Soy Allergy

What is Soy Allergy ?

Soy allergy is immunologically mediated reaction to soy foods which occurs within minutes to hours after taking soy. Even a small amount of food is sufficient to trigger allergy symptoms. In some individuals, a food allergy can cause severe allergy symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.

In children the incidence of food allergy is about 6 to 8 percent but in adult is less around 3 percent. There is no cure for food allergy but in some children food allergy may disappear when they grow older. A member of the legume family, soy is a common ingredient in infant formulas and many other processed foods. In young children, soy is one of the most common food allergens. Typically, allergic reactions first appear in infants and children under 3 years, and most of them outgrow the allergy by age 10 years of age

Sources of Soy

If you are allergic to soy or soy products, always read the food labels very carefully as soy is often present in energy bars, canned tuna and meat, canned soups, baked goods, crackers and low-fat peanut butter. Read labels each and every time when you buy a food item. Always search for the word like “soy,” “soya” and “soybeans”, if you find these words then avoid it.

The products that should be avoided include:

Soy milk, yogurt
Ice cream, cheese containing soy
Soy sauce and tamari
Soy flour
Tofu/ bean curd
Miso/ Soybean paste
Natto (soybeans fermented with bacteria)
Vegetable oil, vegetable gum
Hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP)
Vegetable broth, vegetable starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)

Symptoms of Soy Allergy

The most common symptoms include:

Tingling sensation or itching in and around the mouth
Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, throat or other parts of the body
Hives, itching or eczema
Cough, wheezing or trouble breathing
Nasal congestion
Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
Anaphylaxis

Causes of Soy Allergy

In food allergy, our immune system recognizes food as a harmful substance and react against it leading to symptoms of food allergy.

In Soy Allergy, our immune system recognize soy as a harmful substance and react against it. After a sensitization phase, when soy is introduced for second time the body produces huge number of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to neutralize the protein (allergen) in soy. Cross linking reaction lead to degranulation of mast cell releasing large number of powerful chemical mediators including histamine and other chemicals leading to sign and symptoms of allergic inflammation.

Diagnosis of Soy Allergy

Till date there is no ideal test for Tree nut allergy.

A physician should consider the following:

Symptoms. Tell your physician /allergist, the symptoms you are experiencing.
Family history of allergies. Tell your physician whether other family members are suffering from any form of allergic disorders.
A physical examination. To find out any urticarial lesion in the body and to exclude other cause of similar symptoms.
A skin prick test. A skin prick test using food allergen can be performed. Expertise in this regard is necessary to perform skin test. A positive prick test is only indicate the people is sensitized to particular food allergen tested.
A blood test. A blood test can be performed to measure the allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).
Elimination diet.
Oral food challenge.

Treatment of Soy Allergy

Avoidance is the best preventive measure.

However an individual may unknowingly come in contact with the food and lead to allergic reaction.

For mild to moderate allergic reaction: over-the-counter or prescribed antihistamines are helpful.

For severe allergic reaction: If there is severe reaction or anaphylaxis one must inject adrenaline/ epinephrine in appropriate dosage. If someone has adrenaline autoinjector then he can use it otherwise one have to attend nearest hospital as early as possible. One must carry his adrenaline autoinjector all the time if an allergist prescribed it.

Prevention of Soy Allergy

Avoidance of the Tree nut is the best way to prevent food allergy.

If you have food allergy, then follow these steps:

Know what you’re eating and drinking. Always read the food labels.
If you have already had a severe reaction/anaphylaxis, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace that lets others know that you have a food allergy.
Have an action plan ready. Always have your epinephrine /adrenaline autoinjector with you.
Be careful while eating at restaurants.
Plan your meals and snacks before leaving home.

If your child has a food allergy, you must follow few steps to ensure your child is safe:

Always notify key people about the child’s food allergy.
Explain food allergy symptoms to persons who spend time with the child.
Have a written action plan.
Have your child wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.

