Soy Allergy

Vegetarians and health enthusiasts have known for years that foods rich in soy protein offer a good alternative to meat, poultry, and other animal-based products. As consumers have pursued healthier lifestyles in recent years, consumption of soy foods has risen steadily, bolstered by scientific studies showing health benefits from these products. The Food and Drug Administration has even given food manufacturers permission to put labels on products high in soy protein indicating that these foods may help lower heart disease risk.

Unfortunately, nearly 0.5% of the population has a soy allergy. It could easily be higher except for the fact that adults rarely experience this allergy. It's an allergy more commonly found in infacts, with the average age around three months. The good news is that infants often outgrow their soy allergy by the age of three or four.

Common symptoms of soy allergies include: eczema and acne-like rashes, nasal congestion, asthma, swelling, canker sores, fever blisters, hay fever, low blood pressure, itching, breathing problems, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea and in some severe cases anaphylaxis.

In the case of the most dangerous allergic reactions, Epinephrine (adrenalin) is often used as an emergency medication. Included in these situations are insect stings, food allergy reactions, or drug allergy reactions. The form of delivery is most often an EpiPen, which is a self-injectable shot of epinephrine.

Preventing Soy Allergy

Currently, the only way to treat a soy allergy is to avoid those foods that trigger your reactions. Even the most diligent label-readers and ingredient-checkers can be inadvertently exposed to proteins that elicit an allergic response at some point. That's why those with a soy allergy severe enough to cause anaphylactic reactions should wear medical alert bracelets or necklaces and carry a syringe of adrenaline (epinephrine) obtained by prescription from their physicians.

Soybeans and soy products can be found in baked goods, tuna, cereals, crackers, infant formulas, sauces, soups, and in some peanut butters. It's always wise to read the product labels closely. You want to be cautious about by-products that may use soybeans.

As with all allergies, consult with your physician to confirm your suspicions if you think you might have a soy allergy. He'll likely use a skin scratch test along with a blood test to determine if you do, in fact, have an allergy. Once a diagnosis is made, your physician can help you with a treatment plan.