Milk, peanuts, fish -- all of these foods come from different nutritional groups yet have a significant commonality: they are among the top sources of food allergies. An allergic reaction to food can cause many effects on the body, some of which also occur when you have a food intolerance. Understanding the differences between allergies and intolerance is important to prevent future episodes.
Understanding Symptoms
While a food intolerance can cause some of the same symptoms, the combination of weight loss, gastrointestinal distress, rash and fever is more indicative of a food allergy. You can become allergic to certain foods at any time -- even if you've previously included them in your diet without problem, according to the Mayo Clinic's James T C Li, MD, PhD. For instance, a shellfish allergy may not appear until adulthood in some people. It is more common, however, for allergies to present during childhood.
Food Allergies
Your immune system responds to certain foods as if they were dangerous when you have a food allergy. Consuming just a small amount of the food may trigger stomach problems, hives, swelling and breathing difficulty. You can also develop a fever; the increased body temperature reflects the abnormal activity occurring in the body, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. Food allergies are common in people who have eosinophilic esophagitis, a disease involving chronic inflammation of certain immune cells in the esophagus. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reports that diagnoses of this condition are rising in kids and adults. In addition to causing heartburn and vomiting, you may experience unintentional weight loss.
Anaphylaxis
The most significant concern if you have a food allergy is anaphylaxis; in fact, this type of allergy is responsible for 35 percent to 55 percent of anaphylaxis cases, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Anaphylaxis is a sudden, severe reaction to the substances you're allergic to. Signs and symptoms include those associated with both food allergies and intolerance; however, your health condition may get much worse. Dangerous drops in blood pressure and cardiac arrest can occur. You're at higher risk for these effects if you've had previous reactions, the ACAAI warns.
Food Intolerance
Keep in mind, however, that food allergies are not as common as food intolerance. The latter also causes diarrhea, nausea and other symptoms such as headaches or dizziness. Weight loss nor fever are normally associated with intolerance, so these effects may be tied to another health problem. Seeing a physician is wise to get to the root of your symptoms and find out whether you have an intolerance or allergy. Dietary changes and certain medical tests help lead to a proper diagnosis.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Food Allergy: Can It Develop Later in Life?; James T C Li, MD, PhD; June 2011
- "NIH MedlinePlus"; Coping with Food Allergies; 2011
- Cleveland Clinic: Problem Foods: Is it Allergy or Intolerance?
- The Ohio State University Medical Center: Fever
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Food Allergy
- American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology: Anaphylaxis Overview
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