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Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023)
Updated on November 20, 2023
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At Home Health
Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023)

As many as 8% of children and 11% of adults suffer from some sort of allergy while an even higher percentage experience some type of intolerance. 

Both intolerances and allergies can be a nightmare to deal with.

The best way to deal with these conditions is to avoid the food or environmental irritants that cause them.

That’s why these at-home tests have become so popular. But, seeing as so many of them have popped up on the market, it can be difficult to determine which ones are the most reliable.

Everything We Recommend

Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023) 8

The Best Intolerance and Allergy Test in 2023

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PriceTest typeResultsTests for
EverlyWell$199Blood sample5 business daysEnvironmental (both indoor and outdoor) allergies and intolerances
5Strands Environmental Tolerance$78Hair strands7-10 business daysEnvironmental allergies and intolerances
5Strands Food Intolerance$88Hair strands7-10 business daysFood allergies and intolerances
Test My Allergy$169Blood sample7 working daysBoth food and environmental allergies and intolerances

1. EverlyWell Indoor & Outdoor Allergy Test

Everlywell Indoor & Outdoor Allergy test

EverlyWell’s allergy tests has a very high accuracy rate of 90% to 95% based on their independent laboratory testing.

This makes the EverlyWell Indoor & Outdoor Allergy Test one of the most accurate at-home allergy tests on the market.

Using a small blood sample, this EverlyWell allergy test kit will check if you’re sensitive to a variety of indoor and outdoor allergens. This includes nine types of weeds, 14 trees, four molds, seven kinds of grass, two pet allergens, two pests, and two types of dust mites. 

Unfortunately, the test only checks for environmental allergies and doesn’t look at food allergens.

Key Features:

  • Tests for 40 common indoor and outdoor allergens
  • Measures your IgE antibodies
  • Includes everything you need to take and submit your sample of blood
  • Receive personalized and actionable results to help take control of your health
  • Tested by CLIA-certified laboratories
  • Physician reviewed results
  • Test results returned in a matter of days once your kit is verified

2. 5Strands Environmental Intolerance Test

Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023) 9

The Environmental Intolerance Test checks if you may be suffering from an adverse reaction to a variety of commonly found indoor and outdoor items. 

The test is pain-free and uses five strands of your hair (hence the company name) to run its bioresonance screening. The intolerances it checks for can cause various symptoms, including sleeping problems, skin rash, headaches, and acne.

This hair test is quite extensive and covers 190 different environmental items. 5Strand’s test covers cleaning materials, trees, grasses, chemical additives, dust mites, flowers, etc. The actionable results you receive even include an avoidance guideline to help you narrow down which irritants are causing your adverse reactions.

Key Features:

  • Tests for intolerance to more than 190 different items
  • Actionable results that include a 60 to 90-day avoidance guideline
  • Uses their unique bioresonance technology to analyze your hair sample
  • Results will tell you your reactivity level using a scale from Level 1 to Level 3
  • Test results should be received back within 7 to 10 days after your hair sample has been received

3. 5Strands Food Intolerance Test

5Strands Food Intolerance Test

The Food Intolerance Test checks for adverse reactions to 600 food intolerances and sensitivities. 

The test is pain-free. It uses five strands of your hair (hence the company name) for bioresonance screening. The food intolerances it checks for can cause various health problems and symptoms.

This hair test is quite extensive and covers 600 different environmental items. 5Strand’s test covers:

  • Grains
  • Proteins
  • Dairy
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Preservatives
  • Food Additives

Key Features:

  • Tests if you’re suffering from an intolerance to 600+ different food items
  • The pain-free test simply requires five strands of your hair
  • Uses its unique bioresonance technology to analyze your sample
  • Includes a 60 to 90-day elimination diet guide
  • Indicates how severe your reactivity level is using a scale of Level 1 to Level 3
  • Receive your test results back in 7 to 10 days after your sample has been received

4. Test My Allergy

Best At-Home Allergy & Intolerance Tests (2023) 14

Test My Allergy uses a blood sample to determine any food or environmental factors you may be allergic or sensitive to. 

It’s a great starter test (if you can overlook the slightly higher price tag) because it’ll test you for a variety of allergens and intolerances both food and non-food. If you’re not at all sure what you’re sensitive to, this is a great test to determine any allergens.

Key features:

  • Tests for 78 allergens and intolerances
  • Includes most common allergens and some harder-to-find ones
  • If your results show that there is no reaction, you get your money back 
  • Your results are then compiled into a comprehensive report

Which Test Is Best for You?

The best test for you addresses your concerns immediately and comprehensively, depending on your needs.

