Most patients that become allergic to alpha-gal have tolerated red meat for years before being sensitized by a tick bite. In the United States, the condition usually begins with the bite of the Lone Star tick. The bite transfers a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into the body. In some people, this triggers a reaction from the body's defenses, also called the immune system.
Alpha-gal patients often to have digestive symptoms, such as rash, hives, nausea or vomiting, difficulty breathing, drop in blood pressure, dizziness or faintness and severe stomach pain. Unlike most food allergies, these symptoms typically occur 3-6 hours after eating red meat or dairy products.
Most food allergies are directed against a protein molecule, but alpha-gal is unusual because it is a carbohydrate, and a delay in its absorption may explain the delay in symptoms.
Foods or food ingredients may contain alpha-gal:
*Mammalian meat (such as beef, pork, lamb, venison, rabbit, etc.) can contain high amounts of alpha-gal. Certain cuts of meat may contain more alpha-gal than others.
*Food products that contain milk and milk products typically contain alpha-gal. Many patients with AGS can tolerate milk products. Cow’s milk is the only alpha-gal containing ingredient classified as a major food allergen.
*Other foods that cause allergic reactions in people are egg, fish, wheat, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and soybeans.
Alpha-gal Syndrome
