Everlywell’s Food Sensitivity Tests

If you think that your diet may be causing you discomfort or worse, the problem could be a food sensitivity.

Not to be confused with a food allergy – which may cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis – a food sensitivity or food intolerance is when your body can’t break down a certain food or ingredient. While the symptoms of a food sensitivity aren’t life-threatening, they aren’t pleasant and include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, heart burn and nausea. The condition also tends to be lifelong.

For people who want to take their health in their own hands, Everlywell offers food sensitivity tests that consumers can take at home to find out which foods may be “holding you back.”

Depending on the food sensitivity test you choose, Everlywell says it can test sensitivities to 96 or 204 unique foods – from spices to seafood to dairy products – all from a single blood sample that can be taken at home with a finger prick provided in the kits. Perhaps best of all, you can get your results in days.

Sounds simple, but does it work?

Despite claims that its food sensitivity tests are “backed by science,” not all experts agree with Everlywell’s methodology.

To determine food intolerances, Everlywell measures the reactivity levels of the antibody Immunoglobulin G (IgG) to certain foods, explaining in a blog:

The higher the IgG levels, the higher the potential for a food sensitivity.

The company claims this “IgG reaction assessment,” combined with an elimination diet based on the results, is able to “pinpoint” food sensitivities that would otherwise go undetected.

But according to some experts, higher IgG levels are not always a reliable indicator of a food sensitivity. In fact, the opposite could be true – that is, a higher IgG level can indicate a healthy tolerance to a certain food.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) warns that IgG food sensitivity tests aren’t “scientifically proven” and “the presence of IgG is likely a normal response of the immune system to exposure to food.” The AAAAI cautions that IgG test results could lead to the adoption of an unnecessarily restrictive diet and even contribute to eating disorders for some people.

It’s also worth noting that while Everlywell talks a big game in its ads, the company itself pulls back in the fine print of its website, admitting that “[IgG] reactivity does not always equate with symptoms,” and that higher levels of IgG do not “necessarily mean you have an intolerance.”

Everlywell did not respond to TINA.org’s request for comment.

The bottom line

Everlywell, which sells a variety of at-home medical test kits, appeared during season 9 of Shark Tank and then went on to have one of the best-selling products in the show’s history. But consumers concerned about food sensitivities should proceed with caution – and consult their health care provider before buying an at-home test.

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