IgG Food MAP w/ Candida + Yeast (190) – Serum or Dried Blood Spot (DBS)

What is IgG?

IgG is the major antibody found in serum. IgGs are composed of two fragment antigen binding (Fab) regions that contain the antigen binding sites and the Fc region, which is responsible for most of the biologic activity of the antibodies (Figure 1). An antigen is a substance that causes the immune system to produce an antibody that specifically reacts with it. IgG-mediated reactions to food antigens may be delayed by several hours or days, whereas IgE food antibody reactions are quite immediate.

Human IgG is separated into four subclasses denoted IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4. Each subclass varies in abundance and biological function. IgG1 and IgG3 are predominantly responsible for antibody protection against reinfection. IgG2 antibodies are opsonic (marking a pathogen for ingestion and destruction) and develop in response to carbohydrate polysaccharide antigens. IgG4 molecules function as skin-sensitizing immunoglobulins and are thought to block antibodies produced in response to chronic exposure to antigens.

Why Test IgG Sensitivities?

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) food testing is a useful guide for structuring elimination diets for patients with many chronic conditions. Individuals with neurological, gastrointestinal, movement, and behavioral disorders often suffer from IgG food sensitivities. People may continue to eat offending foods unaware of their potential adverse effects. Symptoms associated with food sensitivities may occur hours or days after the offending food was eaten because IgG food antibodies remain for a much longer time than IgE antibodies. IgE food allergy causes the release of histamine, producing an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. In contrast, IgG food sensitivity is triggered by the binding of compliment to IgG food antigen complexes, causing an inflammatory response. This is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction in which symptoms appear anywhere from hours to days after eating the offending food. Elimination of IgG-positive foods may improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, autism, AD(H)D, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and epilepsy, according to numerous clinical studies.

The Benefits of Testing

IgG testing determines if food reactions are contributing to physical or mental symptoms, and much more quickly than eliminating and then reintroducing each suspect food one-by-one over a period of time.

Removal of highly reactive foods from the diet is a non-invasive therapy that often mitigates a patient’s symptoms.

Research and clinical studies suggest food allergies identified by IgG testing can be major contributing factors to many chronic health conditions.

Eliminating all identified IgG-positive foods after testing can reduce stress on the immune system, decrease inflammation (helping to heal “leaky gut”), resolve food cravings, and reduce the potential for eating disorders.

Multiple Analyte Profiling with xMAP® Technology

The bead-based immunofluorescent assay uses color-coded magnetic beads, which are covalently coupled to 190 different food proteins specific to each protein’s IgG target. The color-coding of the beads into spectrally distinct sets allows the simultaneous capture and detection of multiple food IgG analytes from a single reaction well.

The xMAP® bead-based immunoassay occurs on the surface of magnetic beads by adding a patient’s serum sample and observing the classic antigen /antibody interaction, detected by using a fluorescent labeled antibody. Laser-based analysis of the fluorescent signal response is proportional to the binding of food-specific IgG antibodies onto the beads.

Analytes (190 Foods + Candida & Saccharomyces Cerevisiae):

Dairy, Beans and Peas, Fruits, Grains, Fish/Seafood, Meat/Fowl, Nuts/Seeds, Vegetables, Herbs/Spices, Miscellaneous