Understanding Allergen Screening Testing
The human immune system is designed to defend against harmful substances or pathogens. However, it can sometimes malfunction and mistakenly identify harmless substances (such as pollens, animal danders, or foods) as threats. These substances are then treated as allergens. When the body encounters an allergen, it triggers inflammatory response, which can result in various acute allergic reactions or long-term chronic inflammation.
Acute Allergic Reactions
These are primarily mediated by IgE antibodies. When IgE antibodies bind to allergens, they stimulate mast cells and basophils to release histamine and other inflammatory substances. This can cause symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, asthma, eczema, and hives.
Chronic Inflammatory Reactions
These are mainly mediated by IgG antibodies. When IgG binds to food allergens, large immune complexes can form. If these immune complexes are not effectively removed by the immune system, they may accumulate in the body and cause chronic inflammation. Normally, the body has high tolerance for chronic inflammation, which makes clinical symptoms vague, intermittent, or hard to detect. When physical stress exceeds a threshold, or during times of high stress or poor health, unexplained physical discomfort may appear.
In daily life, we encounter various forms of stress, and over time, this ongoing accumulation can gently wear down the body's natural resilience. Whether acute allergic reactions or chronic inflammation, both place physiological stress on the body. Allergen testing can help identify allergens in your living environment and diet, allowing you to adjust accordingly and reduce your body’s burden.
Acute Allergic Reactions
These are primarily mediated by IgE antibodies. When IgE antibodies bind to allergens, they stimulate mast cells and basophils to release histamine and other inflammatory substances. This can cause symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, asthma, eczema, and hives.
Chronic Inflammatory Reactions
These are mainly mediated by IgG antibodies. When IgG binds to food allergens, large immune complexes can form. If these immune complexes are not effectively removed by the immune system, they may accumulate in the body and cause chronic inflammation. Normally, the body has high tolerance for chronic inflammation, which makes clinical symptoms vague, intermittent, or hard to detect. When physical stress exceeds a threshold, or during times of high stress or poor health, unexplained physical discomfort may appear.
In daily life, we encounter various forms of stress, and over time, this ongoing accumulation can gently wear down the body's natural resilience. Whether acute allergic reactions or chronic inflammation, both place physiological stress on the body. Allergen testing can help identify allergens in your living environment and diet, allowing you to adjust accordingly and reduce your body’s burden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who should consider allergen testing?
Anyone with common allergy symptoms or suspected inflammatory conditions may consider allergen screening test.
● Respiratory: asthma, allergic rhinitis, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing.
● Skin: atopic dermatitis, hives, itchy skin.
● Gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
● Others: chronic fatigue, occasional migraines, unexplained muscle or joint pain—these vague symptoms can also be assessed for possible allergen-related causes.
Q. What is the principle behind allergen screening test?
How do we know what substances we’re allergic to or sensitive to? The experiment commonly conducted is to detect antibodies (IgE and IgG) in the blood that recognize allergens (IgE and IgG antibodies).
When the immune system mistakenly identifies external substances (e.g., pollen, dust mites, food) as threats, it produces antibodies (IgE or IgG) that trigger allergy or inflammatory responses.
Q. What should I know before getting allergen screening testing?
1. No need to avoid certain foods before blood sampling; maintain your usual lifestyle.
2. Antibodies have life cycles, and the immune system has memory. If you've had a noticeable or severe allergy to a food in the past but haven’t eaten it in a while, be sure to inform your doctor for a more accurate evaluation.
3. If you are taking immunosuppressive medications, discuss this with your doctor.
4. Allergen screening testing is not a genetic test—it cannot predict what you might be allergic to in the future. The goal is to identify current allergens in your daily life and diet, especially those you may be unaware of.
Q. I has rushed to the emergency after eating bananas, but my report shows banana is negative. Does that mean I’ve recovered and can eat bananas again?
No. Effective allergen management should combine past allergic history with current test results.
Antibody has its own life cycle. If you have avoided a food after a severe allergic reaction, your antibody levels may decrease over time, resulting in a negative test result. This often occurs with IgE-mediated acute allergies.
