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I have noticed a very odd and perplexing trend in recent years. Allergies to red meat seem to be on a slow but definite rise. They are currently most prevalent in the Southeastern United States.
While not a lot of folks I know have this strange type of allergy, there are definitely a few who do and this is something I had never observed prior to just a few years ago.
What is Causing Red Meat Allergies
I have been at a complete loss to explain to folks why they might be allergic to red meat. I have generally considered it to be yet another symptom of the rampant and worsening gut imbalance problems people subsisting on modern foods and pharmaceuticals suffer from and have advised looking into healing and sealing their gut wall a la the GAPS or SCD protocol with their holistic health practitioner.
Now, there appears to be at least one possible explanation: tick bites.
The Journal of General Internal Medicine has published an article by Susan Wolver, MD, and Diane Sun, MD of Virginia Commonwealth University. Their research identifies the rising trend of red meat allergies which first appeared in the Southeastern United States.
Dr. Wolver and Dr. Sun stumbled upon this connection by analyzing the case histories of three patients. People with an allergy to red meat, a very new syndrome, wake up in the middle of the night about 3-6 hours after eating red meat for dinner with hives. Worse, a severe, life threatening condition known as delayed anaphylaxis may present.
The reaction is thought to be caused by antibodies to a carbohydrate known as alpha-gal.
A patient produces these carbohydrate antibodies after sustaining a Lone Star tick bite. This same carbohydrate is in all red meat – pork, venison, beef, and lamb.
First Allergic Reaction Generally Severe
When the allergic individual consumes these foods, the immune system releases histamine in response to the ingestion of the carbohydrate alpha-gal which is the cause of the hives or anaphylaxis.
Most worrisome, anaphylaxis triggered by red meat appears to be the very first life threatening allergic reaction due to consumption of a carbohydrate rather than a protein. What’s more, this is the first anaphylaxis that occurs hours after exposure rather than immediately upon contact or ingestion.
Could more carbohydrate induced anaphylaxis be on the way?
The conclusions of Dr. Wolver and Dr. Sun:
“Where ticks are endemic, for example in the southeastern United States, clinicians should be aware of this new syndrome when presented with a case of anaphylaxis. Current guidance is to counsel patients to avoid all mammalian meat – beef, pork, lamb and venison.”
The Good News
Some red meat allergy sufferers are reporting that their symptoms disappear when they consume only meat from organic grassfed animals fed no GMO animal feed.
While this information is only anecdotal, it seems that the answer to red meat allergies may be much more complex than the effects wrought by a simple tick bite.
Source: Carnivores: Beware of Ticks
Yes, I think it will die down now that it has been discovered that many other bloggers were plagiarized, not just me. Just a strange thing that happens out of the blue sometimes.
I think there is some definite connection. I contracted Lyme disease about eight years ago, started having weird problems, and through error wasn’t diagnosed until years later. About two years ago I started to have severe joint inflammation, and then finally got diagnosed. The only thing to make the inflammation go away was stopping meat. I know this because I couldn’t go on the antibiotics right away. I tried it because I saw an article about how with Lymes there may some problems (gut related) to digesting protein. The inflammation was completely gone within a day or two after stopping eating the meat. I, however, had been eating entirely a grass fed, free range meat diet. Even that didn’t seem to matter. Now I’ve seen these allergy articles since then, and I do believe there is some kind of a connection.
Yes i noticed even on your website I have some technical difficulties this morning. It’s all the traffic about that political issue I think. by the way, im baking your carrot cake today. sounds good. thanks.
I am sensitive to beef. When ever i eat i I get really tired. This stared happening in the spring, and i thought it was because the cows were eating the same grass I was allergic to..could this be a possibility. I am going to try bone broth today again too see how that goes. Thanks for this article 🙂
FB is having issues today Andrea. I’ve had some problems with weird stuff happening too.
For some reason it’s not letting me post it here, I did email it to you Sarah.
Interesting … also, I wonder if there could be a connection to eating red meat from (GMO) corn fed beef? I’ve suffered from hives for the past six years and have to watch EVERYTHING I eat … for GMO’s, preservatives, etc. Keeping to a ‘clean’ diet helps. Drinking milk thistle and/or nettle tea has been very effective in detoxifying my system .. practically no more hives.
I would agree with the coorelation that corn and also soy could be contributors, I am just as allergic to corn and soy as beef……I do suffer from cross contaimination issue (ie: lamb is often times basted with beef juices..). Clean eating is difficult unless you eat at home all the time, which is what i do mostly but not always possible.
You might benefit from the Avoiding Corn Forum on Delphi. My two kids and I are allergic to corn and soy and I’ve been able to find out so much about hidden corn from that forum. Your problem is most likely hidden corn derivatives in the processing of the meat. It isn’t enough to simply buy grassfed beef for us, we must buy at least a quarter of a cow at once so we can have it legally custom butchered. USDA regulations require some kind of antibacterial treatment be used on meat that is to be shipped, but laws differ around the country. You want a small processor that will accommodate your allergy: only water used on carcass, no powdered gloves, rinse equipment extremely well with water after any sanitizers or cleaners are used, no cornstarch dusted cryovac packaging. If you have problems with fish or shellfish, it is because much wild-caught fish is packed in citric acid-laced ice right on the boat! We couldn’t tolerate any dairy until we found raw milk locally (we buy it illegally) because the vitamin D is suspended in milk using polysorbate 80, propylene glycol or corn oil.
I know there is a connection because we react to ALL corn derivatives – even though doctors assure me that we can’t be allergic to things like maltodextrin (because there is no corn protein present). The tick bite-induced red meat allergy is a reaction to a sugar molecule in the red meat. I was very interested when I read about the first documented allergic reaction to something other than a protein……..We corn allergy sufferers have known it was possible for years, but doctors just won’t listen.
Thank you for posting this information. Perhaps only conventional red meat triggers the problem then? More research clearly needs to be done here. For now, folks who get a tick bite need to be informed of the potential problem and be on the lookout.
@Tina Thanks 🙂 My hubby took that photo last night at dinner at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. I like the black and white effect.
@Andrea, I’d be interested to read that article as well.