If you’re showing environmental allergy or intolerance symptoms, which are often similar, it may be a good idea to take a test that can help you narrow down what they may be.

If you’re unsure of what may be causing some allergic reactions or discomfort, you may want to try Test My Allergy first to determine if it’s a food or environmental allergy.

However, if you’re suffering from something like irritable bowel syndrome or suspect lactose intolerance, consider the 5Strands Food Intolerance Test.

The Difference Between an Allergy and an Intolerance

The main differences between allergic reactions and intolerances are as follows:

Environmental and Food Allergies

Environmental or food allergies tend to be far more severe than intolerances. Food allergies can even be deadly in some cases.

Unlike food intolerance, a food allergy causes an immune system response. This can severely affect a number of your body’s organs. In some rare cases, such as seafood or peanut allergies, it can be life-threatening.

Environmental allergies are not nearly as serious as food allergies. Even so, they’re still rather unpleasant. They’re caused by something in your surrounding environment, such as dander or pollen.

These allergies also cause an immune response and have a number of unpleasant symptoms, including:

  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sneezing
  • Itchy eyes
  • Runny nose
  • Headaches
  • Wheezing
  • Itching

For those with asthma, an environmental allergy can be especially severe and life-threatening.

Environmental or Food Intolerance

Intolerances tend to be far less severe than allergies, and aren’t life-threatening. Those with these food sensitivities can usually ingest small amounts of the offending food without much issue.

The symptoms of food intolerance can vary quite a bit depending on the type of intolerance. Some causes of food intolerances include:

Inability to Digest Lactose

This is when you lack the enzyme needed to digest lactose. Known as lactose intolerance, symptoms include diarrhea, gas, cramps, and bloating.

Food additive sensitivity

Some people are incredibly sensitive to certain common food additives. These include sulfites or preservatives. This intolerance can lead to trouble in breathing, including asthma attacks in those affected.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Certain foods can cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

This is especially true in sensitive populations. While the cause of IBS isn’t fully understood, it’s known that diet and food sensitivity play a role. Some IBS symptoms include constipation/diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and cramps.

Celiac disease

This condition is caused by ingesting gluten. It is a protein that is commonly found in wheat and some other grains.

Celiac disease is considered a gluten intolerance. However, it causes an immune response similar to an allergy. The best treatment for this condition is eliminating gluten from your diet.

Intolerances to environmental items have many similar symptoms to environmental allergies. These two are often confused. Where they mainly differ is that an allergy involves the immune system, while an intolerance does not.

How We Chose the Best Intolerance and Allergy Tests

  • Accuracy — We looked at how closely each test could evaluate intolerances and allergies and if eliminating the reported allergens was successful.
  • Ease of use — We wanted to ensure that each test was intuitive and didn’t have any confusing instructions.
  • How many allergens and intolerances are being tested — We wanted to make sure there was a good number of allergens and intolerances being tested to determine if each test was worth their price.
  • Quickness of results — Turnaround time in terms of results is important as people want to figure out any potential allergens ASAP.

FAQ

Are at-home allergy tests reliable?

Rest assured that our recommended, trusted at-home allergy kit results are analyzed by an independent laboratory and are shown to have a 90% and 95% accuracy level.

What guidance will I get with my results?

If you take either EverlyWell’s allergy test or 5Strands Environmental Intolerance test, you’ll receive an avoidance guide to help you stay away from the environmental item that’s responsible for your discomfort.

With 5Strands Food Intolerance Test, you’ll receive an elimination diet guide to help you adjust your eating habits.

With Test My Allergy, you receive a report and an option to discuss your results with your doctor.

Can you reverse food sensitivites?

Currently, there are no ways to cure allergies.

However, some remedies can ease symptoms and reactions, as well as treat any lingering effects.

Can my insurance cover a food intolerance and allergy test?

Insurance plans cover most allergy and intolerance tests, just make sure you check with your insurance company first for specific tests.

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Updated on November 20, 2023
Dr. Dhingra
Dr. Harshi Dhingra
Medical Reviewer
Dr Harshi Dhingra is a licensed medical doctor with a specialization in Pathology. Dr. Dhingra has of over a decade in diagnostic, clinical, research and teaching work, including managing all sections of Pathology laboratory including histopathology, cytology, hematology and clinical Pathology.
Angela Natividad
Angela Natividad
Content Contributor
Angela is a full-time digital content manager and editor for Know Your DNA. She also contributes freelance articles to several local and international websites when she has the time. She's always been a voracious believer in finding the truth and ensuring the science is sound.
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