Imagine if getting over a weight loss plateau were as simple as eliminating 1 or 2 problematic foods from your diet. Well, a new study on IgG-mediated food allergies has found that for some people, it may be that easy – and that cutting out allergenic foods may even help you lose a pound per week. The study, which used the Immuno-bloodprint to identify food allergens and instructed subjects to eliminate them for 90 days, also found that subjects experienced reduced waist and hip size, as well as improved quality of life.

I have been using IgG food sensitivity testing on patients for years, which has helped my patients lose weight, healed chronic gastrointestinal problems, cleared up dermatological issues, and resolved chronic autoimmune diseases.

In the U.S., an estimated 68 million adults spend billions of dollars a year on weight loss products and services to shed extra pounds, yet most quick-fix products are less than effective for keeping off weight in the long-term. While evidence-based diets such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets can lead to healthy weight loss, those with undiagnosed food allergies and sensitivities may have a harder time losing weight even when following a healthy diet. Furthermore, unlike IgE mediated allergies (most people are aware of this reaction because it is immediate; this is traditional RAST test performed by an allergist), the delayed immunologic response of IgG allergies as well as food sensitivities makes it more of a challenge to know which foods may be the culprits.

While this study, one of the first to look at IgG-mediated allergy and weight loss, emphasizes the importance of assessing and identifying allergenic foods as it relates to weight loss, IgG antibodies also play a role in other chronic conditions such as IBS, diabetes and migraine headaches. Testing for food senstivities is particularly beneficial for those who present with symptoms such as headaches and GI symptoms, in conjunction with difficulty losing weight. What’s more, the identification and elimination of IgG-mediated food allergens is a strategy that could be long-lasting and potentially permanent.

References:
Lewis et al. Eliminating immunologically-reactive foods fom the diet and its effect on body composition and quality of life in overweight persons. J Obes Weig los Ther 2012:2(1);

Other articles of interest:

IgG antibodies against food antigens are correlated with inflammation and intima media thickness in obese juveniles. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18072008
Treating irritable bowel syndrome with a food elimination diet followed by food challenge and probiotics.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17229899
Randomised controlled trial of food elimination diet based on IgG antibodies for the prevention of migraine like headaches. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21835022
Clinical relevance of IgG antibodies against food antigens in Crohn’s disease: a double-blind cross-over diet intervention study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20130407

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