Doctors Health Press

An Allergic Reaction to Meat?
—A Special Report from the Doctors Health Press Board

Having an anaphylactic reaction is a scary thing. Anaphylaxis is a potentially deadly allergic reaction that can occur quickly. It is most often triggered by foods, medications, and insect stings. There are many other possible triggers, though.

Anaphylaxis is unpredictable, too. Many people who experience it have a known allergy and some have had one or more milder allergic reactions previously to becoming anaphylactic. But others, who are not even aware that they have an allergy, can suddenly experience severe anaphylaxis. Even the first episode of anaphylaxis can be fatal.

People who have had an anaphylactic reaction to something learn that the severity of these reactions can be lessened by recognizing the symptoms of an attack early, having proper medication available for self-treatment, and seeking emergency medical care promptly. It is crucial for those suffering from anaphylaxis to identify their triggers.

Recently, a research team has discovered a previously unknown cause of anaphylactic reaction. It seems that a carbohydrate in meat called "alpha-gal" may be the unrecognized cause of recurring severe allergic reactions in some patients, according to researchers in Virginia.

The study included 60 people in Australia and the United States who had experienced recurrent anaphylaxis with no known cause. Allergy tests revealed that 25 of the 60 patients had positive responses to alpha-gal. A positive response was considered a level of greater than 1.0 international units per milliliter of immunoglobulin E (IgE).

The researchers noted that the tests did not identify any other allergens that would explain the cause of anaphylaxis in the 25 patients who were positive for alpha-gal or in the other 35 patients.

The research team concluded that the study suggests that IgE response to a carbohydrate has important implications in food allergy and anaphylaxis. It also suggests that the presence of this antibody may well have been misjudged in terms of the number of patients affected and the geographical scope.

Knowing the source of an anaphylactic reaction is absolutely critical. A person who suffers an anaphylactic reaction to something unknown is at increased risk for recurring anaphylaxis if the trigger isn't identified.

As mentioned, it is extremely important to recognize the symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction, even if you have no known allergies. Symptoms usually appear suddenly. The two most serious signs, which can be fatal, are difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness. In the most severe cases, the heart can stop pumping. Obviously, in this case, 911 or your area emergency services should be called right away. Slightly less serious signs include hives, reddened skin, swelling in one or more areas (e.g. eyes, lips, tongue, hands), wheezing, coughing, sneezing, rapid or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, problems swallowing, nausea, stomach symptoms, and/or extreme anxiety. If you are or someone you know is suddenly experiencing some of these symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. If you know you have an allergy, check with your doctor to see if you're at risk for anaphylaxis. If you are, there are medications you might be prescribed to prevent it and emergency medications you need to carry with you.

A Tea to Make Stress Disappear
—by Jeff Jurmain, MA

Chamomile tea, that favorite warm beverage, has been traditionally consumed for relaxation; to counteract the effects of stress. A brand new study is believed to be the first randomized control trial that tested chamomile against generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

The study, recently published in the "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology," reports that chamomile extract therapy was found to be efficacious for mild-moderate GAD. These were supplements being used, not an actual tea. Patients with mild-moderate GAD were included in the study and received either chamomile or placebo. Those that received the herbal supplement had significant changes in the severity of their GAD.

The researchers suggest that chamomile may have some anti- panic activity in patients with GAD, and therefore could be a reasonable alternative to those whom drugs don't help. It's important, because many people with anxiety don't seek drug therapy and would much rather deal with the condition naturally. Considering chamomile might be a good option for these and this clinical study backs that up.

How about tea, then? What is the link then between black tea and stress or anxiety? One recent study followed 75 men who drank tea four times per day for six weeks. They were asked to avoid their normal caffeinated beverages and drink only the tea. A group of men who drank a caffeinated placebo was used for comparison.

Everyone had to endure stressful social situations, during which time researchers measured hormones, blood pressure, and other indicators of stress. It was there that the study found no difference between tea drinkers and placebo drinkers. They all had significant increases in all these measures-- meaning that tea does not calm one down and make one better able to handle stress.

There was one difference, though. An hour after the study, men who drank the tea had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. This means that tea might be able to bring you back to normal more quickly after you have a stressful day. We can take from this study that drinking tea won't lower your stress when faced with anxious circumstances, but it will help defuse you later on.

Arthritis can be a debilitating disease. It is a joint disorder characterized by inflammation. The difficulty with arthritis is that it causes joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as "arthralgia."

There are many types of arthritis -- so far over 100 have been documented. The types range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many types of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States today.

What causes arthritis? Well, that's a complicated answer. The cause of the condition depends on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), metabolic abnormalities (such as gout), hereditary factors, and infections. Other reasons still remain unclear to this day, despite all the research being done on arthritis.

Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint is often a common symptom. Because they are rheumatic diseases, many of the forms of arthritis can cause symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not directly involve your joints. Therefore, symptoms in some patients with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever, gland swelling (lymph node), weight loss, fatigue, feeling unwell, and even symptoms that originate from the lungs, heart, or kidneys.

Living with arthritis can be a challenging and painful experience. Is there any way you can help prevent the condition from affecting your life? Certainly eating a healthy diet and keeping your weight in check could help. According to a recent study, higher levels of obesity and inactivity, especially among women, explain why arthritis is more common in the United States than in Canada.

Researchers at the Toronto Western Research Institute analyzed data from 2002-03 for both countries and found that the prevalence of arthritis in the United States was 18.7%. The prevalence of arthritis-attributable activity limitations (AAL) was 9.6%. In Canada, the rates were 16.8% and 7.7%, respectively.

It seems that women in the United States had a higher prevalence of arthritis (23.3%) and AAL (13%) than Canadian women (19.6% and 9.2%, respectively). Men in both countries had similar rates of arthritis (14%) and AAL (six percent).

The researchers concluded that the study results suggest that the higher prevalence of arthritis and AAL in the U.S. may be a consequence of greater obesity and physical inactivity, particularly in women. The research team would like to see public health initiatives that promote healthy weight and physical activity to potentially reduce the incidence of arthritis.

An Allergic Reaction to Meat?
Commins, S.P., et al., "Anaphylaxis syndromes related to a new
mammalian cross-reactive carbohydrate determinant," J. Allergy
Clin. Immunol., Oct. 2009; 124(4): 652-7.

A Tea to Make Stress Disappear
Press release, "Flower power can still calm the masses," Faculty
of 1000: Biology and Medicine, Feb. 8, 2010.
Steptoe, A., et al., "The effects of tea on psychophysiological
stress responsivity and post-stress recover..."
Psychopharmacology, Jan. 2007; 190:91

Extra Weight and Arthritis Often Go Hand in Hand
Kopec, J.A.,, et al., "Development of a population-based
microsimulation model of osteoarthritis in Canada,"
Osteoarthritis Cartilage, Mar. 2010; 18(3): 303-11.

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