Food Allergies

What’s your feeling regarding blood testing versus skin prick testing for IgE allergies? From what I’ve read, there can be false positives in both.

Chris Kresser: Yes, that’s true. Actual IgE allergy testing is problematic just like the food intolerance testing is, and that’s...

Do you eat dairy? If so, what kind? Since lactase is diminished from infancy, would that prevent you from eating it? Which coffee, butter or ghee, do you fast with?

Chris Kresser: Yes. I do eat dairy. I ghee, butter, and full-fat organic and sometimes raw cream, and I eat...

Male patient, 52 years old, three years out from traumatic brain injury after a skiing accident with three prior concussions. How do I treat balance and ringing in the ears as his primary complaint. Wanted to continue to eat gluten, so I ran Cyrex 4 and didn’t come back with anything. His cholesterol is low at 135. LDL is 77, HDL 41. I told him about fat and cholesterol for the brain. Can’t convince him to go Paleo, low carb, or do food elimination like an elimination diet. How do I convince him to get rid of the gluten? He won’t eat any red meat. His thyroid hormones are normal except for low free testosterone, high levels of AST, MCV and creatinine although question dehydration. Micronutrient testing low in B12 shown by no red meat and high MCV, also low folate B2 and B5 even though he’s on a B complex in addition to B12 methyltetrahydrofolate. Plasma levels show low glucose insulin interaction. I asked him to start adding protein to breakfast, having veggies with every meal. He says he’s compliant, but the labs aren’t showing absorption. Am I missing something with fat and B absorption? He’s heterozygous for the FAD1 and 2 SNP. I tried the absorption issue and Perlmutter but he’s not convinced. Please advice on what I’m missing or what I can add as far as treatment.

Dr. Amy Nett: If I’m looking for gluten sensitivity, I would actually run Cyrex Array 3, so that might just...

What are your thoughts on Vibrant Labs Wheat Zoomer, picked up wheat germ and gluten antibodies and alpha omega gliadin?

Chris: In general, I think Wheat Zoomer is a pretty good panel, but I do have some concerns about reliability...

How do you advise patients when Cyrex 3 cross react to foods they don’t eat like amaranth?

Chris: That’s a really good question, and I’ve asked Cyrex that a few different times, and their response is basically...

On patients with nonceliac, wheat intolerant to eliminate gluten for a while and then want to add back with the gluten digest tabs.

Chris: The gluten digest tabs are not really a free pass to eat gluten if you’re a gluten or wheat...

What are my thoughts on the KBMO Diagnostics food sensitivity and zonulin testing?

Chris: I’ve never seen much evidence to really support it. I don’t personally think it’s a great option. I think...

What’s your protocol CCFM for ordering tests for new patients? My impression from the ADAPT Academy Framework is it’s pretty standard to orders complete blood panel, SIBO, Cyrex Array 3, or is there another standard battery of lab tests that CCFM orders?

Dr. Amy Nett: I would say it’s pretty​ ​variable.​ Sometimes we’re actually starting with just that comprehensive blood panel, and...

The information on Array 3X, 4, and 10 is great. How many and what percentage of your patients do you actually run these tests? What percentage of those do you find a positive result?

Dr. Amy Nett: Great question because these get really expensive. If a patient is eating wheat or gluten, then I...

If there are many positive IgG results on Array 4 and 10, can you assume intestinal permeability?

Dr. Amy Nett: Yes, I think that would be a pretty fair assumption because these are larger proteins, and for...