What IntoleranceLab does
IntoleranceLab is a small UK business that has been screening hair samples for food and non-food reactions since 2017. You post us a small hair sample; we screen it and send back a report listing the items that showed the strongest response, ranked in order. It is run by David and Leah Hall.
That ranked list is a starting point for an elimination diet. You remove the items at the top for a set period, keep a food diary, then reintroduce them one at a time and see whether your symptoms track with any of them. The screen tells you where to start looking. The elimination is what actually tells you the answer.
What it is not, and why we say so
Hair screening is a complementary method. It is not a medical test, it does not measure IgE or IgG antibodies, and it does not produce a clinical finding.
The NHS and the British Dietetic Association both take the view that there is limited evidence behind commercial intolerance testing. We would rather say that plainly than imply more than the method supports. Plenty of companies in this market are not straight about it, and we think that is exactly why people distrust the whole category.
What a screen gives you is a structured place to start instead of guesswork. That is a real use, and it is the only one we claim.
When to see a GP instead of buying from us
If your symptoms are persistent, severe or getting worse, if you are losing weight without meaning to, or if you notice blood, speak to a GP before spending money here. There are causes a food screen cannot see, and they need ruling out first. Swelling of the lips, mouth or throat, or difficulty breathing, is a medical emergency and points to an allergy rather than an intolerance.
Who runs it
David and Leah Hall have run IntoleranceLab since 2017. Read why they started it — it began with David trying, and failing, to get a straight answer about his own symptoms.
Where to look next
Contact
Email info@intolerancelab.co.uk.
Need to reach us? Contact IntoleranceLab — email, company details and registered office.
