Everlywell Food Sensitivity Test vs Genetic Testing: What’s the Difference?

Chronic digestive distress, skin issues, and persistent fatigue are often blamed on food, but pinpointing the exact culprit is a minefield of conflicting advice. The market offers two vastly different testing approaches: the food sensitivity test (measuring an immune reaction to food, often via IgG antibodies, like the popular Everlywell review test) and genetic testing nutrition (measuring a structural inability to process food, via DNA). Understanding the difference between food sensitivity and genetic testing is critical because they measure entirely different things—one measures the effect of a problem, and the other measures the cause. This guide clarifies which test for food reactions you should prioritize for a lasting dietary solution.

Sensitivity vs Genetics: The Root of the Problem

To answer should I get food sensitivity or DNA test, you must know what each is actually measuring:

1. Food Sensitivity Test (The Effect)

• What it Measures: Often, IgG antibodies in the blood (IgG food test vs DNA). IgG measures an immune response to a food you’ve recently consumed.
• Interpretation: High IgG levels usually indicate high consumption of that food while the gut is inflamed, leading to immune activation.
• Use Case: Identifying current, active immune stress, typically used for short-term elimination diets. The Everlywell review is popular for this purpose.

2. Genetic Testing Nutrition (The Cause)

• What it Measures: DNA variants that code for digestive enzymes or nutrient transporters (e.g., LCT for lactase, DAO for histamine).
• Interpretation: Reveals a permanent, structural, or enzymatic inability to process a food compound.
• Use Case: Identifying lifelong metabolic weaknesses and intolerances that should be avoided permanently.

This fundamental sensitivity vs genetics difference is the key to choosing the right solution.

IgG Food Test vs DNA: The Actionability (OREO Framework)

O (Opinion): Genetic testing nutrition provides a far more reliable and actionable foundation for long-term diet planning than an IgG food sensitivity test.

R (Reason): This is true because IgG antibodies measured by tests like the Everlywell review are notoriously unreliable. They fluctuate constantly based on recent diet and gut health. A high IgG score doesn’t necessarily mean you’re sensitive; it may simply mean you ate a lot of that food while you had a leaky gut. Genetic testing nutrition, however, provides immutable data on a permanent weakness (e.g., lactose or caffeine metabolism), giving a lifelong, non-negotiable dietary command.

E (Example): A person gets a high IgG score for eggs on their food sensitivity test. They eliminate eggs, but the sensitivity returns months later. The genetic test reveals they have a normal enzyme profile for eggs but a severe deficiency in the DAO enzyme (histamine intolerance). The real problem was the high histamine in the eggs, not the eggs themselves. The food intolerance testing via DNA was the only way to find the root cause and permanent solution—avoid high-histamine foods—a level of precision that the IgG food test vs DNA comparison clearly demonstrates.

O (Opinion/Takeaway): Therefore, when deciding should I get food sensitivity or DNA test, prioritize the permanent data; genetic testing nutrition offers the foundation for a sustainable, lifelong dietary plan.

Which Test for Food Reactions Should I Choose?

The decision of which test for food reactions should be guided by the type of symptoms you are experiencing:

For long-term precision, the permanent data provided by genetic testing nutrition is the superior starting point.

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