Is A Hidden Alpha-Gal Allergy Helping Your Lyme Symptoms To Persist?

For people that have chronic Lyme disease and co-infections that are not improving with treatment
by Greg Lee

Ever get an unexpected message on your phone? I got a pop up inviting me to purchase antivirus protection because my phone was infected. I started to get afraid that malware was eating my phone and almost purchased the protection. Then I thought that the message was going to give me the very infection it was warning me about. Fortunately, I found a reputable antivirus vendor and used it to protect my phone.

How is malware on your phone like a hidden Alpha-Gal allergy?

Just like those annoying pop ups, Alpha-Gal allergy symptoms can show up as unexpected symptoms
Alpha-Gal allergy is a reaction to a sugar found in livestock and other mammals. This sugar is also found in products containing milk, gelatin, broths, organs, and many animal byproducts from cows, pigs, and sheep1. It’s also present in deer, rabbits, and other game meats2. An Alpha-Gal allergic reaction can also show up unexpectedly in beauty products, supplements, and foods labeled as vegetarian which contain a seaweed extract called carrageenan3. Alpha-Gal symptoms can appear similar to Lyme.

Patients have reported skin rashes, difficulty breathing, and flare ups of their Lyme symptoms after contact with foods and other products containing Alpha-Gal4
In many cases, there can be a delay of several hours for a reaction to occur, which often leads to misdiagnosis of the allergy5. Common symptoms include itching in the mouth, throat, palms, and soles of the feet. The reaction can also progress to hives, swelling, and abdominal pain. In serious cases, Alpha-Gal allergy can lead to anaphylaxis shock reaction and death6. People with a specific kind of tick-bite can develop this allergy.

Patients with multiple Lone Star tick bites are at greatest risk of developing an Alpha-Gal allergy
Other kinds of tick bites have been implicated across the globe. Patients with this allergy have been diagnosed in Australia, Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, and South Africa7. In one European study, 12.6% of Lyme patients tested positive for Alpha-Gal8. In theory, tick saliva compounds combined with the Alpha-Gal sugar are transmitted during the tick bite, which triggers an allergic reaction in the person9. There are two kinds of tests which help determine if a person has an Alpha-Gal allergy.

The first test looks for elevated IgE antibodies for Alpha-Gal
The second test uses a skin prick to introduce a small amount of Alpha-Gal into the skin's surface to check for a reaction. These tests help determine the relative sensitivity of the patient to the alpha-Gal sugar. Currently, there are no FDA approved treatments for Alpha-Gal allergy.

Unfortunately, there are no medications or treatments that are FDA approved for treating this allergy
In fact, several medications may trigger a reaction including levothyroxine, liothyronine, combination, and desiccated thyroid formulations and inactive ingredients, specifically magnesium stearate and gelatin can contain meat byproducts10. Most patients are left with only an avoidance strategy to prevent symptoms.

Patients are instructed to avoid all foods, medications and products which may contain Alpha-Gal
This can prove to be extremely challenging due to hidden animal by-products ingredients11. Patients are also instructed to avoid alcohol consumption and physical exercise and the use of certain medications like Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which can increase allergic reactivity12. In case of accidental exposure, patients can carry an epi-pen to reduce reactions and prevent anaphylaxis. 

Since there are no approved medications, can acupuncture help patients struggling with an Alpha-Gal allergy?

In a groundbreaking study on a total of 137 patients diagnosed with Alpha-Gal allergy, most struggled with digestion and skin reaction symptoms
Most were reactive to beef and dairy. 68% were diagnosed as allergic to Alpha-Gal by a physician. 50% of patients tried avoiding foods and products containing alpha-Gal. 24% of these patients experienced severe allergic reactions, aka anaphylaxis, after contact with Alpha-Gal13. An experimental therapy produced amazing results.

These patients received an experimental acupuncture therapy called the Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment (SAAT)
This treatment required testing the patient for sensitivity to alpha-Gal. Then the ear is scanned to find an acupuncture point that has a high electrical activity. This point is needled with a tiny needle that the patient keeps in their ear for three weeks. The study reported that 96% of the patients said that their symptoms were in remission after treatment.  Follow up evaluations reported the results were sustainable.

