Sageallergy

Sage Delayed

Food Allergy Testing

Jamie Randall

Winter 2011

What is Sage Delayed Allergy Testing? The Sage Allergy Test was developed by Dr. Brent

Dorval an immunologist and Dr. Daniel C. Dantini is a physician who has been researching and treating food sensitivities for over 30 years.

The test measures both IgG and components of the complement cascade that result in the formation of immune complexes. It not only measures Type II reactions but Type III as well. Common markers for delayed food sensitivities.

44 different allergens are tested.

Antigens tested are those that are most common in the Standard American Diet (SAD)

They boast a 95% accuracy rate of positive or negative reaction to a particular antigen

Referenced from: http://www.FoodAllergyTest.com/sageTest_Method.html

How does this work and what do the results tell me?

• There are different markers that identify allergens. IgG and immune complexes are one way to determine if there is a delayed food sensitivity.

•The Sage test is similar in methodology to the ELISA platform. ELISA is often used to determine if there are milk, peanuts, walnuts, almonds and eggs allergens present in an individuals test. Sage testing uses a serum that identifies the IgG and immune reactions.

•A patent pending process is utilized. A plate that is coated with 44 different allergens is tested in duplicate. If the individual has food sensitivities then the IgG and immune complexes attach themselves to the allergen they are sensitive to. A simple bar graph is printed to easily interpret which food sensitivities are present.

•A 95% accuracy to certain antigens is recorded with this unique method.

History of Sage Testing

IgE testing is the gold standard for inhalant allergies, but it fails to diagnose food related sensitivities that may cause immune complexes that can contribute to chronic diseases.

IgG4 tests are utilized in the ELISA test and are a protective antibody but they do not distinguish if there is a delayed food sensitivity.

Dr. Brent Dorval and Dr. Daniel C. Dantini saw a need to test food sensitivities. Dr. Dantini has over 30 years experience in testing for food sensitivities.

They created the Sage test to help with Type II and III plus immune complex reactions to provide physicians with a more complete test than just measuring IgE, IgG4 and IgG alone.

Having answers to common food delayed reactions allows physicians to identify antigens that contribute to chronic disease.

Mechanism of testing:

Safety of use

Once the test results are given to the patient there are three phases that they must follow.

Phase I is The Avoidance Phase where the individual must avoid foods that tested positive on their test. They are also advised that if a previous immediate reaction to a food was present prior to testing to avoid that as well.

A 6 week strict avoidance of the food must be adhered to.

Phase II The Challenge Phase is utilized after the 6 week avoidance period. The patient is told to choose one food from the exclusion list and eat it for 3 out of 5 successive meals over a 2 day period. Then wait 4 days. Repeat these steps until all the food that was on your list is tested.

Phase III Life After Testing and Challenge is where you choose to avoid the “triggers” of your ailment or suffer the consequences of “cheating” on certain days.

Safety conclusionThere truly are no short term

or long term effects of the testing.

The effects appears to be the choice of the individual patient’s adherence to the results that will determine whether or not the delayed sensitivities effect their daily life (headaches, IBS, dermatitis, brain fog, etc.)

Who is the target market for Sage Testing?

Demographic

Individuals that have chronic health issues and have not found the main cause of their ailment

Patients suffering from a sensitivity to a food

People that have immune complex reactions

Joint pain sufferers

Adults and children suffering from autism, ADHD, ADD and hyperactivity

Methods of Marketing

Testimonials are posted by patients of the Sage Laboratories

The testimony page is reviewed and filtered prior to adding the testimonial to the actual Sage website (due to excessive Spam)

A frequently asked question portion is on their website as well.

Individuals who would like to be tested must do so through a healthcare provider. The Physician must then fill out a request form and fax it to the lab in order for the test to be executed

Review of Literature

The Sage Delayed Food Sensitivity Test has yet to have a clinical study done.

Examples of studies conducted on IgG testing and food intolerances

Articles regarding IgA, IgE, IgG, and IgM antibodies and their correlation with food sensitivities.

Are any of the trials conclusive?

IgG Food Intolerance Testing

In 2004 Atkinson et al. did a clinical trial on patients with IBS. They utilized IgG antibodies to determine if dietary elimination would be therapeutic. The study included a total of 150 outpatients with IBS.

