Any links that these food sensitivity tests actually work?
Everything I’ve ever heard or read, has suggested no, and the results will show “sensitivity” to food you’ve recently eaten (as then they’ll be IgG’s)
e.g…
In conclusion, food‐specific IgG4 does not indicate (imminent) food allergy or intolerance, but rather a physiological response of the immune system after exposition to food components. Therefore, testing of IgG4 to foods is considered as irrelevant for the laboratory work‐up of food allergy or intolerance and should not be performed in case of food‐related complaints.
Please enlighten us, what incorrect statements about allergies were made during the podcast? Some of us are really suffering from URTIs almost daily and we are willing to take almost any advise because we are desperate to get over this thing.
My non-expert interpretation of what the experts I listen to and trust say is, that using for an IgG reaction to establish this doesn’t work. Only exclusion and reintroduction.
Semantics a little bit @chad but (in Australia at least) general practitioners are specialists. Yes, I realise the title is more than slightly misleading. (No, I am not a Dr of any kind.)
On blood tests, I’ve had 2 surgeries this year and still feeling tired, so took some private blood tests that showed low B12 and Vit D. Started on some supplements for both and feeling loads better! Will re-test in 2-3 months then go see Dr if B12 hasn’t risen up. Very impressed with the speed and quality! I ordered Sunday night, pack arrived Wednesday. I did the test Thursday, posted it back Thurs morning and got the results back Friday afternoon.
Hopefully it is ok to post this referral link for the UK company I used? I do get something out of this as it says. Invite friends using your unique link, and they’ll get 50% off their first test. As a little thank you, you’ll also get £10 credit.
No, these tests DON’T work. The moment people start mentioning IgG in the context of allergy, you know that some BS is involved. Almost all Allergy/Immunology boards across the world have position statements about these (expensive) massive panel tests, and it is not supported by any of them.
IgG testing is NOT the way that allergy, sensitivity or intolerance is tested or measured. If you really need to figure out if it’s an allergy, you either do a specific IgE test for the SINGLE thing you suspect of causing the symptoms, do a skin prick test, do a CAST test if you suspect a non-IgE type allergic reaction, or a (double blind placebo controlled) food challenge. Large panels of tests, even panels of IgE tests have very little value in diagnosing allergies. The myth of IgG food panel testing | AAAAI
The mentioned issue around mucus is also questionable. Egg allergy (and yes, it’s almost always the white, because it’s the PROTEIN part) is a serious condition, not just a minor inconvenience. It’s also quite rare in adults. https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/104/1/91.full.pdf
Unfortunately most of the allergy symptoms adults experience, and especially the upper airway symptoms you’re mentioning, are due to aeroallergens or direct irritants (NOT so much food items) and apart from modifying your environment or exposure to these allergens and taking your specific meds, there’s not much to do but grin and bear it. It is just not possible to have all patients COMPLETELY symptom free.
On the subject of Blood donation, what’s the theory around donating platelets…?
The platelets are filtered from the whole blood, so in theory it shouldn’t affect the O2 carrying ability of the blood, but it takes me a good few days post donation to be back on it.
I’m also a very rare donor, and my platelets generally go to VERY sick kids (in the UK you get a text when your donation is issued telling you which hospital got lucky), so I’m keen to donate when I can, but it wrecks my training and racing.
I’m a doctor and was very sad to hear about your blood testing for food allergies and interest in raw milk… I could rant about getting tests without a pre-test probability but I’ll leave that alone. Basically, 5% of blood tests will be abnormal in a perfectly healthy individual depending on where the company sets their abnormal levels. There are companies that set their levels to “diagnose” more people with illnesses to sell them stuff.
And also that illness and death from listeria dropped substantially when milk was pasteurized. People have died from drinking “raw” milk. Here’s the CDC section on listeria.
I love TrainerRoad and just got a Saris H3 because it’s touted as the best trainer for TrainerRoad workouts. I also love the podcast. I hope this doesn’t become another Ben Greenfield podcast.
Interesting to hear the differences in how topics are tackled lately;
Supplements: largely marketing BS
Allergy Testing: this is awesome we need to test all the things (despite peer reviewed medical studies showing they dont work and are just marketing)
This is why doctors drink. The pseudo-science that gets pushed these days is crazy.
, it’s not an allergy, just measuring an IgG reaction. I tried to make that super clear.
Vampires 
feel your pain! Calls everyday!