Recognising and managing the symptoms of food intolerance is key to a happier, healthier life. Whether you’ve got lactose or alcohol intolerance or you’re sensitive to a particular foodstuff or ingredient, early recognition helps you stay one step ahead of your intolerance.
Such symptoms can be highly disruptive – affecting everything from eating out to holidays abroad.
If you want to keep on top of your health, we’ve got some practical tips on managing symptoms and potential dietary adjustments.
Food Intolerances vs. Food Allergies
The terminology surrounding food intolerances and allergies is a little vague. (And that’s without mentioning food sensitivities.)
As a rule, a food allergy is an acute immune reaction that occurs because the body’s immune system wrongly flags the foodstuff as a threat. Launching a full defence, white blood cells are called to the site and histamine floods the bloodstream, leading to swelling, vomiting and nausea, skin rashes (hives), and even breathing difficulties.
Food intolerances, on the other hand, can refer to one of two things.
First, the term describes the inability to digest a foodstuff correctly. The classic example is lactose intolerance, where an individual produces insufficient quantities of the enzyme lactase (responsible for digesting lactose, a milk protein.)
Second, it can also be used interchangeably with the term “food sensitivity.” Like a food allergy, the immune system is involved; however, the reaction takes longer, is not life-threatening, and causes subtler symptoms.
| Aspect | Food Allergy | Food Intolerance |
| Cause | Immune system reaction to food proteins. | Difficulty digesting certain foods or a chronic immune response. |
| Symptoms | Itching, swelling, anaphylaxis, respiratory issues. | Bloating, stomach pain, headaches. |
| Onset | Rapid, often within minutes to an hour. | Slower, often several hours later. |
| Treatment | Avoidance, epinephrine for severe reactions. | Avoidance, digestive aids. |
| Diagnosis | Skin prick tests, blood tests. | Elimination diet, lactose intolerance tests. |
| Severity | Can be life-threatening (e.g., anaphylaxis). | Generally not life-threatening, but can cause discomfort. |
| Common Triggers | Peanuts, shellfish, milk, eggs. | Lactose, gluten, certain food additives. |
Common Symptoms of Food Intolerance
The symptoms of food intolerance depend largely on the foodstuff. Where the underlying cause is an inability to digest a particular food, the resultant symptoms are either caused by bacterial digestion or a buildup of a toxic chemical.
In lactose intolerance, for example, bacteria digest lactose, releasing gas and causing diarrhoea, bloating, flatulence, distention, and discomfort.
In alcohol intolerance, meanwhile, individuals lack a specific enzyme that metabolises alcohol. As a result, a metabolic byproduct begins to build up, leading to facial redness (flushing), breathing difficulties, throbbing headache, nausea and vomiting, low blood pressure, runny nose, and diarrhoea.
In contrast, food intolerances related to a chronic immune response cause several subtle symptoms, including:
- Bloating or gas
- Brain fog
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Stomach cramps or discomfort
- Nausea
- Headaches or migraines
- Fatigue or low-energy
- Joint pain or inflammation
- Skin rashes or eczema
- Respiratory issues
- Mood swings or irritability
Strategies for Managing the Food Intolerance Symptoms
Take a Sensitivity Test
Your first step is always to get tested. You don’t want to go to the effort of removing a foodstuff from your diet only to discover the culprit is something else entirely.
Conditions like lactose and alcohol intolerance are usually diagnosed by a doctor based on your symptoms. However, other forms of food intolerance require a sensitivity test. The best option is a home-to-lab test – especially if your symptoms of food intolerance involve bloating, headaches, brain fog, and fatigue.
Using your test results, you can then perform an elimination diet to confirm if a potential trigger is behind your symptoms.
Avoidance and Elimination Diets
Unfortunately, the only permanent cure for digestive-related food intolerances is removing the trigger from your diet. If you’re lactose intolerant, that’s harder than it sounds. Sure, avoiding milk, cheese, and other dairy products is obvious. However, milk powder is a common ingredient in many other products.
Thankfully, it’s one of the 14 main allergens in the UK. Look for any bold text in the ingredients section of any product to see if it’s listed.
Otherwise, you can buy enzyme supplements containing lactase that will help you digest dairy products. They’re not 100% perfect, but they can make a short-term difference.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, for other food intolerances, you’ll need to decide whether you want to live with the symptoms or eliminate the trigger food from your diet. We advise removing it completely to see how you feel before reintroducing the foodstuff.
Manage Exacerbating Factors
Non-digestive-related food intolerances are caused by numerous underlying factors, from stress to leaky gut syndrome to food additives. Identify the primary factors in your conditions and work to alleviate them. Follow these tips:
- Stress Reduction: Manage stress with mindfulness, meditation, exercise, and sufficient sleep to lessen its impact on digestion and food intolerance.
- Healing the Gut: Support gut health with a diet high in fibre, probiotics, and nutrients. Avoid gut irritants like processed foods and artificial sweeteners.
- Avoiding Food Additives: To prevent intolerance symptoms, read labels to avoid artificial colours, preservatives, and flavour enhancers, and choose whole, unprocessed foods.
- Regular Medical Checkups: Regularly consult healthcare professionals to address any underlying issues like hormonal imbalances or immune disorders that might worsen food intolerances.
- Hydration: Stay hydrated to maintain gut health and aid digestion, reducing intolerance symptoms.
Confirm the Underlying Cause with Sensitivity Check UK
Not sure what’s causing your symptoms of food intolerance? Try our Individual Ultimate Test – a high-quality sensitivity test that examines a hair sample for 975 items. We provide a likelihood that each item is causing your food intolerance, helping inform an elimination diet.
Suffering from symptoms like bloating, headaches, and fatigue? Get tested today!
