Description
Food Intolerance Complete: Blood Draw Kit
Food Intolerance Complete, bundles the Food Intolerance Panel 1, Food Intolerance Panel 2 and Food Additives, and included IgG, IgA, IgG subclass 4 and C3D at a bundle savings to you!
The Vibrant Wellness 209 antigen Food Intolerance test uses FDA-approved antigen extracts only. These antigens are sourced from organic raw foods.
Testing raw food antigens is common and the most practical approach to identifying a patient’s response to a particular food. Cooking and processing foods can denature and change protein conformation. Different cooking methods, temperatures, and processing are extremely varied and are difficult and impractical to test in relation to an individual’s response to food.
Being able to test IgA antibodies provides additional information to foods that may be causing mucosal damage. Additionally, this test is ideal for people who might be suffering from delayed reactions to certain foods. Using an antibody-based food intolerance test can help prioritize the necessary foods to eliminate and create a customized diet plan around the patient’s specific needs.
Why Test Food Intolerances?
Food Intolerance testing can be very useful to help prioritize an elimination or rotation diet. Usually removing foods that the body has produced antibodies to will alleviate symptoms, because the source of inflammation is removed. The ideal time course for elimination is not established. Consider magnitude of antibody response, ½ life of antibodies, patient’s current dietary intake, level of motivation, status of mucosal integrity, and remission and/or progression of symptoms.
View Sample Report
Symptoms
Food Intolerance Symptoms
If you have the following symptoms, you may be a good candidate for the Food Intolerance test:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Headaches
- Brain fog
- Rashes, such as eczema
- Nausea and vomiting
- Skin itchiness and redness
- Bronchitis and asthma-like symptoms
- Musculoskeletal joint pain
- Muscle stiffness and swelling
About Test
About Food Intolerance Complete Test
Key Details
- Sample collection must be performed by a phlebotomist any day Monday-Friday.
- More information on scheduling a blood draw can be found HERE.
- You may need to pay an additional fee for phlebotomy.
- Review your kit - When you receive the test kit in the mail, review its contents, and read through the information provided with the kit.
- Place frozen ice packs (if included with the kit) in the freezer for at least 24 hours prior to your appointment.
- Scheduling your blood draw any day Monday-Friday.
- Search for a "mobile phlebotomist" who will come to your home, or:
- Locate a blood draw site HERE. Please note: Quest and LabCorp only draw for their own tests, not for Vibrant America tests.
- If you are in a rural location, consider asking your doctor's office to draw for the kit, or, call your local hospital and ask if they offer this service.
- You may need to pay an additional fee for phlebotomy.
- Your test kit may come with more tubes than needed. Please have the phlebotomist check the collection instructions and your test requisition form to determine the correct tubes to draw. Your phlebotomist will know what to do with the tubes and instructions provided.
- After the blood draw is collected, you are all done! Your phlebotomist will process, package and ship your completed kit for you.
What to bring to your appointment:
- Frozen ice packs
- Full test kit with all contents and forms
- Fasting is not required for your kit. Drink plenty of water.
Verify the kit contents, which typically includes:
- Requisition form: lab orders needed for the phlebotomist to draw your samples. Confirm your information is correct on this form.
- Since your kit has been prepaid, you do not need to fill in the payment information on any of these forms.
- Tubes: these are specific to the samples the test requires and some may have extra reagents in the tubes (this is not condensation!)
- Ice pack: if present, place in the freezer (you must bring these to the phlebotomy appointment)
- Shipping materials: a biohazard bag for your samples & return shipping label
- For return shipment tracking, take a picture of the shipping label if you'd like to track status of the kit; most labs can't provide this information once the kit is shipped
- Draw instructions: for the phlebotomist to confirm the test specific instructions.
Preparation & Timing
- Sample collection must be performed Monday-Friday only by a phlebotomist.
- More information on scheduling a blood draw can be found HERE.