In the follow-up evaluations, 93% of patients that experienced severe anaphylaxis reactions to Alpha-Gal reported no symptoms from accidental or intentional exposure
Results were sustained for nine months or longer, showing that an experimental therapy provides a powerful opportunity to put alpha-Gal into remission.

Just like cleaning the malware off your phone, using a highly specific acupuncture method called SAAT may help to put an Alpha-Gal allergy in remission
This method works with other Lyme treatments to reduce chronic Lyme symptoms. Since this treatment requires specialized training, work with a SAAT trained Lyme literate practitioner to develop a proper, safe, and effective strategy for your situation.

- Greg

P.S. Do you have experiences where treatment helped you to put an Alpha-Gal allergy into remission? Tell us about it.

>> Next step: Click here to learn more about natural treatments for Lyme, co-infections, and alpha-Gal in our private HEAL for REAL Facebook Group!

References

1. “Products That May Contain Alpha-Gal | Ticks | CDC,” July 26, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-Gal/products.html.
2. Policy, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease. “Alpha-Gal Syndrome Subcommittee Report to the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group.” Text, January 22, 2020. https://www.hhs.gov/ash/advisory-committees/tickbornedisease/reports/alpha-Gal-subcomm-2020/index.html.
3. Tobacman, Joanne K. “The Common Food Additive Carrageenan and the Alpha-Gal Epitope.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 136, no. 6 (December 1, 2015): 1708–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2015.08.048.
4. Roster, Katie, Hannah Mulvihill, and Nisha Lakhi. “A Missed Diagnosis of Alpha-Gal Allergy in the Northern United States: A Case Report.” SKIN The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine 7, no. 2 (March 13, 2023): 710–13. https://doi.org/10.25251/skin.7.2.9.
5. Khoury, Joe Kevin, Neil Christian Khoury, Deborah Schaefer, Anup Chitnis, and Getaw Worku Hassen. “A Tick-Acquired Red Meat Allergy.” The American Journal of Emergency Medicine 36, no. 2 (February 1, 2018): 341.e1-341.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2017.10.044.
6. Mollah, Fatema, Mark A. Zacharek, and Mariel R. Benjamin. “What Is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?” JAMA 331, no. 1 (January 2, 2024): 86. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.23097.
7. Commins, Scott P. “Diagnosis & Management of Alpha-Gal Syndrome:Lessons from 2,500 Patients.” Expert Review of Clinical Immunology 16, no. 7 (July 2020): 667–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/1744666X.2020.1782745.
8. Benders-Guedj, Marie, Martin Köberle, Heidelore Hofmann, Tilo Biedermann, and Ulf Darsow. “High-Risk Groups for Alpha-Gal Sensitization.” Allergologie Select 7 (August 22, 2023): 140–48. https://doi.org/10.5414/ALX02424E.
9. Román-Carrasco, Patricia, Wolfgang Hemmer, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Adnan Hodžić, José de la Fuente, and Ines Swoboda. “The α-Gal Syndrome and Potential Mechanisms.” Frontiers in Allergy 2 (December 16, 2021): 783279. https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2021.783279.
10. Slayden, Tanner A., Mohamed K.M. Shakir, and Thanh D. Hoang. “A BULL IN A PILL SHOP: ALPHA-Gal ALLERGY COMPLICATING TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR POSTPROCEDURAL HYPOTHYROIDISM.” AACE Clinical Case Reports 6, no. 3 (May 11, 2020): e101–4. https://doi.org/10.4158/ACCR-2019-0495.
11. Carson, Audrey S., Aliyah Gardner, and Onyinye I. Iweala. “Where’s the Beef? : Understanding Allergic Responses to Red Meat in Alpha-Gal Syndrome.” Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) 208, no. 2 (January 15, 2022): 267–77. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.2100712.
12. Román-Carrasco, Patricia, Wolfgang Hemmer, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Adnan Hodžić, José de la Fuente, and Ines Swoboda. “The α-Gal Syndrome and Potential Mechanisms.” Frontiers in Allergy 2 (December 16, 2021): 783279. https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2021.783279.
13. Bernal, Mateo, Martin Huecker, Jacob Shreffler, Olivia Mittel, Joseph Mittel, and Nader Soliman. “Successful Treatment for Alpha Gal Mammal Product Allergy Using Auricular Acupuncture: A Case Series.” Medical Acupuncture 33, no. 5 (October 1, 2021): 343–48. https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2021.0010.

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