Food intolerance symptoms in adults

A Triple Misconception

Many people think that food allergies, food poisoning and food intolerance are the same things. However, this is not the case. Even though they might cause similar symptoms, they are usually easily differed between one another. Nevertheless, since this article will deal with the phenomenon of food intolerance, it will concentrate more on this condition, presenting its characteristics, symptoms and some other interesting facts. This will help you differ this condition from the above mentioned ones and learn something about it.

Food Intolerance Characteristics

Food intolerance manifests through our body's inability of digesting the certain types of food. This happens because there are not enough enzymes needed for breaking down proteins from the type of food in question. A person may be intolerant of certain food types he or she is not allergic to. Therefore, these two are different states of affair for one to be in. Food allergies trigger a person's immune system. Namely, one's organism perceives certain types of food as harmful and thus reacts to this. There are different types of food triggering different types of allergic reactions within different people. As for food poisoning, it happens due to the toxicity of the digested type offood.

Manifestation of Food Intolerance inAdults

Even though this phenomenon is likely to be found in both children and adults, it is more common with the latter. The most frequent type of food intolerance is lactose intolerance. This type manifests through a person's inability to digest milk and dairy products. However, there are other types of intolerance as well. Interestingly, you may experience food intolerance at any given time of your life, depending solely on the count of these important enzymes in your body. Thus, you may have cherished and enjoyed cheese throughout your entire life, but you may become lactose intolerant after your 70th birthday. In fact, older people are more susceptible to food intolerance.

While food allergy manifests almost instantly after consumption, food intolerance symptoms may take much longer before they strike an individual. Also, those who are food intolerant usually trigger the symptoms once they eat too much of the troublesome type of food. If they were eating small portions of it only occasionally, it would probably cause them no harm at all.

Nevertheless, once you trigger your food intolerance in your organism, you are likely to experience nausea, stomach pain accompanied with gases, bloating or even cramps, headaches, diarrhea and many others. Additionally, you may be prone to vomiting or suffer from heartburn. Being nervous and easily getting angry and irritated belongs to the list of symptoms as well.

Unfortunately, the only cure for food intolerance is to avoid the type of food causing you the symptoms. These enzymes may not be regenerated unless your body produces them anew, which is unlikely to happen. There are alternatives to your beloved types of food, and there are also medications which may help those with food intolerance. Before trying the latter, however, make sure you consult with your doctor.