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Allergy & Vitamin, Mineral Deficiency Testing

Many chronic symptoms of ill health and even the inability to lose weight can be the result of over sensitivity of food or environmental factors. Adjusting diet can greatly relieve symptoms. Over consumption or prolonged exposure to a substance, and nutritional deficiencies, can all lead to sensitivities.

The tests below can also aid detection of signs of dysfunction, congestion and insufficiency of organs & the endocrine system. All tests are part of a consultation with our practitioners. Our pharmacist is always at hand to answer any medical queries that result from each test. If you are confused to which is best for you, we offer a free one to one consultation with our consultant pharmacist.

Foodprint® 200+ The most advanced & comprehensive test offered for identifying food specific IgG antibodies to foods we consume.

How does the test work?

The CNS FoodPrint® 200+ service utilises a new, state of the art immunoassay based on microarray technology to detect food-specific IgG antibodies.

Food extracts are ‘printed’ onto nitrocellulose pads on a glass microscope slide, together with calibration standards and controls. A blood sample provided by the patient is diluted and dispensed onto each printed microarray.  Food IgG antibodies, if present, bind to the food extracts.  The bound food IgG antibodies are subsequently detected through the use of other immunoassay reagents which generate a blue colour in the presence of the food IgG antibodies.  The density of this blue colour is measured using a high resolution scanner.

The results generated by the scanner are then calibrated against the standards using the FoodPrint® reporting software to give quantitative results.  This software then produces a tailor-made printout of the final food IgG antibody result for each food on the requested food panel.

Benefits

The FoodPrint® 200+ test is carried out on a blood sample collected from a finger-prick into the CNS heparinised blood collection tube.  The antibody reactivity associated with each food can be compared to allow the practitioner to devise an optimal dietary regime based on food antibody level. The results are given in U/ml.

Sample requirements and test turnaround

  • A simple pin-prick blood sample is all that’s required.
  • Results are available within 10 working days of sample receipt.

FoodPrint® Reports

FoodPrint® reports are prepared in a Group format where results from similar types of foods are listed together.

  • The FoodPrint® Group Report presents the results of each food group together (e.g. fish, fruit)
  • Each food is classified under the Avoid, Borderline or No Reaction column
  • Foods under the Avoid column should be avoided for a period of 2-3 months  after which time they can be re-introduced one by one
  • Intake of foods in the Borderline category should be moderated
  • If symptoms return when a particular food is re-introduced, remove that food from the diet

£295 per test

Histamine Intolerance is caused by an enzyme deficiency, resulting in allergy-like symptoms appearing when trigger foods are eaten.

What is Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine is a chemical best known for its role in triggering an allergic reaction. During this type of reaction, the source of histamine released is from cells known as mast cells.

Histamine intolerance (HIT) is also mediated by histamine, but is caused by an inability of the body to metabolise histamine efficiently.  With HIT, the source of histamine is from food which is either high in histamine or capable of liberating histamine in the body.

Foods which are high in histamine include: 

  • Champagne, red wine, beer, cider and other fermented drinks and spirits
  • Tinned and smoked fish (tuna, salmon, herring) and crustaceans
  • Sauerkraut and other pickled foods
  • Mushrooms and Quorn
  • Vinegar and vinegar-containing foods (dressings, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard)
  • Seeds and nuts
  • Tofu and soya sauce
  • Dried fruit
  • Parmesan cheese and other cheeses
  • Yeast extract, yeast
  • Sausages and other processed meats (ham, salami, gammon, bacon)
  • Chocolate, cocoa, cola

 

Foods which also encourage the release of histamine within the body include:

  • Aubergines
  • Mango
  • Raspberry
  • Avocado
  • Nuts
  • Red prunes
  • Bananas
  • Papayas
  • Shellfish
  • Chocolate
  • Pea
  • Spinach
  • Egg white
  • Peanuts
  • Strawberries
  • Grapefruits
  • Pineapple
  • Tangerines
  • Kiwi
  • Pumpkin
  • Tomatoes

 

Under normal circumstances, when histamine-rich / histamine-liberating foods are eaten, excess histamine is broken down by specific enzymes and removed from circulation.  One of the main enzymes involved in the breakdown of histamine is diamine oxidase (DAO).

If a person is deficient in the DAO enzyme they will be unable to metabolise histamine efficiently.  As a consequence, when histamine-rich / histamine-liberating foods are consumed, excessive amounts of histamine can accumulate in the lungs, skin and colon, primarily.

This build-up of histamine can then trigger the onset of symptoms commonly associated with HIT, which can appear very allergy-like.  Understandably, the initial symptoms may be confused as being due to an allergic reaction, but once this has been ruled out, it is possible that HIT may be the culprit.

Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance

Typical symptoms include:

  • Asthma
  • Digestive tract problems including diarrhoea and bloating
  • Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
  • Eczema
  • Fatigue
  • Flushing (face and chest)
  • Headaches
  • Hypotension (low blood pressure)
  • Itchiness
  • Runny nose
  • Skin rashes
  • Swellings (mostly around the eyes and lips)
  • Symptoms resembling anxiety / panic attacks
  • Tachycardia
  • Weepy eyes

 

Diagnosing HIT

Until recently, the conventional method for diagnosing HIT was to adopt a low-histamine diet and then observe if symptoms improve.  However, following a low-histamine diet can be very restrictive, especially as it requires you to avoid healthy foods. Being able to test for histamine intolerance can, therefore, provide assurance that you are restricting your diet for good reason.

CNS Laboratory Test

Utilising proven ELISA-based technology, the DAO Screen test offers a convenient and reliable method to detect circulatory levels of DAO in the bloodstream.

PLEASE NOTE:

Before taking the test, it is important that you:

  • Stop using anti-histamine medication for at least 1 week, unless this has been recommended by your doctor
  • Avoid following a low-histamine diet
  • Avoid fasting

The test is not suitable for pregnant women as DAO levels increase during pregnancy.

Test Results

A test report that details the DAO concentration detected in the blood sample will be available within 15 working days.

Treatment

When you have been found to have a low DAO concentration in your blood, initial treatment will focus on reducing the intake of histamine through the diet.  Following such a diet can be quite complex, so we strongly recommend that you seek advice from a suitably qualified nutritional therapist or our pharmacist before making changes to your diet.

£69 per test

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