    Vomiting   Teary eyes   Swollen lips    Swollen tongue   Red eyes   Runny nose

Wheezing   Loss of consciousness

In conclusion, it is always best to find out the food items that you may be allergic or sensitive to. One effective way of doing this is by having a food allergy or food sensitivity test.