2. Objectives
Purpose of the tool
History/ Development of the tool
Marketing of the tool
Patient selection criteria
• What to tell our patients in regards to:
Mechanism
Safety of use
Case studies and testimonials
Synopsis of the literature
Conclusion
3. Purpose of the ALCAT
The ALCAT is used to identify reactions to over 350 foods,
chemicals, and other substances associated with
inflammation and chronic symptoms such as migraines,
joint pain, fatigue, GI disorders, and asthma.1
4. History/ Development of ALCAT1
The ALCAT was developed by the American Medical
Testing Laboratories and is now marketed by Cell Science
Systems in Deerfield Beach, FL
• Privately held US based biomedical lab
• 20 years in business
• FDA Inspected and Registered
• CLIA Inspected and Licensed
• Robocat II
an automated liquid handling system designed to
measure blood cells using the electronic principle of
particle counting and sizing
• Awarded 3 Patents
• 20 Labs, 20 Countries, 6 Continents
5. Marketing of ALCAT1
The procedure was first marketed in 1984 as an in-vitro screening
testing for adverse reactions to specific foods, additives,
colorings, and chemicals.
Since 1986 the original testing methods have been modified
The goal is to offer high quality laboratory testing to healthcare
professionals and their patients, by using a state of the art
technique to provide clients with accurate, timely, and
dependable test results along with nutritional support services.
Cell Science Systems continues to offer an extensive and
growing product lines.
Testing is available in the U.S. as well as the U.K., Italy, Denmark,
Israel, Thailand, South Africa, Spain, Mexico, Greece, Germany,
Singapore, Ukraine, UAE, Saudi Arabia, India and South America
including Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina.
6. Patient Selection Criteria1
People that would benefit from this form of testing
includes most individuals that are coming to the office
for nutritional counseling
• Most patients learn about the ALCAT from a
functional medical professional
People who have found the allopathic route a dead
end
People with inflammatory and/or undiagnosed varying
symptoms with no certain cause such as
• RA
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches, Migraines, fatigue
• Joint pain
• Unable to loose weight
• IBS/ IBS like symptoms
7. What to tell our patients:
Mechanism1,2
It is a whole blood test that detects food and chemical
sensitivities or intolerances
Measures delayed reaction over the course of several
hours after exposure
The test measure changes in size/volume of white blood
cells
Pathways include Immune, Non-Immune,
Pharmacologic, Toxic
Measures the final common pathway of all mechanisms
Sensitivities/Intolerances are not IgE mediated
An indication of cellular inflammatory/ IgG response
12. What to tell our patients:
Safety of use
The testing only requires a blood draw which is a
minimally invasive procedure1
• Short term side effects can include
temporary discomfort from the needle stick,
bruising, and very rarely infection
• There are no long term repercussions to testing if the
blood draw is performed correctly
Theoretically, if the testing is not accurate it may have
false positive or false negative results which could
impact the patient’s outlook and/or patient care.
13. What to tell our patients:
Case studies and testimonials1
Website testimonials
“I went to see Dr. Phillip Arnone at The Balanced Body Center …He requested
that I take a $583 food allergy test as well as begin a course of chiropractic
care. I have to admit I did so with reservations given the expense (which was
uninsured and had to be paid up front), and a lack of knowledge about the
likely success. Well, the test results came back showing that my body showed
reactions to wheat, corn, soy, and rice, four staple foods in the American diet! I
also showed reactions to a host of other foods that I commonly ate, including
garlic, ginger, mint, cilantro, grapes, and some citrus. I had to basically relearn
how to eat and where to shop to get workable foods….
Three months later, every one of the lingering MS symptoms I had was gone.
Gone! No more tingling hands and feet. No more labored breathing. I was even
able to successfully train for and complete the Ramblin' Rose triathlon….”
Kristin from North Carolina
Testimonials
14. What to tell our patients:
Case studies and testimonials
One case study3 demonstrates the use of ALCAT in a
38yof with severe facial dermatitis, candida infection,
and asthma.
She had been given the run-around thought the
medical community with all testing indicating that no
disease was present.
ALCAT results showed reaction with dairy, corn, salmon,
apricot, onion, and garlic.
