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Determine with the help of a hair sample, and today we want to take a closer look at the reasons for an intolerance test.

Why is an intolerance test with a hair sample useful?

You might be wondering why you should even perform an intolerance test (UVT) with a hair sample. There are several reasons for this: primarily, it is about transparency and your knowledge of your own health. Food allergies and intolerances are among the most common health problems today. They are more common in children than in adults.

There are numerous tests that can identify the cause of a food intolerance. These tests find the root of the problem and help people adopt behaviors to lead a good life. Many people have food allergies. These people should take the food intolerance test and take important measures to improve their condition. Just like the intolerance test with hair sample from Medicross. Only a few strands of hair are needed, which are analyzed and evaluated by our laboratory. The hair analysis is transparent and easy to understand so that you can benefit from your new insights as quickly as possible and also carry out an additional micronutrient analysis .

How is an intolerance determined?

A person with a food intolerance often feels unwell shortly after consuming certain foods. The symptoms are varied and usually affect the digestive system. Intolerances can harm health but do not have very severe symptoms and are therefore not easy to diagnose. Food intolerances can be due to an enzyme deficiency that makes digesting food difficult and causes symptoms like bloating. These enzyme deficiencies are hard to test and make diagnosing an intolerance a difficult task. To distinguish a food allergy from a food intolerance, a nutritionist or allergist can be consulted.

Common symptoms of a food intolerance include: bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, migraine, headaches. In people with a food intolerance, the severity of symptoms depends on the amount of food consumed. Symptoms of food intolerances may only appear after some time. They can occur several hours after eating a food, and symptoms can last for several hours or days.

What types of food intolerances are there?

It can be difficult to determine whether someone has a food intolerance or an allergy because the signs and symptoms of these conditions overlap. Common intolerances include:

Lactose intolerance: The body uses digestive enzymes to break down food. If a person lacks certain enzymes, they may digest certain foods less well. Lactose is a sugar found in milk. People with lactose intolerance do not have enough lactase, an enzyme that breaks lactose into smaller molecules that the body can easily absorb through the intestines. When lactose remains in the digestive tract, it can cause cramps, stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, and gas.

Fructose intolerance: Fructose is a sugar found in fruit, some vegetables, and honey. Fructose intolerance can also be due to the absence of an enzyme, although this is rare. In such cases, it is called hereditary fructose intolerance, an intolerance that can be detected with a hair sample. Much more common is fructose malabsorption, where the body lacks a protein that enables the absorption of sugar from the intestine. In these people, the fruit sugar in food ferments in the intestine, causing bloating, fullness, gas, cramps, and diarrhea.

Gluten intolerance: Gluten is a protein found in some grains, including wheat, barley, and rye. People with gluten intolerance feel unwell after eating gluten-containing foods, experiencing symptoms like pain, bloating, or nausea. Gluten intolerance differs from celiac disease, which is an autoimmune reaction to gluten, and wheat allergy, which is an allergic reaction to wheat. However, the symptoms of these conditions can be similar. Gluten intolerance is also called non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Symptoms of celiac disease and gluten intolerance usually improve when a person removes gluten from their diet but return if gluten is reintroduced.

Can intolerances to food additives be detected with a hair sample?

Many people worry that they might have an intolerance to food additives. However, most studies show that only a few additives cause problems and that these problems affect relatively few people. Also, these intolerances are not necessarily detectable with a hair sample. Of the thousands of additives used by the food industry, experts believe that only relatively few cause problems. The following food additives can cause unwanted reactions in some people:

Nitrates: These preservatives are commonly found in processed meats, and symptoms of intolerance can include headaches and hives.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG): This flavor enhancer can cause headaches, chest tightness, nausea, and diarrhea in people with an intolerance.
Sulfites: These preservatives are often found in wine, dried fruits, fresh shrimp, and some jams and jellies. People with an intolerance may experience chest tightness, hives, diarrhea, and sometimes anaphylaxis.

In summary: Food intolerances and food allergies can have similar symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose these conditions. Diagnosis is also complicated if a person has multiple food intolerances. Symptoms of food intolerances can also mimic symptoms of chronic digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. However, certain patterns in symptoms can help your doctor distinguish between the two conditions. So, it can be helpful to keep a food diary to document which foods you eat, which symptoms occur, and when they occur. Based on this data, your doctor can find out which foods cause unwanted reactions. Consequently, it can also be determined if there is a nutrient deficiency that can be balanced with a personalized nutrient mix .