Meat may be a cause of anaphylaxis

William Atkins
Monday, 01 March 2010 23:29

Science - Health

A carbohydrate in mammalian meat may be the cause of anaphylaxis, an extremely serious and sometimes deadly hypersensitivity reaction. And, such adverse reactions to meat may not be rare, as is currently thought by some in the medical profession.



In the United States, for instance, it is estimated that one to fifteen people out of 100 people have an anaphylactic reaction when exposed to one or more allergens.

A recent study has shown that some of these negative reactions may occur when mammalian meat (such as beef, pork, and lamb) is digested.

Areas of the body where symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction occur often times includes skin and respiratory (the majority of occurrences), along with gastrointestinal, heart and vascular, and central nervous system.

Symptoms often times begin with itching following. Then, rapid, irregular heart beat, a rapid blood pressure decrease often continues. Loss of consciousness sometimes follows.

The carbohydrate in meat that is thought to cause the anaphylactic reaction is called alpha-gal.

And, Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is thought to contributeto anaphylactic reactions. IgE is a type of antibody (specifically, what is called an immunoglobulin isotype)  that is only found in mammals.

Page two continues with specifics on the study of meat allergies.