Soy allergy is an abnormal immune response to soy. Many common foods contain some type of soy so it is very important to carefully check all food labels.
What is soy allergy? Soy allergy is an abnormal immune response to soy. This type of response is caused when a person's body believes soy is harmful. When the immune system, which is the body's natural defense system against dangerous foreign substances, recognizes soy as a harmful substance, it creates antibodies to it. The next time the individual consumes a product containing soy, the immune system releases tremendous amounts of chemicals, including histamine, in an effort to protect the body. These chemicals in turn affect the blood vessels, and mucous membranes, producing allergic symptoms.
Allergic symptoms can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system. People with soy allergy may also have similar reactions to other foods, such as peanuts, green peas, chickpeas, lima beans, rye, barley, and wheat.
One of the most serious possible symptoms of soy allergy is anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is an extreme allergic reaction. Its symptoms are manifested quite suddenly and are potentially fatal. This systemic allergic reaction can involve various areas of the body. Symptoms usually occur within just a few minutes of contact with the allergy-causing substance, but may, in rare cases, occur up to 4 hours later. Symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction can include severe itching, facial swelling, muscle spasms, respiratory, and a serious drop in blood pressure. This drastic drop in blood pressure can lead to collapse and death if not treated quickly. Anaphylactic reactions require immediate professional medical help.
Other reported symptoms of a soy allergy include: acne, rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, bronchospasm, cankers, colitis, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, diffuse small bowel disease, dyspnea, eczema, enterocolitis, fever, heart palpitation, hives, hypotension, irritable bowel syndrome, itching, laryngeal edema, lethargy, panic attack, pollinosis, swelling, urticaria, vomiting, and wheezing.
Soy allergy cannot be cured. Common ways of treating minor soy allergy symptoms include avoidance, antihistamine medication, and anti-inflammatory agents.
Heredity may be at fault for some soy allergies but some people develop an allergy to soy even when there has been no previous family history. A person's medical history, various skin tests, and blood tests are used to diagnose soy and other food allergies.
If you have never consumed soy products, it is a good idea to introduce them gradually to see if you have an allergic reaction. If you believe you may have soy allergy, eliminate soy from your diet for several days. Then consume one soy product to see if you experience any allergy symptoms. Keep in mind that allergic reactions can occur as long as 48 hours after ingestion of an offending substance.
It is wise, if you are allergic to soy, to read all ingredient labels on products before you purchase them. Many common foods contain some type of soy so it is very important to carefully check all food labels. If you are unable to determine if a product contains soy from the label, contact the manufacturer of the product before consuming it.
If you have a soy allergy be sure to avoid consuming foods that contain any of the following ingredients: hydrolyzed soy protein, miso, shoyo sauce, soy flour, soy grits, soy nuts, soy milk, soy sprouts, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, soy sauce, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, and tofu.
