Better Life Science does not accept insurance for its tests. However, we do accept HSA and FSA cards as a payment method. Consider checking with your benefits coordinator to see if your FSA/HSA covers Better Life Science’s tests prior to purchasing.
Yes. Better Life Science accepts HSA and FSA cards as a payment method for our tests. Consider checking with your benefits coordinator to see if your FSA/HSA covers Better Life Science’s tests prior to purchasing.
Better Life Science is a clinical laboratory that offers direct-to-consumer testing services for food intolerance, food and inhalant allergies, and sexually transmitted infections.
Our testing process is simple and convenient. You can order your test online, collect your sample at home, and send it to our lab for analysis. Once we receive your sample, our team of experienced professionals will conduct the test and provide you with accurate and reliable results.
We take accuracy seriously at Better Life Science. All of our tests are backed by science and conducted using the latest technology and methods. We strive to provide the most accurate and reliable results possible.
No, you do not need a doctor’s referral to order a test. Our direct-to-consumer model eliminates the need for doctor’s referrals and makes testing easy and convenient for everyone.
Turnaround time for results varies depending on the type of test. Typically, you can expect to receive your results within 2 business days of our lab receiving your sample.
Yes, you can order multiple tests at once. We offer a range of testing services to help you take control of your health and well-being.
We offer refunds or exchanges for tests that have not been used or sent to our lab for analysis. Please contact us for more information on our refund and exchange policy.
We take the privacy and confidentiality of our customers seriously. Your personal information and test results are kept confidential and protected in accordance with state and federal privacy laws.
1 sample tube for your blood sample
1 tasso+ blood collection device
2 alcohol pads to keep everything clean and sterile
2 bandages
1 gauze pad
1 prepaid return envelope to mail your sample back to our lab
1 instructions for use
AllergyHero’s at-home allergy test measures the patient’s allergy sensitization status through in vitro multiplex testing. The results show the measurement of your body’s total IgE (tlgE) which indicates if an allergy is likely, possible or unlikely. The measurement of Specific IgE (sIgE) against 295 allergen extracts and molecular allergens gives you a detailed profile of the possible culprits causing allergic symptoms. However, any diagnosis positive or negative must be confirmed by consulting your physician.
This is what happens to your sample once it reaches our lab up until you receive your results in your personal dashboard:
1. After arrival, your sample is checked if it is in good condition for processing.
2. If your sample gets the green light for processing, it is prepared and then loaded into an automated batch analyzer called MAX 45k.
3. After processing, the results of the test we just ran on your sample are loaded onto our servers.
4. Before you receive your results, they are checked and approved.
5. Once approved, your results appear on your personal dashboard for your to view and download.
IgE is short for Immuno-Globulin E – a molecule class known as immunoglobulins or antibodies. In healthy individuals, IgE antibodies fight parasitic infections. In allergic individuals, IgE antibodies are misdirected and fight harmless substances such as pollen or mite particles instead, leading to an allergic reaction.
CCDs (cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants) are clinically irrelevant sugars located on allergens. They can lead to false-positive diagnostic results in allergy and food intolerance testing. One of our key features is automatically blocking CCDs during the processing of samples to prevent false-positives and increase the accuracy of the results.
Note: the final diagnosis and subsequent therapy should always be made and ordered by your allergy specialist.
The AllergyHero at-home food sensitivity test measures repeatable IgG reactivities through in vitro multiplex testing. The results show the measurement of specific IgG levels against 286 food antigens from 13 different food groups (including basic and novel foods).
IgG is short for Immuno-Globulin G – a type of antibody representing 75% of human blood serum. In IgG testing, serum or plasma is tested for IgG antibodies instead of IgE antibodies. IgG is also called a “memory antibody” because it signifies memory through exposure to a food.
Please note: While the connection between food intake elevated IgG levels and chronic disorders has been described in peer reviewed publications and case studies, this connection is still debated in the scientific community and a consensus has not been reached so far.
If you have trouble collecting your sample with the Tasso+ device in your kit, we encourage you to watch our tutorial video on how to draw blood here or read our detailed Instructions For Use inside your kit.