- You can find a Vibrant America-partnered blood draw location HERE.
- If you are currently taking (or have recently taken) any of the following medications, consult your healthcare provider regarding the timing of collection.
- Steroids
- Immunosuppressive medications
- Biologic agents
- Other immunomodulating medications
- Hydrate the day prior to the test.
- Freeze the provided ice packs for at least 24 hours prior to your blood draw.
Requisition & Payment
- Your kit has been prepaid. You may need to pay an additional fee for phlebotomy.
- Instructions on how to fill out your requisition can be found HERE.
- Since you pre-paid for your tests, you do not need to fill in the payment information on any of these forms.
The Vibrant Experience
Vibrant America is a leading science and technology company delivering life-transforming laboratory services using an integrated microarray platform that enables multiplex testing at an affordable cost.
Vibrant’s relationship with its patients and providers is special. We go out of our way to provide the value and resources our providers need to accurately interpret test results and give patients the most accurate health information.
The Most Accurate In the Industry
All tests run on Vibrant’s proprietary 3Dense microchip technology platform boast an unrivaled specificity and sensitivity – which translates to the highest standard of accuracy of results in the lab industry.
Our Lab Technology
Vibrant America is at the forefront of modern medicine. Our technology was developed out of passion for better medicine, and we believe that automation is the key to high-quality and accurate test results. Multiplexing tests on a single sample enable a fast turnaround time.
Our Mission
Dedicated to bring clinically relevant test at a rapid pace to enable affordable high-quality diagnostics to every individual.
- High-quality lab service
- Fully automated systems
- Low cost
- Fast Turn Around Time
Quality and Security
All of our laboratory testings is done in a CLIA and CAP-certified laboratory in California.
Vibrant America's Compliance Overview
FAQ
FAQ
Should I discontinue my supplements when I take this test?
We recommend you stay off supplements for a week before you take this test.
Where is the testing performed?
All testings are performed at Vibrant America Clinical Labs at San Carlos.
Should I fast before the blood is drawn?
Not necessary to fast before blood draw.
What is the distinction between IgG and IgA antibodies?
- A primary piece to understanding antibodies is their area of origin. IgA antibodies are produced by saliva, tears, and mucous linings in the lungs and the intestines. IgG antibodies are the most abundant in serum and are produced by almost every cell in the body. IgG antibodies can cross the placenta.These antibodies also have considerably different half-lives. IgA antibodies have a half-life of ~6 days. Elevated IgA antibodies indicate exposure 8-12 days ago. The half-life of IgG is much longer and individually variable and can indicate prolonged exposure/sensitivity.
- IgA antibodies are produced by the intestinal mucosa as a defense mechanism. If IgA antibodies are elevated to a particular protein (antigen), this can indicate an immune response to mucosal irritation or damage. Elevated IgG antibodies means that there is exposure of these food to the bloodstream and the body is producing antibodies.
- In terms of food sensitivities and intestinal autoimmune disease, IgG antibodies can occur as a consequence of and can be downstream to intestinal permeability. These are likely correlated with more systemic immune responses (brain fog, fatigue, skin, migraines, etc).
- As with all immunoglobulin testing, it is important to evaluate the person’s baseline levels of (total) IgA and IgG. These biomarkers are included in the Vibrant Wheat Zoomer.
What is the source of Vibrant Food Sensitivity Antigens?
- The Vibrant Wellness 209 antigen Food Sensitivity test uses FDA-approved antigen extracts only. These antigens are sourced from organic raw foods.
- Testing raw food antigens is common and the most practical approach to identifying a patient’s response to a particular food. Cooking and processing foods can denature and change protein conformation. Different cooking methods, temperatures, and processing are extremely varied and are difficult and impractical to test in relation to an individual’s response to food.
- Food sensitivity testing should only be interpreted in conjunction with a patient’s symptoms.
Why is “wheat” not tested on Vibrant Food Sensitivity test?