The immune system has memory. Even if antibody levels drop due to long-term avoidance, immune cells can still recognize the allergen and quickly produce antibodies upon re-exposure.
In short, allergen screening test is used to identify unknown or suspected sources of allergy or chronic inflammation in daily life.
Q. If I’m currently experiencing an allergic reaction, will testing identify the cause?
The purpose of allergen screening test is to clarify whether your allergic/inflammatory reactions are related to specific allergens. Excelsior Bio-System’s allergen tests screen for common environmental allergens and food allergens in daily life.
However, many factors can trigger allergic reactions, such as spoiled food, sudden changes in climate or humidity, air pollution, organic solvent sensitivity, or even autoimmune diseases, which may not be related to external allergens. Therefore, a professional medical evaluation is necessary for comprehensive diagnosis.
Q. What is included in Excelsior Bio-System’s allergen testing?
1. Our allergen tests cover two major categories:
(1) Environmental allergens
(2) Food allergens
2. Based on the speed and severity of allergic reactions, tests are further divided into:
(1) Acute (IgE; E) allergy test includes both environmental and food allergens.
(2) Chronic (IgG; G) inflammation test includes food allergens only.
Anyone with common allergy symptoms or suspected inflammatory conditions may consider allergen screening test.
● Respiratory: asthma, allergic rhinitis, runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing.
● Skin: atopic dermatitis, hives, itchy skin.
● Gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
● Others: chronic fatigue, occasional migraines, unexplained muscle or joint pain—these vague symptoms can also be assessed for possible allergen-related causes.
Q. What is the principle behind allergen screening test?
How do we know what substances we’re allergic to or sensitive to? The experiment commonly conducted is to detect antibodies (IgE and IgG) in the blood that recognize allergens (IgE and IgG antibodies).
When the immune system mistakenly identifies external substances (e.g., pollen, dust mites, food) as threats, it produces antibodies (IgE or IgG) that trigger allergy or inflammatory responses.
Q. What should I know before getting allergen screening testing?
1. No need to avoid certain foods before blood sampling; maintain your usual lifestyle.
2. Antibodies have life cycles, and the immune system has memory. If you've had a noticeable or severe allergy to a food in the past but haven’t eaten it in a while, be sure to inform your doctor for a more accurate evaluation.
3. If you are taking immunosuppressive medications, discuss this with your doctor.
4. Allergen screening testing is not a genetic test—it cannot predict what you might be allergic to in the future. The goal is to identify current allergens in your daily life and diet, especially those you may be unaware of.
Q. I has rushed to the emergency after eating bananas, but my report shows banana is negative. Does that mean I’ve recovered and can eat bananas again?
No. Effective allergen management should combine past allergic history with current test results.
Antibody has its own life cycle. If you have avoided a food after a severe allergic reaction, your antibody levels may decrease over time, resulting in a negative test result. This often occurs with IgE-mediated acute allergies.
The immune system has memory. Even if antibody levels drop due to long-term avoidance, immune cells can still recognize the allergen and quickly produce antibodies upon re-exposure.
In short, allergen screening test is used to identify unknown or suspected sources of allergy or chronic inflammation in daily life.
Q. If I’m currently experiencing an allergic reaction, will testing identify the cause?
The purpose of allergen screening test is to clarify whether your allergic/inflammatory reactions are related to specific allergens. Excelsior Bio-System’s allergen tests screen for common environmental allergens and food allergens in daily life.
However, many factors can trigger allergic reactions, such as spoiled food, sudden changes in climate or humidity, air pollution, organic solvent sensitivity, or even autoimmune diseases, which may not be related to external allergens. Therefore, a professional medical evaluation is necessary for comprehensive diagnosis.
Q. What is included in Excelsior Bio-System’s allergen testing?
1. Our allergen tests cover two major categories:
(1) Environmental allergens
(2) Food allergens
2. Based on the speed and severity of allergic reactions, tests are further divided into:
(1) Acute (IgE; E) allergy test includes both environmental and food allergens.
(2) Chronic (IgG; G) inflammation test includes food allergens only.