Food Allergy vs. Intolerance: What’s the Difference?

Do you have the same unpleasant reaction every time you eat a certain food, such as an upset stomach? While you might think that allergies are to blame, a food intolerance is a more likely culprit.

Even though food allergies and food intolerances might present with some similar symptoms, they’re actually two very different things, triggered by different responses from your body.

If certain foods bother you, it’s certainly helpful to get to the bottom of what’s causing your body’s reaction to those foods. 

In this month’s blog, our team, led by Chad W. Mayer, DO, FAAAAI, FAAP, at Allergy and Asthma Institute of Southeast Michigan in Farmington Hills, Michigan, is discussing the differences between a food allergy and a food intolerance to help you effectively address the root issue.

Understanding food allergies

Food allergies occur when your immune system mistakes certain proteins or ingredients in food as something harmful. When you ingest something that you’re allergic to (allergen), your body triggers a protective response. Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe, depending on how sensitive your body is to a particular allergen. 

Although most food allergies present in childhood, it’s possible to develop a food allergy in adulthood. The most common food allergens include:

• Milk 
• Peanuts and tree nuts
• Eggs
• Fish and shellfish
• Soy
• Wheat 

When you have a food allergy, you typically develop symptoms within two hours of ingesting the food you’re allergic to. Typical food allergy symptoms include hives, skin swelling, itching, vomiting, and diarrhea. 

Severe food allergies can sometimes trigger a life-threatening condition called anaphylaxis, which causes swelling of the tongue and throat, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Anaphylaxis requires immediate emergency medical care. 

Understanding food intolerances

Food intolerances occur when your body can’t properly break down certain foods. For example, if dairy doesn’t agree with you and makes your stomach upset, you likely have lactose intolerance. 

When you’re lactose intolerant, your body lacks an enzyme needed to break down lactose, making digestion an uncomfortable experience. However, it’s important to note that an intolerance is never life-threatening. 

Food intolerance symptoms are typically gastrointestinal-related and aren’t accompanied by any other symptoms that would signal allergies. 

Is your reaction an allergy or an intolerance?

When trying to determine if certain foods are related to an allergy or an intolerance, it’s helpful to keep a food diary. Tracking what foods you eat and what type of symptoms you experience provides information needed to identify what foods are giving you trouble and why they’re triggering a reaction. 

At Allergy and Asthma Institute of Southeast Michigan, our team performs skin allergy testing to confirm or rule out allergies and discover what foods you’re allergic to (if any).

If your reaction is due to an intolerance, know that you don’t have a condition that’s life-threatening. While you can certainly avoid an upset stomach and diarrhea by not ingesting a food your body doesn’t tolerate, if you do eat it, the symptoms will pass without any long-term harm.

However, if allergies are at play, it’s important to implement an allergy treatment plan. Having a treatment plan ensures that you’re protected against any future risk of severe reactions, such as anaphylaxis. Our team specializes in reducing the severity of food allergies through the use of oral immunotherapy (OIT) and Xolair®. 

To schedule an allergy testing appointment, simply call our office or use our online booking feature today.