According to the College of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology (ACAAI), If your nose gets stuffy or begins to run after eating meat, or you become nauseated or develop a rash, you may have a meat allergy. Alpha-gal syndrome is a recently identified type of food allergy to red meat.
ACAAI explains that meat from any kind of mammal — beef, lamb, pork, goat, and even whale and seal — can cause an allergic reaction. While we do not definitively know the number of people in the U.S. affected by meat allergy, we do know that it is uncommon. However, it is being diagnosed more often now.
Most people who develop alpha-gal syndrome in the U.S. develop the condition when a Lone Star tick bites them. Lone Star ticks are found on deer and other animals familiar to our area.
Mayo Clinic reports that doctors think the time delay between eating red meat and developing an allergic reaction is one reason the condition was overlooked until recently: a possible connection between a T-bone steak with dinner and hives at midnight was far from obvious. In Alpha-gal syndrome, signs and symptoms typically don’t appear for three to six hours after eating red meat.
If it does happen and when it does, it can be life-threatening.
Some people believe if they have not had allergies in the past, they won’t develop them when they are older. But that’s not true. You can develop an allergy, including meat allergies, at most any time in life. Even older adults develop allergies.
Symptoms of meat allergy include but may not be limited to:
- Hives or skin rash
- Nausea, stomach cramps, indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea
- Stuffy/runny nose
- Sneezing
- Headaches
- Asthma
- Anaphylaxis, a severe potentially deadly allergic reaction that restricts breathing
It’s important to see a doctor if you have these symptoms or believe you have a meat allergy. Your doctor will perform blood tests to determine whether you do or not. To make a diagnosis, allergists also ask detailed questions about your medical history and your symptoms. Be prepared to answer questions about:
- What and how much you ate
- How long it took for symptoms to develop
- What symptoms you experienced and how long they lasted
Treatment
Once a meat allergy is diagnosed, the best treatment is to avoid the trigger that causes it. Your doctor will tell you specifically which foods to avoid which may include red meat, pork, or other foods.
Carefully check ingredient labels of food products, and learn whether what you need to avoid is known by other names. Completely avoid the products and even by-products. For example, vegetables cooked with meat in them can cause an allergic reaction – and it can be life-threatening. Some people with meat-allergy are also not able to drink milk so it’s important for your doctor to know everything about your reaction to food or drinks, in addition to the blood test results. Even being in a room where meat is prepared can affect someone with a severe allergy.
Your doctor will prescribe any necessary medications and may prescribe epinephrine as the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis if your allergy is severe. Only your doctor can decide this and prescribe this treatment.
The good news is that you can probably eat all types of vegetables, fruits, and seafood. You may also be able to eat chicken and turkey. A positive side affect of dietary changes may result in better health, more energy, and better weight management (weight loss). A diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, and seafood is a healthy and delicious way to eat.
For more information, visit the ACAAI website.
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