Medically reviewed on June 14, 2022 by Jordan Stachel, M.S., RDN, CPT. To give you technically accurate, evidence-based information, content published on the Everlywell blog is reviewed by credentialed professionals with expertise in medical and bioscience fields.
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Many people can spend months (even years) trying to understand which foods trigger responses like rashes and stomach rumbles. So, if you get tested for an IgG food sensitivity panel, it’s important to understand the results—and your next steps.
Here’s our guide to IgG food test results interpretation (for IgG testing from the convenience of home, try the Everlywell Food Sensitivity Test).
Before reading any IgG test results, you should know just what role IgG plays in the body’s digestion and how it factors into a food sensitivity test.
IgG, or immunoglobulin G, is an antibody released by the immune system. When you digest food, small food particles can enter the body’s bloodstream, often through a “leaky gut” (or tiny holes in the small intestine). If the body perceives this food as dangerous, it will release IgG antibodies to “fight off” the particles, creating a food sensitivity.
Unfortunately, this immune response often triggers uncomfortable symptoms that can pop up hours after eating [1]. Typical symptoms can include:
If you can’t determine which foods your body is sensitive to, taking an IgG food antibody assessment can help.
While each licensed testing lab may have slightly different procedures, most follow the same IgG testing protocol. Testing steps include [2]:
Once you receive the results, you can see if your body has an atypical IgG reaction to a particular food that may be behind symptoms you experience.
At first, IgG test results may look a little confusing. To interpret them, you just need to understand the IgG reaction scale.
Test results will give each tested food a “score”. This score refers to the blood’s IgG levels in reaction to that food, often ranked across:
Just remember—symptoms do not always align with IgG test results. You might eat eggs every day in peace but receive a “high reactivity” score for eggs. Likewise, you may always get stomach cramps after eating dairy, but your test may show no IgG elevation for dairy. Ultimately, it’s important to pair your test results with a temporary elimination diet to determine what specific foods you’re sensitive to.
So, you’ve read your results and checked them twice. Now, what do you do?
After you receive IgG results, it’s time to put the results to work with a temporary elimination diet.
Temporary elimination diets remove and reintroduce potentially problematic foods from the diet to see if you still experience symptoms. Thanks to the IgG food sensitivity test results, you’ll have a pretty good idea of which foods to eliminate first in a temporary elimination diet.
The process can look something like this:
Food sensitivity testing can help you know which foods to avoid. If you’re facing chronic digestive pain or have experienced a severe allergic reaction, consider taking the first step toward finding a solution with the Everlywell Food Sensitivity Test.
Dairy alternatives to consider for dairy-related issues
IgG vs. IgE antibodies: understanding the differences
References
1. Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance: Symptoms, Causes & Prevention. Cleveland Clinic. URL. Accessed June 14, 2022.
2. Lavine E. Blood testing for sensitivity, allergy or intolerance to food. CMAJ. 2012;184(6):666-668.