SC Connecticut News

Food allergies are increasingly common, leading to widespread misconceptions. Many individuals rely on nonmedical sources like social media for information, which can result in misinformation and self-diagnosis. Yale School of Medicine specialists aim to correct some of these myths.

John Kuster, MD, an assistant professor of medicine specializing in rheumatology, allergy, and immunology, addresses the myth that all reactions to foods are allergies. He explains that food intolerance is different from an allergy. "A common example is lactose intolerance, which causes immediate gastrointestinal symptoms but is not life-threatening and does not require an EpiPen to treat," Kuster said. "Intolerance symptoms come in many forms and differ for each person."

Elise Liu, MD, PhD, an adult allergist and instructor of medicine in the same fields as Kuster, dispels the myth that only children develop food allergies. She states that "food allergies can start at any age." A 2019 estimate indicated that at least 26 million adults in the U.S. have food allergies, with about half developing symptoms in adulthood. Liu notes that certain allergies like shellfish are more prevalent among adults than children.

Katelyn Wong, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics focusing on pediatric pulmonology, allergy, immunology, and sleep medicine, challenges the belief that food allergy panel testing is advisable for identifying allergic foods. She warns against indiscriminate panel testing due to potential misdiagnosis and unnecessary dietary restrictions since IgE tests often yield false positives. "Targeted food-specific testing should only be performed if there is a clinical suspicion of an IgE-mediated food allergy," she said.

Wong emphasizes that such testing should occur under the guidance of a clinician experienced in evaluating food allergies.

Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine Section of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology focuses on patient care for rheumatic, allergic and immunologic disorders; education; and research into autoimmunity and immunology.