Please only use the Tasso+ device provided in your AllergyHero kit to draw blood. Do not use utensils such as knives, scissors, or any other sharp objects in your household. Using unsuitable methods to draw blood is not sanitary and can lead to serious injury.
Furthermore, we want to inform our customers of a medical condition called vasovagal syncope that can be triggered by the sight of blood and cause fainting. The loss of consciousness is temporary and resolves itself and is caused by a short-term lack of blood supply in the brain. Patients with a history of fainting should ideally not draw their own blood for sampling.
If you need further assistance, please contact our customer care team at [email protected].
Aside from your patient information, the lab report will give you a summary of detectable sensitivities in your blood.
The first part of the summary will show the measurement of IgE concentration on a spectrum from “no reactivity to allergen” to “very high reactivity to allergen” and will be broken up into allergen groups (i.e., pollen, mites, insect venoms, etc.). The number of tested allergen sources will also be listed.
In the second part, you will receive a full summary of all your sensitizations, possible symptoms, allergens and their sources, as well as available therapy options to be discussed with your allergy specialist.
Aside from your patient information, the lab report will give you a summary of the measured IgG levels in your blood.
The first part of the summary will show the measurement of IgG concentration on a spectrum from “low reactivity” to “high reactivity” and will be broken up into food groups (i.e., milk & egg, meat, fish & seafood, etc.). The number of tested food sources will also be listed.
In the second part, you will receive a full summary of possible food intolerances, frequent symptoms, food products and dishes containing the respective food antigen, as well as available alternatives for foods you might be intolerant to.
The AllergyHero at-home allergy test, tests for 295 allergens (117 allergen extracts & 178 molecular allergens). The whole panel covers nearly 100% of the globally relevant allergens.
The food sensitivity test, tests for 286 food antigens from 13 different food groups, including basic and novel foods.
Your lab report will be available digitally on the your user dashboard. There will be a long-form PDF version available to download, which you should share with an allergy specialist (regarding ALLERGY results) or a certified nutritionist (regarding SENSITIVITY results) for a full diagnosis and to discuss the results and possibly implement therapeutic measures such as medication, immunotherapy, lifestyle changes, or an individualized diet plan. We strongly advise against self-medication based on your results.
Our goal for AllergyHero is clear: we want to offer allergy and food sensitivity testing that is better, more efficient, and easier to use than the products of our competitors
Our kits come with the Tasso+ blood collection device that is the easiest blood collection device on the market and collects real whole blood not a dried blood spot.
Our methods are based on the latest scientific findings paired with state-of-the-art technology. Our single focus is providing flexible, reliable, and affordable allergy testing and sensitization profiling for every patient.
Currently, allergy and food sensitivity diagnostics often require patients to undergo unpleasant procedures (e.g., skin prick tests) or scientifically unfounded methods (e.g., testing of hair samples). Most other tests on the market only cover a fraction of the allergen and food antigen panel that we offer. For example, the allergy test screens for up to 7.5 times more allergens than similar products offered by our competitors.
Additionally, the validity of our method has been confirmed by multiple global scientific studies and publications.
There are several reasons why a test comes back negative despite a patient believing they have allergies.
Only approximately 25% of patients have sensitizations for certain allergens. About 30% of the samples we test are negative.
Additionally, if a patient avoids an allergen over a longer period, their sIgE level will naturally decrease and it will not be detectable in their blood sample anymore. If an allergy test was performed several years ago, it is possible that sensitization patterns have changed since then.
Furthermore, if the presumed “allergy” trigger is food (e.g., cow’s milk), it is possible that patients are suffering from a food intolerance (IgG-mediated, this is what we measure with food sensitivity test), not a true food allergy (IgE-mediated, this is what we measure with the allergy test).
Some presumed “allergy” symptoms (e.g., dry, itchy eyes) can be caused by other triggers or irritants.
If a previous allergy test was performed several years ago, and the food source has been avoided since then, the IgE antibodies can no longer be detected in a patient’s sample.
Furthermore, it is also possible to grow out of food allergies (especially milk and egg). This is often the case with young children.
Please click here for an explanation of our results.
