True Food Allergies
When you have a true food allergy – say, you eat shellfish, and you’re violently allergic to it – your body’s immune system gets immediately involved. In highly allergic people, even a trace of the iodine in shellfish can produce a severe reaction, even anaphylaxis (severe rashes, breathing difficulty, stomach cramps or collapse). The human body’s immune system regards the ingredient as a harmful substance. The response is to trigger certain cells to make antibodies (called immunoglobulin E) to fight the enemy food.Ingredients that May Cause Allergic Reactions
If you have an allergy to certain grains, such as wheat, barley, corn, rye, and hops, or to the preservative sulfur dioxide, even to the yeast used in fermentation, you may experience an allergic reaction to drinking alcohol that contains these substances or ingredients.Alcohol Intolerance
Allergic reaction to alcohol itself is rare, described in a few dozen published medical reports. Experts say that what’s more likely is that you have intolerance to alcohol. This makes you more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. Alcohol is broken down in the liver by enzymes within minutes. If you can’t break down alcohol easily, problems may occur with any alcohol consumption. Some of the immediate adverse effects of alcohol intolerance include:- Rapid heartbeat
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Pain in the abdomen
- Nasal congestion
- Heartburn
- Headache
- Warm, red, and itchy skin
