FOOD INTOLERANCE TEST (ALCAT TEST)
Our body may present intolerance to a food, food preservative or colorant when this substance presents an adverse reaction that is not mediated by the immunological system, a completely different phenomenon to allergy.
Human blood cells are susceptible of reacting against certain foods. When there is some sort of food intolerance, blood cells release noxious substances that are aggressive for our body.
The ALCAT test assesses the specific behaviour of our own cells against each food. Reactivity against certain foods enables us determine which foods may cause unwanted reactions in our body.
It is neither a weightloss treatment nor a treatment against migraine or dermatitis. The ALCAT test is only used to identify food intolerance. It is not used to diagnose other diseases that are food-related such as allergy, diabetes, celiac disease, lactose intolerance, etc.
A blood test is used to reproduce - under laboratory conditions- the response of our blood cells to 100 different foods (the most common in our diet) and the 20 most commonly used food colorants and preservatives.
The ALCAT test is a diagnostic tool that must be interpreted by a specialist in diet and nutrition who will be the only one qualified to prescribe its application and apply its results.
The ALCAT test is used to provide information on the patient´s metabolism with regard to food intolerance and to personalise a diet plan aimed at achieving the best results from the treatment.
The information provided in the test is used to approach, from a dietary point of view, weight problems, chronic fatigue, fluid retention, headaches, gastrointestinal disturbances, some types of dermatitis, arthritis, etc.
There are other tests of different diagnostic value the technical basis of which does not detect food intolerance. Among these other tests, of special mention are tests based on the detection of G-type immunoglobulin (IgG's).
The ALCAT test has been successfully applied to thousands of patients in Spain to date and is used by thousands of prescriptors all over the world, including countries such as the US, Germany, England, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, etc.