Too many confuse the two problems, but the symptoms are different. In case of intolerances, small doses of food can be harmless, in cases of allergies even minimal traces are dangerous. Tests and specialists to understand
A few years ago, the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology raised the alarm: the Italians imaginary intolerantwho attribute the most varied symptoms to any food, were estimated to be at least 8 million. Over time, things have not improved and even the Mayo Clinic in Rochester has recently signaled how too many wrongly believe they are intolerant and above all how important it is to distinguish between food intolerance and the allergies according to a precise diagnostic path, which avoids undergoing expensive and above all useless exams.
The differences between intolerances and allergies
The food intoleranceFirst of all, they can depend on various mechanisms such as the lack of enzymes to metabolize a food, hypersensitivity to molecules or additives in foods (such ashistamine in some fishes, the tyramine of aged cheeses, the glutamate some bouillon cubes oi sulfites of wine) or an abnormal reaction to a food component, such as the response triggered by gluten at the basis of celiac disease; symptoms are mostly gastrointestinalsuch as nausea, pain, bloating, diarrhea.
In case of allergy instead there is an abnormal reaction on immune basis to an element contained in the food, recognized as dangerous even if it would not be dangerous at all: the activation of the immune system occurs with the first contact with the food, which leads to sensitization with the formation of antibodies which then trigger a rapid and violent allergic response in case of subsequent contacts, even with minimal traces of the food to which you have become allergic. The immediate response and with typical symptoms, not only gastrointestinal but also respirators (including rhinitis, cough and difficulty breathing or wheezing) e skin such as hives, skin rashes and angioedema up to very serious reactions such as anaphylaxis.
Test and right diagnosis
While the intolerances they can be associated with the amount of food ingested, so there is usually one threshold dose that does not induce symptoms, the allergic food should be eliminated from the diet. Both allergies and intolerances depend on an individual susceptibility and to recognize them without errors, if you suspect you are allergic or intolerant, in addition to talking about it with your family doctor or pediatrician, you can contact an allergist, a gastroenterologist, a dietician /nutritionist or an internist. In fact, only a doctor can prescribe the right tests and then make the correct diagnosis of intolerance or allergy; it may however be useful to keep a food diary with foods consumed and any related symptoms, so as to give the doctor the most precise indications possible right from the first visit. Intolerances and allergies can sometimes give similar symptoms and signs, so many confuse them, write the US experts. However, while food allergies can put at risk of life of patients, intolerances affect only the digestive tract and cause less serious disturbances; above all, by ingesting small quantities of the food involved it is possible not to have any discomfort and in some cases it is even possible to gradually “get used to” to tolerate it.
May 18, 2023 (change May 18, 2023 | 06:51)
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