Has anyone tried the Boots food intolerance test?

Sounds very fishy in terms of the science.
There is a whole industry out there trying to convince people that they have intolerance to a long list of foods.
Just because something is offered by Boots does not mean it works. They were flogging some unproven device that claims to detect breast cancer at one stage. And then there are shelves and shelves of pills and potions.
Cutting out too many foods can leave you with an inadequate diet.
Best way to find out if foods are disagreeing is to cut them out, one at a time, for a couple of weeks and then start again. Make notes of how you feel before hand , during and after.
B

When my second daughter was a baby she became very ill, repeatedly. It took the doctors several months and very many tests to discover that (among other problems) she had a disaccharide intolerance. I just don't believe that any 'over the counter' test could give accurate results that it took hospital doctors months to achieve.

I'm afraid I get very irritated with all this intolerance nonsense - it's usually just food preferences.

At one time you would know a handful of people who had gluten-intolerance because of coeliac disease or similar, and a few lactose-intolerant, now almost every other person is allergic to something!

i think its a waste of money when you can do it yourself...if you think you have a food intolerance dont eat that food for a week then try it again to see if you can tolerate it...i have i.b.s which is more stress related but there are certain foods that does make it worse so i avoid them...its a case of trial and error..

I don't think it's the same as an allergy. I know that onions, wine and something in wheat, but not gluten, all make me ill in any quantity. I don't go into shock and need an epi-pen though. Just well ... never mind
Something is affecting me at the moment and I don't know what to cut out. Every time I think I've pinpointed it I turn out to be wrong. I suppose one of these tests is clutching at straws but it would be nice if it was just a food sensitivity.
Perhaps won't bother with the Boots thing. As you say it might not be much good.

Have you told your GP? There is probably an "official" intolerance test that you could be sent for.

I had a battery of skin tests when I was young. As well as the usual house mite and wool, I'm also allergic to camels apparently. Fortunately there aren't a large number roaming around here.
I do have a genuine egg yolk intolerance which extends to egg cultured vaccines.

If you don't feel right then a blood test from your GP is probably a good place to start - one that will check your blood count, liver and kidney function, that kind of thing.

I'm getting the Dr.'s blood test result tomorrow, so the official channels are covered. I'm not sure she believes in food sensitivities. I do though (defiant voice!)

I also get violent hay fever from daffodils. It suddenly happened and took me about 5 years to work out. I was even picking them and bringing them in the house.
How do you find out you are allergic to camels?

It could be a getting older thing. I read somewhere that as we age, our bodies produce less digestive enzyme.

Can't say I have developed any more allergies as I get older. I know I can't eat fish and raw tomatoes brings me out in a rash (cooked ones are OK), also raw onion will give me heartburn for days (again cooked onion is fine). I have had these since I was a child but no new ones since.

Broomsticks says it's not the same as an allergy.

I think she means she has trouble with certain foods.

The website Science Based Medicine is written by N American doctors who seek to expose health frauds.
There is a long article on this method of "food intolerance testing" which concludes:

At present, there are no reliable and validated clinical tests for the diagnosis of food intolerance. While intolerances are non-immune by definition, IgG testing is actively promoted for diagnosis, and to guide management. These tests lack both a sound scientific rationale and evidence of effectiveness. The lack of correlation between results and actual symptoms, and the risks resulting from unnecessary food avoidance, escalate the potential for harm from this test. Further, there is no published clinical evidence to support the use of IgG tests to determine the need for vitamins or supplements. In light of the lack of clinical relevance, and the potential for harm resulting from their use, allergy and immunology organizations worldwide advise against the use of IgG testing for food intolerance.

www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/igg-food-intolerance-tests-what-does-the-science-say/
Looks to me like an unproven scam used as a vehicle for flogging more vitamins and supplements.
Not saying there is no such thing as a food intolerance broomsticks but this test looks like a waste of money.

Very pricey. The one I was thinking of cost £25 but I'm still wondering if it's a rip off, especially after all your comments. I'll see what the Dr. says first anyway.

The only real way is an elimination diet where you don't only cut out what
you think doesn't suit you but everything that food is related to and for days. If you suspect onions then you have to cut spring out onions, garlic leeks etc
All plants/ foods have families and if you are afraid it might be chicken then that accounts for turkey as well
I can imagine that Boots- if they are serious. may have lists.
To put yourself through an elimination diet takes time, 6 weeks usually, you have to keep a daily account about how you feel. The added bonus is that I lost 5 kilos when I did mine. I did it to find the triggers for my migraine attacks and since then I may have had bad headaches, some like migraine but I have never spent a day in bed with a migraine attack since then.
But you have to watch what you eat on a daily basis and unless you are really suffering I wouldn't recommend it. But for me I would do it again.

That's the States for you broomsticks but the bottom line is there is no scientific evidence to indicate this test has any value. I do think Boots are rather naughty selling this kind of thing.

I think the £25 was Healthwarehouse. Boots may be free, I haven't looked them up, someone said they do the test.
You're probably right MargaretX

We have had a thread on this before and MargaretX and I suffer the same problems of food intolerance and migraines.
As she said, the 'Elimination Diet' is really the only way to see what foods you are intolerant to, and it takes time and patience.

I still want to know more about the camels. Do you eat them, sniff them or cuddle them?

You can drink camel's milk. Available in Manchester!

Not a good idea for Galen

Asthma and eczema. I'm also highly allergic to cats.(sorry Rory) because they know I'm allergic to them, they always make a beeline for me!

why would Boots do for free? Unless what you get back is a long list of vitamins you should be taking? Can't find a link to it now.

I have a bit of a weird thing!

Sometimes when I eat eggs (which I love, boiled, poached, omelette etc) I get a reaction, my lips come out in sort of blisters! They are very short lived, go away within a couple of hours. I have also occasionally had this with mayonnaise or marie rose sauce.

The only thing that I can think of is that it might be a slight reaction to something in the food that the hens are fed on. It has never stopped me eating eggs, and as I say it doesn't happen every time and when it does it goes away quickly.