What Is The ALCAT Test?
Food Intolerances/Sensitivities to certain food types and chemicals can cause a wide range of symptoms and disorders. The offending substances that cause these delayed reactions are often hard to diagnose because of the time between consumption and the physical reaction. At Perpetual Wellbeing we offer ALCAT Testing to help you get to the bottom of the foods that are causing your body to react.
The ALCAT® test offers a useful tool for detecting the foods and chemicals causing these responses. The ALCAT® diagnostic system detects changes in the size and number of white blood cells (i.e. immune cells) in response to exposure to the offending foods and chemicals. A significant advantage of this system is that it uses whole and live blood, which contains all of the immune factors, cells and serum proteins that might be involved in an adverse reaction to a food or chemical. The results are patient-specific and provide an easy, precise and effective starting point for dietary and lifestyle manipulation.
Regardless of the pathways that may underlie an adverse reaction to a food or chemical, i.e. immune or non-immune, the final common pathway may involve release of chemical mediators. These substances, such as histamine and cytokines, will alter the activity of the white blood cells which is detectable using the ALCAT® technique. In addition, the ALCAT® test will theoretically detect changes in the innate immune system (phagocytic white blood cells) and any cytotoxic effects of food.
The Most Effective Food Sensitivity Blood Test
The ALCAT (antigen leukocyte cellular antibody test) was developed to measure personalised nutrition at the cellular level.
The core technology is a blood test that measures the body’s cellular response to challenges from a wide array of substances including various foods, additives, colouring, chemicals, functional foods and medicinal herbs. The individual’s cellular reactivity after exposure of the blood to the various test agents, versus the person’s own baseline control, tells the healthcare provider which substances may be causing a sensitivity related response in the body.
Following testing, a 4 day rotational plan is recommended to the patient. The ALCAT test has been validated by demonstrating a high correlation with double-blind oral challenges with both foods and food additives. In addition a controlled study from Baylor Medical College reported 98% success for weight loss and/or improvement in body composition from patients that followed the recommended ALCAT rotational plan, an unparalleled achievement.
The ALCAT test is a simple blood test that can be used to identify food and other factors that induce innate immune system activation. It measures changes in size and volume of white blood cells in response to ex vivo challenges with foods, chemicals and other environmental stimuli. The ALCAT test is NOT an allergy or IgE test.
ALCAT testing is the most effective and comprehensive sensitivity/intolerance test available. The advantage of the ALCAT involves the identification of specific foods that are triggering an inflammatory cascade. The identification of these specific foods works synergistically with the thesis that gut health is one of the primary and crucial organs responsible for chronic inflammatory states, whereby the etiology of the vast majority of chronic inflammatory or autoimmune conditions can be traced back through a series of mechanisms to delayed food hypersensitivity via impaired intestinal permeability.
COMMON SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD ALLERGIES & INTOLERANCES
- Acne
- IBD & IBS
- ADHD
- Insomnia
- Arthritis
- Irritability
- Asthma
- Migraine
- Bladder infections
- Mouth ulcers
- Bloating, diarrhoea, reflux & other gastrointestinal disturbances
- Otitis media
- Coughing
- Postnasal drip
- Depression
- Psoriasis
- Eczema, psoriasis & rash
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
What ALCAT Panels Do We Offer?
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing have experience managing a wide range of conditions including but not limited to:
ALCAT® Individual Test Panels
- ALCAT 50 Foods Panel
- ALCAT 100 Foods Panel
- ALCAT 150 Foods Panel
- ALCAT 200 Foods Panel
- ALCAT Moulds/Inhalants Panel
- ALCAT Herbs, General Panel
- ALCAT Herbs, Female Panel
- ALCAT Herbs, Male Panel
- ALCAT CHEM20 Panel (Food Additives/Colours)
- ALCAT CHEM30 Panel (Food Additives & Environmental Chemicals
- ALCAT CHEM50 Panel (Food Additives, Environmental Chemicals and Antibiotics/Anti-Inflammatories)
>ALCAT® Combination Test Panels
- ALCAT PLATINUM Panel -200 Foods, 20 Food Additives, 10 Environmental Chemicals, 20 Moulds, 20 Antibiotics/Anti-Inflammatories, 50 Herbs (General)
- ALCAT Comprehensive Panel 1 -200 Foods, 20 Food Additives, 10 Environmental Chemicals, 20 Moulds
- ALCAT Comprehensive Panel 2 -200 Foods, 20 Food Additives
- ALCAT Comprehensive Panel 3 -150 Foods, 20 Food Additives, 10 Environmental Chemicals, 20 Moulds
- ALCAT Comprehensive Panel 4 -150 Foods, 20 Food Additives
- ALCAT Comprehensive Panel 5 -100 Foods, 20 Food Additives, 10 Environmental Chemicals, 20 Moulds
- ALCAT Comprehensive Panel 6 -100 Foods, 20 Food Additives
- ALCAT Paediatric Panel -50 Foods, 20 Food Additives
ALCAT TEST PRICING
We offer a very extensive range of general and functional pathology testing. The prices are to give you an indication of cost for the testing panels. Some tests may incur a blood collection fee ($20-$50), and some discounts do apply if more than one panel is ordered. Your practitioner is also able to tailor some tests specifically for you, and this may result in price changes too. Please see the test pricing page here for price indications.
What We Can Help With
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing support the health and wellbeing of the whole family. We promote a more scientifically-based approach to natural healthcare, to help detect the root cause of health issues and treat patients for long-term good health.
Digestive Complaints
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing are digestive or gut health specialists, and can help with conditions including food intolerances, IBS,…
Hormonal Imbalances
All the practitioners at Perpetual Wellbeing have expertise in treating hormonal issues and can support you with concerns relating to…
Allergies & Intolerances
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing offer food allergy and food intolerance testing. There are many reasons as to why one…
Female Health Issues
The team at Perpetual Wellbeing have a special interest in female hormone issues and offer various female hormone imbalance test…
Mood Disorders
Our practitioners may utilise various tests to help establish the root cause of mood imbalances. Neurotransmitter levels, Adrenal dysfunction, nutrient…
Other Conditions
We support and help manage a wide range of health issues from intolerances and dietary planning to weight management, skin…
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