Food Allergy Mimickers

Common conditions that mimic food allergy include:

Lactase deficiency / lactose intolerance
Food poisoning
Celiac disease. sometimes called to as a gluten allergy
Sensitivity to food additives.eg sulfites used in dried fruit, canned goods
Histamine toxicity from certain not refrigerated fish

Read in-depth of Soy Allergy

To read details click on Read More

Point to be remembered in managing Food Allergy

Avoidance of the offending food is the best way to prevent food allergy.

One must know the causative food to which he is allergic. A person with food allergy must be cautious when eating in restaurants and in social events.

If you have food allergy, then follow these steps:

Know what you’re eating and drinking. Always read the food labels while you eating something.
If you have already had a severe reaction/anaphylaxis, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace that will alert others and you have a food allergy.
Have an action plan ready. Always have a action plan of your food allergy. This action plan will be prepared by your Allergist.
Have an Epinephrine / Adrenaline Autoinjector with you.
Be careful while eating at restaurants.
Plan your meals and snacks before leaving home.

If your child has food allergy, you must follow few steps to ensure your child is safe:

Always notify key people about the child’s food allergy. Inform your child care providers, school personnel, parents of your child’s friends and other adults who regularly interact with your child. Tell them that food allergy may be life threatening and may require urgent intervention to save life of the child.
Explain food allergy symptoms to persons who spend time with the child.
Have a written action plan.This plan should include the appropriate management strategies to care the child in case of food allergy and in emergency case of anaphylaxis. One copy of the plan must be given to school authority.
Have your child wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace to display that he/she has Food Allergy.

In-depth reading about of Soy Allergy

What is Soy Allergy?

Food allergy is immunologically mediated reaction to certain foods which occurs within minutes to hours after taking food. Even a small amount of food is sufficient to trigger allergy symptoms. In some individuals, a food allergy can cause severe allergy symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.

The products that should be avoided include:

Soy milk, yogurt
Ice cream, cheese containing soy
Soy sauce and tamari
Soy flour
Tofu/ bean curd
Miso/ Soybean paste
Natto (soybeans fermented with bacteria)
Vegetable oil, vegetable gum,
Hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)
Vegetable broth, vegetable starch
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)
Hydrolyzed soy protein (HSP)

Besides “soy,” “soya” and “soybeans,” other words on food labels may indicate that the product contains soy, including:

Hydrolyzed plant protein
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Infant formula, follow-up formula
Nutrition supplements
Monodiglyceride
Artificial flavoring
Natural flavoring
Meat products with fillers, for example, prepared hamburger patties, hotdogs and cold cuts
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (may contain hydrolyzed protein)

Highly refined soy oil doesn’t contain soy proteins. So in refined soy oil may not cause any allergic reaction. Similarly, you may not react to foods that contain soy lecithin. But in general terms, if you see a food label which include the word “soy” “soya” and “soybeans”, then just avoid it.

Symptoms of Soy Allergy

Symptoms of Soy allergy can ranges from mild allergic reaction to severe allergic reaction or even life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Usually, food allergy symptoms develop within a few minutes to two hours after eating the offending food.

The most common symptoms include:

Tingling sensation or itching in and around the mouth
Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, throat or other parts of the body
Hives, itching or eczema
Cough, wheezing or trouble breathing
Nasal congestion
Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting

Anaphylaxis

In few individual, a food allergy can cause anaphylaxis. Life-threatening signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include:

Respiratory distress
A swollen throat or the sensation of a lump in your throat
Shock with a severe drop in blood pressure
Rapid pulse
Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency treatment. Emergency treatment with intramuscular epinephrine/adrenaline is crucial for the survival of patients. Anaphylaxis if untreated can lead to coma or even death.

