Research Regarding Alpha Gal (α Gal)

As we get started, 2 things to remember:

  1. AntigensAntigens are Invaders. or anything our body thinks is an invader UM1
  2. AntibodiesAntibodies are defenders.AS-1

Alpha-Gal and The Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS)

You should browse significant Alpha-Gal information source

The AGS carbohydrate molecule is also considered a sugar found in the tissues of all mammals except humans and other primates. It is also known as mammalian meat allergy, Alpha-Gal allergy, red meat allergy, and tick bite meat allergy.Yale-1

When people who are allergic to Alpha-Gal eat beef, pork, lamb, or meat from other mammals, they have an allergic reaction that causes a range of symptoms, including a rash, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms usually occur three to six hours after eating. In some cases, people may have an immediate life-threatening anaphylactic reaction that requires medical attention.Yale-1

Humans lack the enzyme necessary to process and break down the Alpha-Gal molecule found in mammals. Therefore, any Alpha-Gal we ingest through red meat or potentially from tick bites remains largely unprocessed in our bodies and winds up acting like a foreign substance (an antigen).NIH-3

It is important to note that a portion of the ingested Alpha-Gal is likely excreted through waste, even without complete processing. Additionally, some gut bacteria may play a role in partially degrading the molecule.

The overall fate of Alpha-Gal in the human body is still an area of active research, with scientists investigating the specific mechanisms involved in its interaction with the immune system and elimination from the body.

Quick Summaries

Getting into the weeds

If you care to dig deeper into how the antigens and the antibodies interact, start with the α-Gal epitopeAn epitope is the part of the antigen that binds to a specific receptor on the surface of a B cell."B-1, which refers to the carbohydrate α-d-Galp-(1 → 3)-β-d-Galp-(1 → 4)-d-GlcNAc-R NIH-4, NIH-5

Symptomstop

Blood levels of Alpha-Gal IgE often decrease in patients who avoid recurrent tick bites but the rate of decline varies from patient to patient , NIH-6

One of the symptoms that needs research is the "latent infection"JAMA-1 response that can happen., NIH-74

Unexpeted Sources

  1. CarrageenanAlergy Insider-1
  2. Cat DanderNIH-8, NIH-9

Testing

Reading The Results

Reference Values

Class IgE kU/L Interpretation
0 <0.10 Negative
0/1 0.10-0.34 Borderline/equivocal
1 0.35-0.69 Equivocal
2 0.70-3.49 Positive
3 3.50-17.4 Positive
4 17.5-49.9 Strongly positive
5 50.0-99.9 Strongly positive
6 ≥100 Strongly positive

Treatments