Removal of these foods from the diet improved all of her
symptoms in 4 weeks and total elimination of symptoms
at the 12 week follow-up.
15. Synopsis of the literature
For the use of the ALCAT
• The effect of the ALCAT test diet therapy for food
sensitivity in patient’s with obesity4
• Case study
• 27 patients
• ALCAT was performed
• Results indicated intolerances for each patient
• Diet recommendations were made
• After 12 weeks following the diet
• Significant decreases in body weight, total body
fat percent and body mass index was seen
• The ALCAT and an elimination diet were
successful in alleviating many additional
symptoms along with providing weight loss.
16. Synopsis of the literature
Cellular responses to food in irritable bowel syndrome- and
investigation of the ALCAT test5
• Double-blind study with respect to food challenges
• 20 patients
• >3yr hx of IBS
• Examined to r/o major pathology
• Skin testing was performed on all patients only one showed a positive result
• ALCAT performed
• 2 week elimination diet followed by 6 one week food challenges (3 positive,
3 negative) with randomly assigned foods followed by another 6weeks of
exclusion diet.
• Subjects were not aware that the elimination diet only contained negative
foods.
• Diary's were kept through out the process to record problems or reactions
that occurred during the challenges.
• After 14 weeks the subjects were assessed
• Symptoms overall improved, and in 2/3 of subjects improvement was seen
in just 2 weeks.
• The study found the accuracy of the ALCAT 72% for a positive result and
81% for a negative result.
• The study could have been performed better if washout periods were given
between the challenges.
17. Synopsis of the literature
The short term efficacy of the ALCAT2
• Randomized Controlled Study
• 100 subjects
• Filled out a Disease Symptom Inventory at the
beginning and end of 4 weeks.
• Control group pursued a weight loss program
• Experimental was given the ALCAT results and
dietary guidance
• Experimental group has significant improvements in
body composition and self-reported disease
symptoms.
18. Synopsis of the literature
Against the use of the ALCAT
• Unproven techniques in allergy diagnosis6
• A review of literature on different allergy
diagnostic tools
• Stated that consensus statements released by
allergy societies throughout the world as well as
the Worlds Allergy Organization do not
recommend the use of this test.
• They also report that the testing is “neither
economical nor useful for diagnosis”
19. Conclusions
At this time the research is still inconclusive
The Allopathic Medical community still stands on the belief that this
testing has not been proven to be accurate
Many testimonials, professional case studies, and even some recent
blinded studies are having positive results.
However, it is still difficult to conclude that the ALCAT evaluation is
accurate.
The only conclusion that can reasonably be made is that positive
sensitivity reactions found by the ALCAT, along with the utilization
an elimination diet, has seemed to be effected for weight loss, IBS,
and relief of many other associated symptoms.
More large scale double blind and RCT need to be done to
sufficiently evaluate the test’s true sensitivity and specificity.
While the testing is rather expensive and results hold no guarantee.
If the individual is at the end of their rope so-to-speak then this may
be a viable alternative for an additional piece of information to the
diagnostic puzzle.
20. References
1. ALCAT Worldwide. Retrieved on March 9,2010 from: http://www.alcat.com/
2. Kaats, G.R., Pullin, D., Parker, L.K. (1996) The short term efficacy of the ALCAT test of food
sensitivities to facilitate changes in body composition and self-reported disease symptoms:
A randomized controlled study. The Bariatrician. Spring; 18-23.
3. Brady, D.M. Clinical rounds in functional and nutritional medicine. Retrieved on March
9,2010 from: http://www.alcat.com/clinical_info/Case_Studies
4. Akmal, M., Khan, S.A., Khan, A.Q. (2009) The effect of the ALCAT test diet therapy for food
sensitivity in patient’s with obesity. Middle East Journal of Family Medicine. 7(3).
5. Fell, P.J., Soulsby, S., Brostoff, J. (1991) Cellular responses to food in irritable bowel
syndrome- and investigation of the ALCAT test. Journal of Nutritional Medicine. 2; 143-149.
6. University of Zϋrich, Zϋrich Switzerland. (2005). Unproven techniques in allergy diagnosis.
Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology. 15(2); 86-90.