Do at-home allergy tests work?

John Pulcini, MD

Allergy and Immunology

According to the CDC, about 1 in 3 adults and more than 1 out of every 4 children in the United States has seasonal allergies, eczema or a food allergy. Recently, at-home “allergy tests” promise to provide answers to what kinds of allergies you or your loved ones might be facing, without the need for a trip to the doctor’s office. However, these at-home allergy tests may not be the best choice if you’re looking for an accurate understanding of what allergies you have and how to treat them.

Allergy and immunology specialist John Pulcini, MD, answered our questions on allergies, at-home allergy tests and more.

Are food allergies more common than environmental allergies?

“Environmental allergies are far more common than food allergies,” said Dr. Pulcini. “However, if you include food intolerance alongside food allergies, the rates become much closer to equal.”

Food allergies involve a true immune system response to a specific food, while intolerances are caused by a chemical reaction to specific foods that doesn’t bring the immune system into play. Reactions to foods that you’re intolerant to tend to be more moderate, while allergic responses are more serious and can even be fatal.

What are the symptoms of food allergies vs. food intolerance?

“Food allergies tend to have much more severe symptoms with a wider variety of what you might experience after consuming something you’re allergic to,” said Dr. Pulcini. “Plus, allergies are usually discovered during childhood, although you can develop allergies to new foods or other triggers later in life.”

With allergies, even small amounts of the food can trigger a reaction and create symptoms, including hives, swelling, vomiting, abdominal or belly pain and trouble breathing. If not treated immediately through epinephrine or an adrenaline injection, allergic reactions can quickly become life-threatening.

A food intolerance, on the other hand, usually only involves gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea, constipation and stomach pain. These tend to be far less severe than allergic reactions and commonly are based in lactose intolerance or non-celiac gluten intolerance.

Can you test yourself for new allergies at home?

“The short answer here is technically yes, as there are limited at-home allergy tests available,” said Dr. Pulcini. “The longer answer is that they simply aren’t very useful for identifying true allergic responses and aren’t a substitute for the kinds of tests you can receive at a doctor’s office.”

Most at-home allergy tests don’t look for the specific antibody that doctors search for when identifying allergies. Because of this, at-home allergy tests are much more likely to simply add confusion to the process without successfully identifying trigger foods.

Dr. Pulcini noted that many of these tests even have a small disclaimer that states the test isn’t licensed for diagnosis of a food allergy. They also recommend further consultation with a medical professional.

Are at-home allergy tests safe?

“The tests aren’t likely to cause direct harm,” said Dr. Pulcini. “But the results might lead to things like false positives, making people believe they or a loved one is allergic to something even if they aren’t.”

If a child is given the at-home allergy test and has a false positive, a parent might put them on a restrictive diet that ends up withholding essential food proteins or other nutrients that they need as they grow and develop.

Should you use an at-home allergy test before seeing a doctor for a full panel allergy test?

“Most board-certified allergists are going to recommend you come directly to a visit first,” said Dr. Pulcini. “We’ll talk with you about the potential allergens you’re concerned about. Then, if appropriate, we can recommend either skin testing or blood testing within the office to get a detailed answer as to what is causing your allergy symptoms.”

If you’re concerned that you might be having an allergic reaction to environmental triggers like pollen or specific foods, even if you’re an adult, schedule an appointment with your doctor and speak with an allergist. Once you have a true understanding of what allergies you may have, you’ll be able to make a plan moving forward to treat your allergies and improve your health.