Food Sensitivity & Allergy Testing in Edmonton

Comprehensive Food Sensitivity & Food Allergy Testing

Our Naturopaths have a special focus in Food Intolerances

Test reactivity to 50, 100 and 200 foods

We can test children and adults at our Edmonton office

Food Testing is a private service - costs not covered by Alberta Health

We'll help you choose the most appropriate testing for your concerns

We no longer test for anaphylactic allergies

See costs associated with testing

Food Sensitivity & Allergy Testing in Edmonton

Digestive concerns, such as bloating, gas and IBS are common reasons for Food Sensitivity & Allergy Testing.

Our Naturopaths often see skin concerns such as Acne, Eczema and Psoriasis respond well to testing.

Migraines, Sinusitis, Asthma and headaches can also respond to sensitivity & allergy testing.  

Dr. Sumar does electrodermal analysis as part of her Naturopathic practice and we sometimes complement your Food testing with histamine quantification done electrodermally for allergic concerns. 

Just a small sample of blood is needed to test intolerance to hundreds of foods. 

We offer numerous testing methods: your TruMed Naturopath will help you decide which test is best for you.

Interested in Testing?

Call Us
780 757-8378

Food Sensitivity & Allergy FAQ

How much does Food Sensitivity Testing cost?

Food Sensitivity Testing ranges from: $465 for 120 foods or $665 for 200 foods.

Food Allergy Testing is $365 for 50 foods, $465 for 100 foods and $665 for 200 foods.

However, both of our test costs include a brief consultation with one of our Naturopaths doctors before testing and a brief follow up 1 month later to review your results. Your TruMed Naturopath will help you determine the best test for you. Our Food Allergy & Food Sensitivity tests are often partially or fully re-imbursed by benefit plans.

What do your tests measure exactly?

Our labs measure your blood for antibodies produced in response to foods your consume. We measure total IgG antibodies (IgG1 through IgG4) for food sensitivities or a combined IgE/IgG4 methodology for food allergies and occasionally we do an isolated IgE test as well. 

It's normal to produce a small amout of antibodies in response to eating but when they are made in excess (and combine with the antigen and form a complex) they can deposit in various tissues and cause pathology. 

Your Naturopath at TruMed will help you chose whether Food Allergy or Food Sensitivity Testing is better for your concerns.

IgG1,2& 3 are pro-inflammatory and activate the complement pathway. IgG4 is involved in the blunting of IgE mediated reactions. IgG1 and IgG4 have both been implicated as
dominating subclasses of antibodies to food antigens.

While IgG1 is an initial responder, IgG4 is produced following chronic exposure to the food. IgE is the least abundant and is most commonly associated with rapid, sometimes life-threatening reactions.

What type of sample do you need?

We need a blood sample and we offer two types of sample collection. For more rapid reactions and food allergies, we usually need to draw two vials of blood and we do this in-house. For slower acting Food Sensitivity Testing we can often use a fingerprick collection which usually needs only 10-15 drops of blood. 

How quickly do you get the test results?

For Food Sensitivity Testing we need to send the samples to Calgary. For the Food Allergy Testing these are usually US bound tests and we typically need at least 3 and sometimes up to 4 weeks. For domestic Food Sensitivity Testing, we usually need 2-3 weeks.  

Difference between a food allergy and food sensitivity?

Strictly speaking, a food allergy is an immune based reaction to foods. Of which, there are rapid, life threatening allergies that should be diagnosed by an allergist as well as slower acting allergies which are also termed sensitivities (Type III hypersensitivities). 

By definition, sensitivities are non-immune mediated reactions to foods like lactose intolerance. However, the term is also used to denote non-life-threatening food allergies.

How accurate is the testing?

Our Naturopathic Doctors have run thousands of food allergy and sensitivity tests and have seen tremendous benefit in many patients. Occasionally, the results don't entirely correlate with clinical end points but can often rule in or rule out the role of food sensitivity or food allergy in many cases. 

Where have you been all my life?

We've been around! But right now our Naturopath Clinic is on 119 street and 116th ave - "West Central Edmonton."