It is estimated that 20% of the population will suffer from a food intolerance during their lifetime, so digestologists recommend a diagnosis with appropriate tests to identify them in time.
More and more stores are offering gluten-free, lactose-free, egg-free products… and all this is because the percentage of people allergic and intolerant to certain foods has increased.
What are the most common food intolerances?
There are certain food intolerances that are more common:
- The most frequent in Spain are lactose intolerance, followed by fructose intolerance and sorbitol intolerance. In fact, it is estimated that more than 30% of the population in our country have them.
- Cases of intolerance to gluten or wheat protein have also increased, which is very different from celiac disease.
However, specialists in General and Digestive Surgery warn that intolerance tests that are not scientifically validated can lead to false diagnoses and cause nutritional imbalances.
Adequate diagnoses with scientifically proven tests
The specialists recommend that, when there is a suspicion that a food does not agree with us, it is important to go to a specialist so that the diagnosis is accurate. Blood tests should include nutritional parameters and, in addition, breath tests for fructose:
- Breath tests for fructose, lactose or sorbitol, a sugar-alcohol present in some fruits that is used as a sweetener.
- Celiac disease studies with a specific serology to determine the presence of celiac disease antibodies in the blood.
- Complement the information with a genetic and endoscopic study, if the specialist considers it necessary.
It is important that the intolerance tests are scientifically validated because, otherwise, it can lead to false intolerances. Tests that are not scientifically validated are often sold in pharmacies or laboratories and are not usually requested by a specialist. These types of tests do not provide reliable data but some of them only indicate that the body has been exposed to X food antigen, which does not mean that it is responsible for the symptoms.
Lactose and gluten intolerance, the most common intolerances
Lactose intolerance is the most common and in Spain affects 35-50% of the population. It usually manifests with bloating and abdominal pain, gas, heaviness in the stomach and, in some cases, diarrhea.
It is followed by fructose intolerance, sorbitol intolerance and gluten intolerance (or non-celiac gluten sensitivity). The latter is relatively “modern” and not very easy to diagnose. Patients with gluten sensitivity are those with negative celiac disease diagnoses (also wheat allergy) but who nevertheless notice an improvement when they do not eat gluten. It is estimated that 6% of the population may have gluten sensitivity.
Difference between intolerance and allergy
It is important to differentiate between food intolerance and allergy. Intolerance is an adverse reaction that the body experiences after ingesting a particular food, without involving the immune system, something that does occur in food allergies.
In fact, food intolerances are 5 to 10 times more common than food allergies. There are also different subtypes depending on whether there is an enzymatic deficit that hinders digestion or if there is a release of vasoactive amines triggered by the ingestion of a food that leads to the appearance of gastrointestinal and neuralgic clinical reactions.
Specialists recommend avoiding diets that exclude certain foods without a proper diagnosis, since a restrictive diet without medical indication could produce important nutritional deficits, as well as hinder the diagnosis of diseases such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.