The Truth About Food Intolerance & IBS – When Should You Get Tested?

By Dr. Bikram Ratti MBBS (London) MRCGP – Private GP at The Doctor’s Practice, Birmingham 

Bloating. Cramping. Fatigue.
Gut symptoms can take over someone’s life, and many patients feel ignored or dismissed. 

A common confusion I see daily is the difference between: 

• Food intolerance 

•  Food allergy 

•  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 

These are very different conditions — and testing needs to be done correctly. 

 Food Intolerance vs Food Allergy 

• Food Allergy = Rapid immune reaction (hives, swelling, anaphylaxis) 

• Intolerance = Slower digestive response (bloating, cramps, diarrhoea) 

IgG finger-prick “food intolerance tests” sold online are unreliable.
The British Society of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI) warns against them. 

 IBS — Why It’s So Common 

IBS affects 1 in 10 people. Causes include: 

• Stress and gut-brain imbalance 

• Food triggers 

• Hormonal changes 

• Post-infection inflammation 

NICE Guidelines recommend screening for Coeliac disease in IBS because symptoms often overlap. 

 When Testing Is Important 

•  Symptoms > 6 weeks 

• Weight loss or blood in stool 

•  Severe bloating, fatigue or anaemia 

•  Strong family history 

We offer: 

• Coeliac screening 

• H. pylori testing 

• Stool inflammation markers 

• Full gut health panels 

• Lactose / celiac testing where appropriate 

 What Actually Helps IBS 

• Low FODMAP diet (Gastroenterology Journal, 2020) 

•  Stress management & gut-brain therapy 

• Probiotics (selected strains) 

• Treating deficiencies (iron, B12, Vitamin D) 

•  GP support for red flag symptoms 

When to See a doctor 

If you have ongoing symptoms and are unsure what is causing them, a structured medical approach is much more effective than random elimination diets or internet kits. 

 Book an Appointment 

We offer full IBS and gut health testing, with personalised treatment plans. 

📍 The Doctor’s Practice – Edgbaston 
🌐 https://thedoctorspractice.co.uk
📞 0121 661 2366 | WhatsApp 07388 623527 

 References 

1. British Society of Gastroenterology (2021). Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of IBS. 
   https://www.bsg.org.uk/ 
2. NICE Clinical Guidance (2021). IBS & Coeliac screening recommendations. 
   https://www.nice.org.uk/ 
3. Halmos, E. (2020). Low FODMAP diet effectiveness for IBS. Gastroenterology Journal. 
   https://www.gastrojournal.org/ 
4. Mayer, E. (2022). Gut-brain axis in gastrointestinal disease. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology. 
   https://www.nature.com/nrgastro/ 
5. BSACI Position Statement (2020). IgG food intolerance tests are unreliable. 
   https://www.bsaci.org/