- While our Food Sensitivity test is also run on our microchip platform, and has great reproducibility, it is a PROTEIN level antibody test. This is different than our Wheat Zoomer, where we have synthesized the entire wheat proteome at the PEPTIDE level. Thus, the Wheat Zoomer is such a magnified look at how our immune system can react to wheat, there’s no way looking at a single “wheat” protein antigen can offer that same view. We did not want to offer something inferior to our Wheat Zoomer test.
- Another reason why wheat and gluten sensitivity testing has been so challenging, to date, is that the gliadin protein in gluten is not water soluble. Most manufactured antigens use water as a solvent. Even though we are using FDA approved/sourced antigens on our Food Sensitivity, there is really no way to tell how much gliadin is actually contained within and making the leap of wheat antibodies to true gluten sensitivity could be erroneous. This is, again, why our Wheat Zoomer is so great, because these peptides are synthesized on the chip itself vs. being chemically extracted. For anyone trying to discover sensitivities to gluten and non-gluten wheat peptides, the Wheat Zoomer is 100% sensitive and is the test to run.
How are reference ranges for the Vibrant Wellness Food Sensitivity determined?
- Vibrant has given a numerical value to quantify the antibodies measured by chemiluminescent signal of our microchip
- The determination of the positive cutoff is by 97.5 percentile of 192 normal healthy controls.
- If you are above 97.5 percentile, you are considered positive.
- If 5% below cutoff (92.5-97.5 percentile), it’s borderline.
- Less than 92.5 percentile, it’s negative.
Descriptions/Specifics for Antigens tested
- Squash antigen specific for yellow squash
- Lettuce antigen is specific for romaine lettuce
- Egg antigen contains both ovalbumin and ovomucoid
How can I be positive for antibodies to beta-casein but not cow’s milk?
Antibodies to beta-casein require one to eliminate cow’s milk foods, even if one is not sensitive to whole cow’s milk protein. Cow’s milk protein will eventually be enzymatically broken down into peptides, one of which is beta casein.
What if my test shows that I have had a reaction to vanilla (pecan, etc), but I don’t have vanilla that often and can’t remember the last time I have had it?
In the course of our daily lives – eating out in restaurants, buying packaged/processed foods, having dinner at someone else’s house, etc, we are constantly in contact with trace amounts of proteins from other foods. This is especially common at a restaurant, where counters and food prep spaces might have had a host of different foods on them prior to your meal being served. You might be familiar with the terminology “this food was processed in a facility that also processes nuts, dairy, wheat…” or similar wording that is warning you that the food item might be contaminated with trace amounts of other foods. It can be also that you have routinely come into contact with food that has been contaminated with other items such as vanilla, nuts, etc.
My Food Sensitivity results show no reaction to wheat, but my Wheat Zoomer shows a reaction to wheat. Are my results wrong?
While our Food Sensitivity test is run on our microchip platform and has great reproducibility (the highest in the industry), it is a PROTEIN level antibody test. This is different from our Wheat Zoomer, where we have synthesized the entire wheat proteome at the PEPTIDE level. Thus, the Wheat Zoomer is such a magnified look at how our immune system can react to wheat, there’s no way looking at a single “wheat” protein antigen can offer that same view.
I have a known allergy, but tested negative for this food on Vibrant Food Sensitivity? How can that be?
The terms food allergy and food sensitivity are widely confused and often wrongfully used interchangeably. A true food allergy (type I hypersensitivity or immediate reaction) is usually mediated by an IgE-specific antibody. On the Vibrant Food Sensitivity test, we are measuring both IgG and IgA antibodies that are more indicative of a food sensitivity (type 2, 3, or 4 hypersensitivities or delayed reaction). For a full explanation on the difference between food immunoglobulins, please see this attached handout.
Please, note, food allergy (IgE) testing is available through Vibrant America Clinical Labs, but is a separate test from Vibrant Food Sensitivity.
