Fatigue, skin rashes, persistent acne, cloudy mind, difficulty thinking clearly—if you are someone who often feels stressed, lacks sleep, and experiences these symptoms, don’t ignore it! Because you may be facing “Leaky Gut Syndrome and Hidden Food Allergy”, a silent threat that… specialists in anti-aging medicine can help with!
Did you know? Allergies are divided into 2 types
Most people are aware of food allergies, but not many know that food allergies can be divided into 2 types: acute food allergy and hidden food allergy. “Acute food allergy” is characterized by a sudden and severe reaction, such as someone allergic to shrimp experiencing symptoms like hives on the body or facial swelling immediately after eating shrimp. Meanwhile, “hidden food allergy” is a reaction that develops gradually over a long period, often unnoticed.
How are hidden food allergy and leaky gut syndrome related?
Hidden Food Allergy is linked to Leaky Gut Syndrome. Leaky gut can be triggered by various factors such as stress, lack of rest, illness, smoking, alcohol consumption, repetitive eating of the same foods, long-term use of antibiotics, or frequent constipation.
These factors cause inflammation and separation of cells in the intestinal lining, creating tiny leaks at the cellular level (Alteration in Intestinal Permeability). This allows incompletely digested food, toxins, chemicals, or foreign substances that the body intends to expel to leak into the bloodstream. When these wastes enter the body, the IgG immune system, which normally eliminates pathogens, is activated continuously to fight these foreign substances, causing a low-grade, chronic inflammation that often goes unnoticed.
Symptoms of hidden food allergy
Generally, there are no specific clear symptoms. It can manifest in various ways with mild but chronic symptoms such as easy fatigue, cloudy mind, lack of clarity, migraine headaches, depression, skin rashes, persistent acne, or some may have clear digestive symptoms like bloating, indigestion, gas, or irritable bowel syndrome. If you have these symptoms along with the triggering factors mentioned above, you can get tested for hidden food allergies to find the cause.
Testing for hidden food allergy
For those who want to test for hidden food allergies, it is important to specify testing for IgG antibodies because IgE testing is for acute food allergies. Common hidden food allergies found in Thailand include milk, eggs, wheat, and yeast. The test can screen for allergies to more than 222 types of foods, covering commonly consumed foods. The results show allergy levels in three color-coded categories:
- Red – Foods that show a strong reaction and should be avoided for 3-6 months
- Yellow – Foods that show a moderate reaction and should be reduced, consuming no more than once a week
- Green – Foods that show no reaction and can be eaten without restriction
Treatment approach
- Avoid allergenic foods for 3-6 months
- Simultaneously balance the digestive system by taking probiotics and restoring the inflamed gut to health through various methods such as supplements like fish oil, essential amino acids, or zinc minerals
After following the plan for 3-6 months, the doctor will schedule a follow-up and test by reintroducing the allergenic food. If the patient still reacts, it means the diet control during the past 3-6 months was insufficient or the supplements were inadequate to repair the gut, which remains leaky. The allergenic foods should be avoided for another 3 months before retesting.
However, if after the avoidance period the test shows no allergy, the food can be reintroduced. Doctors always advise patients not to eat the same foods repeatedly but to consume a variety of foods in rotation for the benefit of the body. Health problems often affect multiple systems and are linked to quality of life. Therefore, proper nutrition and maintaining overall health are essential.
Dr. Methchanan Lertchunhakiet
Physician, Anti-Aging Medicine Center
Anti-Aging Medicine Center
Phyathai 3 Hospital
