Food Sensitivities / Allergy

Meridian Valley Lab measures food-specific IgG4 antibodies using the ELISA method for the assessment of delayed food allergies. Our strength is providing a clinically robust test because of what we measure – IgG4 – and how we measure it.

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most abundant antibody class representing approximately 75% of the total antibody pool present in the blood. There are 4 subclasses of the IgG antibody family named in order of their abundance in the blood (IgG1 being the most abundant). IgG4 is the least represented IgG subclass in blood, at less than 5% of total IgG under ‘normal’ physiologic conditions. However, under chronic allergen exposure, IgG4 levels increase dramatically creating a strong IgG4 response. IgG4 has a very high affinity or attraction to allergens, unlike the other subclasses. This makes IgG4, rather than total IgG, ideal for assessing chronic food sensitivities.

Consideration of food sensitivity testing is a critical component of any comprehensive approach to ill health or disease prevention. Sensitivity testing provides a quick and easy way for practitioners to discover potential causes of sensitivity reactions and sensitivity-related disease. When patients remove reactive foods, they report improvement in symptoms, elimination of long-standing health issues, and, in general, a more satisfying quality of life.

Food sensitivities can result in a wide range of symptoms, both physical and psycho/emotional. Typically, patients are unaware that the foods they are eating are contributing to their symptoms, especially if they are eating the offending food frequently. Testing is a good first option in anyone with significant symptoms that don’t have another easily identifiable cause. For many practitioners, food sensitivity testing is an essential part of a whole systems approach that begins with healing the gut.

Candida albicans is a type of yeast normally found in very small amounts in the human intestinal tract. Small amounts do not cause problems in a healthy person. Too much Candida can result in symptoms very similar to those caused by food sensitivities. A positive Candida screen (moderate or high) means that the patient has had significant growth of Candida at some time in the past, resulting in high numbers of antibodies to Candida. It does not measure current Candida growth in the intestine. While there are additional tests available to assess a current Candida, overgrowth, internal Meridian Valley Lab studies have found a strong correlation between “Moderate” or “High” antibodies on the Candida Screen and indicators of Candida overgrowth on these tests.

Over 40 years ago, Meridian Valley Laboratory pioneered the use of ELISA testing (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) for evaluating food sensitivities. Our quality control procedures include regular, rigorous proficiency testing and intra- and inter-lab comparison testing that demonstrate unmatched test repeatability and accuracy. With over forty years of food allergy testing and validation, clinicians and patients get consistently useful results with our food sensitivity panels.

Unlike most labs, which only run a control with each batch of patient samples, Meridian Valley Lab runs both high and low batch controls AND individual patient controls for each specimen. This provides tighter, more accurate measures and eliminates over- or under-compensation that can happen with batch control methods alone.

MVL reference ranges are validated for each individual antigen, and are reported as numerical values as well as in a bar graph format. This is more accurate than “one-size-fits-all” reference ranges, which can yield clinically irrelevant data.