Food intolerance - information and specialists

Leading Medicine Guide Editors
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Leading Medicine Guide Editors

Food intolerance is often referred to as food intolerance and is a symptom that affects many people. Food allergy is a form of food intolerance. However, it affects just two percent of adults. In all other patients, food intolerance has non-immunological causes.

Below you will find further information on the causes, symptoms and treatment options as well as specialists for the treatment of food intolerance.

ICD codes for this diseases: T78.1

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Article overview

What is food intolerance?

A food intolerance is a food intolerance in which patients react to certain foods with abdominal pain, bloating or diarrhea.

The following food intolerances are particularly common:

Basically, food intolerance refers to all symptoms that occur after eating certain foods.

Lactose intolerance

LaktoseintoleranzMilk and dairy products to intolerances @ Yura Yarema /AdobeStock

Lactose intolerance, i.e. an intolerance to milk and dairy products, is particularly common. Affected patients are unable to digest lactose. The reason is an enzyme deficiency.

The most common symptoms are

  • Flatulence
  • abdominal pain
  • Feeling of fullness

Although lactose intolerance is not a disease, it can significantly restrict the quality of life of those affected.

Histamine intolerance

With histamine intolerance, on the other hand, the body reacts with symptoms to increased amounts of the natural substance histamine.

The following symptoms occur with this intolerance:

  • Stomach and intestinal complaints
  • Pustules on the skin
  • headaches

Middle-aged women often suffer from histamine intolerance.

Fructose intolerance

People who suffer from fructose intolerance cannot tolerate fructose. Fructose is found in all types of fruit, and a change in diet is a challenge for many sufferers.

Beer and sweets also contain fructose.

The symptoms of fructose intolerance:

Other symptoms of a food intolerance

It is not always easy to diagnose a food intolerance based on the symptoms. This is because the symptoms can vary greatly.

Other symptoms that may be associated with a food intolerance are, for example

  • Loss of appetite
  • Sudden weight loss
  • belching
  • Stomach pain
  • constipation

Even anxiety, joint pain and breathing difficulties can occur in connection with a food intolerance.

If you suspect a food intolerance, a specialist should carry out various tests to confirm it.

Causes and risk factors of food intolerance

The causes of food intolerance can be varied. In most cases, it is a disorder of the enzymes responsible for breaking down food. This disorder can be present from birth or acquired.

In the case of a food allergy, on the other hand, the immune system overreacts to certain substances. Food allergies are particularly common with nuts, milk, fish and eggs.

Examination and diagnosis of food intolerance

The first person to contact if a food intolerance is suspected is an internist.

  1. They will first conduct a detailed medical history interview with you and look at your medical history.
  2. They will then ask you specific questions about your symptoms. You should therefore carefully observe whether your symptoms worsen when you eat certain foods before visiting the doctor. A food diary also often proves its worth in practice.
  3. First, the doctor will listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope to hear the bowel sounds.
  4. By tapping the abdomen, the doctor can detect an increased accumulation of air in the abdominal cavity.
  5. Most food intolerances are diagnosed by experts using the hydrogen breath test (H2 breath test). In the H2 breath test, they measure the hydrogen content in the exhaled air. In some cases, a blood test is also required to rule out certain diseases.

How is a food intolerance treated?

Once doctors have diagnosed a food intolerance, there are various treatment approaches on the agenda:

Firstly, those affected must completely eliminate the food that triggers the intolerance from their diet.

This is not so easy with lactose intolerance, as milk is found in numerous foods. Alternatively, you can switch to milk substitutes or soy products.

It can be helpful to seek the help of a nutritionist and draw up an individual diet plan. Whether you should avoid foods completely or only consume them to a limited extent depends on the degree of intolerance. You can get comprehensive advice from your internist.

Food allergies, on the other hand, are often treated with medication such as antihistamines and cortisone.

Progression and prognosis of a food intolerance

As a patient, you can do a lot yourself to positively influence the course of the disease. The simplest way is to avoid the relevant foods.

This is particularly important in the case of congenital fructose intolerance. With this disease, you must completely avoid fructose. This applies not only to food, but also to drinks such as soft drinks and alcohol.

This is often not difficult to implement in everyday life, but the quality of life of those affected suffers.

Congenital intolerance lasts a lifetime. Patients must strictly adhere to the doctor's instructions in order to avoid liver and kidney damage.

References

https://www.gastro-muenster.de/wissenswertes/krankheitsbilder-und-methoden/nahrungsmittelintoleranz.html
https://www.netdoktor.de/krankheiten/nahrungsmittelunvertraeglichkeit/
https://www.infomedizin.de/krankheiten/nahrungsmittelunvertraeglichkeit/
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