Food intolerance and food allergy

What is the difference between food intolerance and food allergy?

Diarrhoea, stomach and mucus pain in stool can be symptoms of both food intolerance and food allergy.


In medical literature, there is no clear distinction between intolerance and food allergy. However, the difference is crucial mainly for the doctors of pathomorphologists. Food intolerance occurs without inflammation in intestines, while in food allergy mucositis is observed, sometimes erosive, of acidulocyte granulocytes infiltration in the mucous membranes of the extracted fragments.

Put simply, food intolerance gives the same symptoms as food allergy, but food allergy is an inflammation of the mucous membrane, while food intolerance does not run with inflammation. The conclusion is therefore that food allergy is' worse' than food intolerance and requires specialised treatment.

Clinical signs alone do not distinguish intolerance from food allergies. In both cases, after ingestion of food, diarrhoea or loose stools appear, which are pseudoplasmic, bloating, stool mucus, transparent, in the form of "flocs". Stomach pains can be constrictive and painful, but usually the symptoms quickly disappear after the excretion of the nutrient that caused such a reaction.

Food intolerance diagnosis

We diagnose food intolerance after excluding food allergy. For the diagnosis of food allergy, skin tests, IgE and IgG tests as well as other specialist tests are used. It should be remembered that food allergy always has immunological background, and food intolerance does not involve our immune system.

Food intolerance can be suspected when food allergy is excluded. For this purpose, a provocative test may be performed - after taking a suspicious ingredient, the occurrence of annoying symptoms may be observed. Treatment consists in elimination diet, unfortunately there is no specific treatment for food intolerance, but only symptomatic treatment.

Colonoscopy in the diagnosis of food allergy and food intolerance

A very useful diagnostic tool in food allergy and intolerance is colonoscopy with extractions of cuttings for histopathological examination. In the food allergy, a bleeding, sometimes oedematous mucous membrane covered with mucosal, sometimes with fine erosions is visible, and in the fragments abundant sour granulocytes infiltration is found. Such an image should be differentiated from colitis ulcerosa (non-specific inflammation). In intolerance of the mucous membrane does not show any changes, sometimes it is covered with mucus. Food intolerance should be differentiated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Sometimes intolerance and food allergies, such as milk, are possible at the same time. In this case, intolerance may concern lactose contained in milk, while food allergy may concern lactalbumine, a milk protein.

Although there is no cure for food allergy and intolerance, both intolerance and food allergy can change their severity during life. Unfortunately, they may be able to give way, but unfortunately, they may also get worse, making the patient's life more unpleasant.