“The most common complaints are: bloating, feeling of heaviness after eating, heartburn, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation. Traveler’s diarrhea is also common during trips. Most often these symptoms are temporary, but if they recur or persist, they should be evaluated more broadly,” says Margarita Varkalienė, a family doctor at the health solutions center “Antėja”, in a press release.
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According to the doctor, medical attention should be sought if symptoms worsen, do not subside, or are accompanied by pain, nausea, early satiety, unexplained weight loss, or changes in bowel habits.
She also notes that the body’s reaction to food does not always manifest immediately – symptoms can appear after a few hours or even the next day. “Identifying a specific product that causes symptoms is often difficult, as well-being is affected not only by diet, but also by stress, sleep, or physical activity. If complaints recur, it is worth recording your diet and symptoms for a while – this helps to more easily identify possible causes and choose further investigation,” recommends M. Varkalienė.
Allergy or intolerance?
In everyday language, food allergy, intolerance, and sensitivity are often confused, but from a medical perspective, these are different conditions.
Food allergy is an immune system-mediated reaction, most often associated with the Immunoglobulin E (IgE) mechanism. It usually manifests shortly after contact with the allergen and can cause skin, respiratory, digestive, or systemic symptoms, including anaphylaxis. Due to the potentially severe course, it is important to identify the specific allergen and avoid it completely.
Food intolerance is not related to the immune system. Most often, it arises due to enzyme deficiency, peculiarities of certain food component metabolism, or increased sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms usually appear more slowly, depend on the amount of product consumed, and are mostly limited to digestive system disorders.
Meanwhile, the term “food sensitivity” does not have a clear medical definition and is used very broadly. It often describes various food-related symptoms whose cause is not always objectively confirmed.
“Distinguishing between these conditions is important because both diagnosis and treatment and dietary recommendations differ – from strict allergen avoidance to individually tailored dietary correction or evaluation of functional digestive disorders,” says the family doctor.
If symptoms recur – it’s worth getting tested
Chronic, recurrent, but non-specific symptoms are most often associated with food intolerance or increased sensitivity of the gastrointestinal tract. These can include bloating, discomfort after eating, early satiety, recurrent bowel disorders – diarrhea or constipation, as well as nausea or a general worsening of well-being after consuming certain foods.
It is important to emphasize that these symptoms are not exclusive to food intolerance. They can also be related to functional digestive disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, changes in gut microbiota, or other digestive system diseases.
“A more detailed examination is recommended when symptoms are long-term, constantly recurring, and worsen the quality of life. It is especially important to consult a doctor if so-called alarm symptoms appear – unexplained weight loss, signs of anemia, blood in the stool, or progressive symptoms.
In such cases, a doctor’s evaluation is performed first, and then, depending on the clinical situation, targeted laboratory or instrumental tests are prescribed, and, if necessary, an elimination diet or provocation tests are applied,” says family doctor M. Varkalienė.
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