Causes of Soy Allergy

Risk factor for Soy allergy include:

Family history of Allergy. If your family members are suffering from some form of allergies like asthma, eczema, urticaria, allergic rhinitis then you are at risk of developing food allergy.
If you are suffering from food allergy to one of the food items. If you’re already allergic to one food, then you are at risk of developing food allergy to other foods.
Age. Overall food allergies are more common in children. Your food allergy may disappear when you grow older. In most of the cases of food allergy to eggs, milk, soy and wheat in children may resolved automatically when they grow older. But an allergy to shellfish and nuts may remain lifelong.
Asthma. Asthma and food allergy can occur together. In such patient, both food allergy and asthma symptoms are more likely to be severe.

Diagnosis of Soy Allergy

Till date there is no ideal test for Soy allergy. A physician should consider the following:

Symptoms.

Tell your physician /allergist, the symptoms you are experiencing. Inform your allergist about the possible food items, eating of which lead to start of your symptoms. Tell him when this symptoms start occurring, how much time the symptoms last and how you get relief.
Family history of allergies.

Tell your physician whether other family members are suffering from any form of allergic disorders.
A physical examination.

To find out any urticarial lesion in the body and to exclude other cause of similar symptoms.
A skin prick test.

A skin prick test using food allergen can be performed. Expertise in this regard is necessary to perform a skin test. A positive prick test only indicates the people is sensitized to particular food allergen tested. The result of the skin prick test is to be corroborated with the clinical finding of the patients.
A blood test.

A blood test can performed to measure the allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE).
Elimination diet.

This can be done by first eliminating the suspected food items for 2-4 weeks then reintroducing the food items one by one to see when the symptoms return back. However, an elimination diet cannot distinguish true food allergy from food sensitivity. Another thing one must be kept in mind that if a person is already experienced severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, one must not do an elimination diet as it may be disastrous.
Oral food challenge.

Here the physician will give you a small but gradually increasing amount of soy or soy containing product to see whether the symptoms are occurring or not. One must be kept in mind that if a person is already experienced severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, one must not do oral food challenge test as it can be disastrous.

Treatment of Soy Allergy

Avoidance is the best preventive measure. However, an individual may unknowingly come in contact with the food and lead to an allergic reaction.

For mild to moderate allergic reaction: over-the-counter or prescribed antihistamines are helpful.

For severe allergic reaction: If there is severe reaction or anaphylaxis one must inject adrenaline/ epinephrine in an appropriate dosage. If someone has adrenaline autoinjector then he can use it otherwise one has to attend the nearest hospital as early as possible. One must carry his adrenaline autoinjector all the time if an allergist prescribed it.

How to Prevent Soy Allergy

Avoidance of the offending food is the best way to prevent food allergy. One must know the causative food to which he is allergic. A person with a food allergy must be cautious when eating in a restaurant and in social events.

If you have a food allergy, then follow these steps:

Know what you’re eating and drinking. Always read the food labels.
If you have already had a severe reaction/anaphylaxis, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace that lets others know that you have a food allergy.
Have an action plan ready. Always have your epinephrine /adrenaline autoinjector with you.
Be careful while eating at restaurants.
Plan your meals and snacks before leaving home.

If your child has a food allergy, you must follow few steps to ensure your child is safe:

Always notify key people about the child’s food allergy. Inform your child care providers, school personnel, parents of your child’s friends and other adults who regularly interact with your child. Emphasize that food allergy may be life-threatening and may require urgent intervention.
Explain food allergy symptoms to persons who spend time with the child.
Have a written action plan. This plan should include the appropriate management strategies to care for the child in case of food allergy. One copy of the plan must be given to school authority.
Have your child wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Avoidance of the offending food in the utmost importance in food allergy.

Don’t assume offending food in any form. Always check food labels while you eating outside especially in restaurants and in social events.
If you are in doubt then don’t eat. One must keep in mind that even a very small amount of food particle can trigger symptoms of food allergy or may trigger anaphylaxis. So if you are in doubt then it is better to avoid the food.
Involve caregivers of the child. If your child has a food allergy, then you have to inform the school staff and other care givers of the child so that they can manage the child in case of any symptoms of food allergy.
Hand washing/ clean kitchen room.