Randomized testing was done for three months one group excluded foods that raised IgG antibodies and the other group was given a “sham” diet that excluded the same number of foods but not those which they had antibodies for.

The primary outcome measured changes in IBS symptomology and global rating scores.

Results showed that after a 12 week period the true elimination diet created a 10% reduction in symptoms compared to the “sham” diet.

The conclusion was that food elimination based on IgG antibodies may be effective in reducing IBS symptoms.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/pmc/articles/PMC1774223

Diet Restriction based on IgG foods Alpay et al. conducted a

study on the effects of migraine headaches and IgG based foods.

The study contained 30 patients who suffered migraines without aura

266 food antigens were utilized and detected using the ELISA testing method

A 20 week period was used for the testing.

There was a placebo group and a group which followed the IgG antibody free diet.

Results were an abnormally high titre against the 266 foods. There was a significant reduction in migraines of the individuals on the IgG free diet compared to the placebo group.

Conclusion: A diet restricting IgG antibody foods is an effective strategy in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/pmc/articles/PMC2899772

Multiple Immunoglobulin Testing

A journal article published in 2011 by Renault et al. conducted a study on a microarray of immunoglobulins A, M, G and E.

Their approach was to use a variety of food samples, the ability to measure four different Ig classes simultaneously and to generate data via bioinformatics/statistical analysis interface.

Renault states that this study has the potential to show great results although it is in the early stages of development and “a full analysis of large longitudinal and retrospective clinical trial is on going”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/pubmed/20974146

Are the trials conclusive?

Gerez et al wrote a review article on multiple food allergy diagnostic tools.

Specifically toward the end of the article they critique IgG testing stating that it is inappropriate.

The cite numerous studies one in particular showed that recent studies show that IgG response could be a protective mechanism against the development of IgE food allergies

Gerard et al state that there is no standardized methodology for IgG testing. Laboratories use different methods of testing.

Therefore their summation of IgG testing is controversial and more testing needs to be done to consider it valid.

Patient Selection

Sage testing, if considered valid, would be useful for the cases mentioned previously.

Individuals who can not pin point why they are having a particular ailment

Digestive issues, headache sufferers, asthma, eczema, ADHD, and arthritis

Age range does not discriminate who could take the test. As long as you can take a blood sample the testing could be conducted.

Conclusion

Sage Delayed Food Sensitivity testing seems to hold certain validity.

Peer reviewed journals that were investigated need more long term studies conducted.

Mixed reviews note that IgG testing though valid may need a more rigorous testing standardization.

If the testing is conducted properly and standardization is enforced IgG testing and immune complex testing could possibly aid in the effects of numerous immune challenges and digestive disorders.

References

1. W Atkinson,1 T A Sheldon,2 N Shaath,1 and P J Whorwell1 (2004) Food elimination based on IgG antibodies in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. GUT 53(10) 1459-1464. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/pmc/articles/PMC1774223

2. Gerard E. Mullin MD, Kathie M. Swift, MS, RD, Liz Lipski, PhD, CCN, Laura K. Turnbull, BS, MSNc, S. Devi Rampertab, MD (2010). Testing for Food Reactions The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Nutrition in Clinical Practice 25 (2) 192-198. Retrieved from http://ncp.sagepub.com.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/content/25/2/192.long#sec-8

3. Gerez I F A, Shek L P C, Chng H H, Lee B W (2010) Diagnostic tests for food allergy. Singapore Medical Journal 51 (1):4-9. Retrieved from http://smj.sma.org.sg/5101/5101ra1.pdf

4. Kadriye Alpay,1 Mustafa Ertaş,1 Elif Kocasoy Orhan,1 Didem Kanca Üstay,2 Camille Lieners,3 and Betül Baykan1(2010). Diet restriction in migraine, based on IgG against foods: A clinical double-blind, randomised, cross-over trial. Cephalalgia 30(7) 829-837 Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/pmc/articles/PMC2899772

5. Renault NK, Gaddipati SR, Wulfert F, Falcone FH, Mirotti L, Tighe PJ, Wright V, Alcocer MJ. (2010) Multiple protein extract microarray for profiling human food-specific immunoglobulins A, M, G and E. Journal of Immunology Methods 364(1-2) 21-32. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy.nycc.edu:2048/pubmed/20974146

6. Sage Medical Laboratory Delayed Food Sensitivity. Retrieved from http://www.SageMedLab.com/