Red meats like beef and lamb contribute to a large proportion of carnivorous diets. When consumed in moderation, these meats can supply a rich source of protein and other nutrients, such as vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. However, some people cannot tolerate eating red meats well. If you find that you feel ill or have an upset stomach after eating these meats, read on. Together we’ll explore the differences between a meat allergy and intolerance, how they might affect you, and what testing you can do to determine if you have an allergy or red meat intolerance.
Up to 2% of adults and 8% of children in the UK have a food allergy or meat allergy. This equates to a total of about 2 million people. Of these allergies, red meat is not a common allergy. However, it is becoming increasingly common due to a recently discovered tick-borne reaction.
Some people have been found to develop an allergy to red meats after having a tick bite. This happens because the ticks release a chemical called alpha-gal while biting a person’s body. The alpha-gal triggers the immune system, which produces immune cells called antibodies. The antibodies are created to recognise and fight off the alpha-gal any time the person is exposed to alpha-gal in the future.
Unfortunately, alpha-gal is found in most meats – including beef, lamb and pork – and it is also in poultry if the poultry is injected with flavouring from other mammals. Because the body’s immune system is primed to react to alpha-gal, anyone with this ‘alpha-gal syndrome’will have an allergic reaction to eating meats. The syndrome is also known as ‘mammalian meat allergy’(MMA).
The first tick initially found to cause this reaction is called the Lone Star tick, located in the USA. However, other ticks throughout Europe, Australia, Asia, and South Africa, have also been found to release alpha-gal and cause this syndrome.
Not all red meat allergies are caused by a tick bite. Sometimes they are like other allergies that can develop from an overreactive immune response to a perceived threat. Some research is also being conducted to determine if other insect bites or parasites could cause allergies to red meats as well.
The symptoms of meat allergy can vary from mild discomfort to anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction involving difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, dizziness, fainting, and loss of consciousness.
Unlike other food allergies, the symptoms of alpha-gal syndrome take longer to appear. They are generally delayed by three to ten hours after eating meat.
Symptoms of a mild to moderate allergic reaction can include:
Not sure which foods to look at first? An at-home hair screen can help you narrow the list down before you start changing what you eat. See what the screen covers →
Meats:
Foods containing dairy or meat-derived products:
Goods containing animal by-products:
Red meat intolerance can occur when your body doesn’t have the stomach acid and enzymes needed to digest meat properly. When this happens, the meat fibres don’t completely break down, and the undigested meat travels through the gut causing digestive symptoms.
An intolerance to meat may also be caused by a sensitivity to the chemicals in meat. This includes:
Amines, like histamine, are chemicals in aged meats. These increase the more meat is cured and preserved. An excess of amines can cause symptoms in sensitive individuals. The symptoms include headaches, migraines, skin redness and rashes, anxiety, stomach aches, diarrhoea, allergy-like symptoms (like sneezing and nasal congestion), and low blood pressure.
Sulphur is naturally present in meats and is also used as a preservative in the form of sulphites. People sensitive to sulphites can experience skin rashes (hives), redness and flushing, diarrhoea, nasal congestion, wheezing, coughing, and low blood pressure. Sulphite sensitivity is common in people with asthma, and in severe cases, can cause life-threatening airway constriction.
Nitrates and nitrites are chemical preservatives used in processed and cured meats (e.g. bacon, ham, salami). Individuals who are sensitive to nitrates or nitrites may experience skin rashes (hives) or headaches. There have also been reports of people having allergic and anaphylactic reactions to these chemicals.
Red meat intolerance can cause symptoms such as:
To test for a meat allergy or alpha-gal syndrome, your doctor may perform a range of tests (like blood tests) or refer you to an allergy specialist for further testing (like a skin prick test for allergies).
Food intolerance testing is different to allergy testing. Our lab offers an intolerance test that looks at 350 foods, as well as 350 non-food items. To do the test, simply order the red meat intolerance test online HERE, and send your hair sample to our lab. We will send you the comprehensive results within three days of receiving your sample.
Once you know red meat is causing you trouble, the practical question is how to live with it without losing nutrition or enjoyment. These are the approaches that tend to help most.
Reactions are not always to every red meat. Some people react to beef but not lamb, or to processed products rather than fresh cuts. Narrowing it down matters.
Write down what you ate, how much, and what happened afterwards, including timing. Reactions can be delayed by hours, which makes patterns very hard to spot from memory alone.
Red meat carries iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and protein. If it is coming out of your diet, a dietitian can make sure something replaces it rather than leaving a gap.
Poultry, fish, eggs, pulses, tofu and tempeh all fill the protein role. Pairing plant sources with vitamin C helps with iron absorption.
Stress affects digestion directly, and many people notice their reactions are worse during stressful periods even when the food has not changed.
Some medicines affect the gut lining or stomach acid. If your reactions changed when a medication did, mention it to whoever prescribed it.
Oily fish, olive oil, leafy greens, berries and spices such as ginger and turmeric are easy additions that support general gut comfort.
Fibre from a wide range of plants, fermented foods introduced slowly, adequate fluid and regular meals all help the digestive system cope better overall.
Today we looked at red meat allergy and red meat intolerance. We discovered that you could develop an allergy to meats and animal-derived products after having a tick bite. This reaction is known as alpha-gal syndrome or mammalian meat allergy. We learnt that the symptoms of this allergy are more delayed than other allergies, and they can take up to three to ten hours to occur. Knowing this, we looked at the foods and products that could trigger this reaction. We then explored what causes meat intolerance and learnt that it could result from poor digestion of meats or a sensitivity to the chemicals found in meat. Lastly, we learnt about how you can test for a meat allergy and that you can test for meat intolerance through our test available online HERE.
This website and our hair analysis does not make a medical diagnosis nor any medical claims. The information on this site is intended to provide nutritional advice for dietary optimisation. There is no guarantee of the specific results experienced by our reviewers and by our testimonials results can vary. IntoleranceLab do not claim to treat or cure symptoms and any reports generated by the testing need to be discussed with a medical practitioner. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at own risk
Intolerance Lab, Jarrow Business
Centre Viking Industrial Park,
Jarrow, NE32 3DT
Still reading? Good sign.
We'll email you a single-use 10% code, plus plain-English notes on what an intolerance screen can — and can't — tell you.
We've sent a confirmation link to . Click it and your 10% code follows straight after.
Nothing there in a few minutes? Look in spam, or reply to any of our emails and a human will sort it.
