Alpha-Gal Syndrome: How to Navigate Carnivore Diets
Original Publish Date: 11/19/22
Alpha-gal (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) is a sugar molecule found in most mammals. Alpha-gal syndrome (or red meat allergy) is a relatively new type of food allergy, first reported in 2002. This syndrome makes people allergic to mostly red meat. (Source, Source)
How Do You Get Alpha-Gal Syndrome?
In the U.S. the condition usually starts with a Lone Star tick bite. The bite transfers a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into the body and for some people, this triggers an immune reaction.
For some alpha-gal sufferers, even vaccines can cause an adverse reaction. (Source)
Alpha-Gal Syndrome Symptoms
Reactions can come 2-4 hours after eating or being exposed to a food or product with alpha-gal.
- Abdominal pain
- Anaphylaxis
- Headaches
- Congestion
- Diarrhea
- Faintness
- Hives, itchy rash
- Nausea or vomiting
- Drop in blood pressure
- Swelling of the lips, throat, tongue, or eyelids
- Severe stomach pain
Number of Cases
In 2014, there were 34,000 cases. Some people have been found to heal from alpha-gal syndrome as long as they limit foods with alpha-gal initially. The Lone Star tick is mainly found in the southeast U.S.
You can learn more here.
The Expectation Effect
I firmly believe that if you think you have something, you can make it come true (at least symptomology-wise). Before thinking you have Alpha-Gal Syndrome, test yourself. It’s not a common illness, and for many, it may go away if you remove the alpha-gal foods immediately.
How to Test for Alpha-Gal
The main test that doctors use to help them diagnose alpha-gal syndrome is a blood test for galactose-alpha1,3-galactose (alpha-gal) specific IgE (sIgE).
The Wrong Tests
Sometimes clinicians order the alpha-gal IgE tests (the ones above) as part of an Alpha-gal Panel (the ones below) that includes tests for beef, pork, and lamb. Experts do not recommend the use of the full Alpha-gal Panel for the diagnosis of alpha-gal syndrome.
- Quest Alpha-gal Panel Test Code: 91380
- Labcorp Alpha-gal Panel Test Code: 807003
- α-Galactosidase A Deficiency
Can You Stay On a Carnivore Diet With Alpha-Gal?
Yes. You should be able to consume chicken and fish. Additionally, alpha-gal is also in carrageenan. Carrageenan is added to a lot of processed foods, so removing meat alone does not make you safe from Alpha-Gal Syndrome.
Our Thoughts
Trust your body. If you feel sick eating red meat, beef, and other foods containing the ingredients below, and you’ve been bit by a bug (let’s not guess if it’s a tick or not), stop consuming beef and pork (and the items listed below).
Try to get tested as soon as possible by any of the labs above: Quest or LabCorp. I can order it for you if need be.
Some providers recommend chiropractic treatment for Alpha-Gal Syndrome. As I don’t know much about it, I’m not going to pretend I do.
If you are positive for alpha-gal. Remove all the products below (not just meats but everything.) Get to the root cause of why the immune system is reacting to alpha-gal (from the tick bite) so adversely. See if you can calm the immune system down by limiting anything that can trigger a worsening effect.
- Mammalian organs
- Mammalian sausage casings
- Lard
- Dairy products
- Gelatin in foods
- Mammalian meat
- Flounder roe (eggs)
- Mammalian north and gravy
- Airborne alpha-gal (fumes from cooking meat)
- Carrageenan in foods
- Mammalian byproducts (lanolin, vitamin D3, whey)
CDC Update
A half-million Americans may have tick-linked meat allergy, CDC says
From: Lori Allen
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2023 10:52:43 MST
Not sure if you have seen this, but found it very interesting.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7230a2.htm?s_cid=mm7230a2_w
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7230a1.htm?s_cid=mm7230a1_w
“New CDC research estimates that as many as 450,000 people nationwide may have alpha-gal syndrome, a meat allergy associated with tick bites. Alpha-gal syndrome was not fully identified until the 2000s, and its name derives from galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a sugar present in lamb, pork, beef, and the meat of most other mammals, but not in humans or apes. Researchers believe the syndrome is primarily spread in the United States through lone star ticks, which can transmit the sugar to people via their bites. Some people’s immune systems may identify this sugar as a threat and respond excessively when they consume meat. In one study, researchers evaluated the laboratory results of people who had been tested for the syndrome’s antibodies, finding 110,000 suspected cases since 2010. Researchers reviewed the results of antibody tests performed from 2017-22 at a single commercial lab that conducts nearly all such antibody testing in the United States. In total, more than 90,000 people received positive tests over that time period, and the number of people with positive tests increased yearly, from approximately 13,000 in 2017 to nearly 19,000 in 2021. In the second study, researchers found that among the healthcare providers surveyed, 78% had little or no knowledge of the condition, and even those who were aware of it were not sure how to diagnose it. As a result, the true toll of the syndrome might be closer to 500,000, the researchers estimated.” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/27/health/alpha-gal-ticks-meat-allergy.html
You may be getting some questions from your Carnivore community. Dr. Peg actually has never encountered a true alpha-gal case.
In health,
Judy
