3 ms·

What I don't understand is if alpha-gal is present in red meat, why do we not develop the allergy from eating red meat? If the answer to that question is that

What I don't understand is if alpha-gal is present in red meat, why do we not develop the allergy from eating red meat? If the answer to that question is that the alpha-gal molecule can not pass from the digestive system into the bloodstream, then how is it possible to have an allergic reaction from eating red meat once sensitized?

jagged-chisel 5y ago
There’s a complex interaction between the tick’s saliva and the human immune system that activates this allergy. My wife also has this condition and her reactions start in her stomach often resulting in vomiting and she feels fine after. Sometimes, the reaction results in a migraine headache. In her case, it’s not just beef, but any mammal. It seems that all mammals contain alpha gal except Old World monkeys (which includes humans.) But cannibalism is frowned upon, so no mammal for her.
- DebtDeflation 5y ago
  >There’s a complex interaction between the tick’s saliva and the human immune system that activates this allergy. "It's complicated" isn't really an explanation. Do you have any links that explain the actual interaction? I've been googling and can't find anything.
  - jagged-chisel 5y ago
    Wikipedia[1] has footnotes for this quote: “If a tick feeds on another mammal, the alpha-gal remains in its alimentary tract. The tick then injects the alpha-gal into a person's skin, which causes the immune system to release a flood of IgE antibodies to fight the foreign carbohydrate. Researchers still do not know which specific component of tick saliva causes the reaction.” 1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-gal_allergy?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-gal_allergy?wprov=sfti1
  - MadAhab 5y ago
    Tick saliva is meant to trick your body into not identifying it as a foreign object sucking your blood. So saliva, alpha-gal, and who knows what else is injected during the tick's feeding and that mixture is different than just eating food that when breaks down in digestion is turned into alpha gal. It originates in a different place of your body (not from your gut) and has different components. That's about the simplest I can explain the difference.

jagged-chisel 5y ago

There’s a complex interaction between the tick’s saliva and the human immune system that activates this allergy. My wife also has this condition and her reactions start in her stomach often resulting in vomiting and she feels fine after. Sometimes, the reaction results in a migraine headache. In her case, it’s not just beef, but any mammal. It seems that all mammals contain alpha gal except Old World monkeys (which includes humans.) But cannibalism is frowned upon, so no mammal for her.

DebtDeflation 5y ago
>There’s a complex interaction between the tick’s saliva and the human immune system that activates this allergy. "It's complicated" isn't really an explanation. Do you have any links that explain the actual interaction? I've been googling and can't find anything.
- jagged-chisel 5y ago
  Wikipedia[1] has footnotes for this quote: “If a tick feeds on another mammal, the alpha-gal remains in its alimentary tract. The tick then injects the alpha-gal into a person's skin, which causes the immune system to release a flood of IgE antibodies to fight the foreign carbohydrate. Researchers still do not know which specific component of tick saliva causes the reaction.” 1 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-gal_allergy?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha-gal_allergy?wprov=sfti1
- MadAhab 5y ago
  Tick saliva is meant to trick your body into not identifying it as a foreign object sucking your blood. So saliva, alpha-gal, and who knows what else is injected during the tick's feeding and that mixture is different than just eating food that when breaks down in digestion is turned into alpha gal. It originates in a different place of your body (not from your gut) and has different components. That's about the simplest I can explain the difference.