Food Allergies That Cause Fatigue

Your Medication Is Wiping You Out

Zyrtec Allergy Relief Tablets + Itch Relief Stick

Zyrtec Allergy Relief Tablets + Itch Relief Stick

Certain allergy medications, including first-generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine can make you feel tired, says Stanley Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., division chief of Allergy-Immunology-Rheumatology at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Antihistamines block the receptors for histamine in the body, and there is a receptor for histamine in the brain that keeps you alert, he explains. When certain antihistamines reach your brain, they can make you feel sleepy as a result. Thats why Dr. Monteleone says she often encourages patients to use second-generation antihistamines like cetirizine . Theyre non-sedating and tend to have less of that fatigue-causing property, she says.

Cross Reactivity And Oral Allergy Syndrome

When you have a life-threatening allergic reaction to a certain food, your doctor will probably recommend that you avoid similar foods, too. For example, if you react to shrimp, you’re probably allergic to other shellfish like crab, lobster, and crayfish. This is called cross-reactivity.

Another example of cross-reactivity is oral allergy syndrome. It happens in people who are highly sensitive to ragweed. During ragweed season, when they try to eat melons, especially cantaloupe, their mouths may itch. Similarly, people who have severe birch pollen allergy may also react to apple peels.

Types Of Adverse Reactions To Foods

Adverse food reactions can be grouped as follows:

Whilst some symptoms may be similar, food allergies are different to food intolerances , which include:

• Metabolic conditions such as lactose intolerance and carbohydrate malabsorption .

• Pharmacologic reactions to food components such as caffeine, monosodium glutamate and other naturally occurring food chemicals .

• Toxic reactions such as food poisoning and scombroid fish toxin.

• Adverse reactions to artificial preservatives such as sulphites and benzoates have been shown to cause symptoms. These preservatives have also been reported as triggers for asthma and anaphylaxis.

Natural substances in foods can cause food intolerances

Foods are composed of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, various nutrients and several natural chemicals. These following naturally occurring substances often add flavour and smell to food but they can trigger symptoms in some people.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Chronic Fatigue

Find Relief From Fatigue Caused By Allergies

Fatigue can be caused by allergies and this can be frustrating. But it doesnt have to be forever. Diagnosing and treating your underlying allergies is the best way to find relief from your symptoms, get better sleep, and wake up feeling rested. Being tired can negatively impact your quality of life in many ways, but an ENT expert can help you address your issues and get back to a life free from fatigue from allergies. Schedule an appointment to discuss your allergy symptoms with a specialist today.

How To Prevent Allergy

Step one is getting to the source of whats causing your allergies in the first place. An allergist can help you do just that. He or she can perform allergy testing by skin testing or by blood work to help identify any allergy triggers, says Patricia Takach, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with Penn Medicine.

Related Stories

• The Best Eye Drops for Allergies to Relieve Itch

Once you know whats triggering an allergic reaction, do your best to avoid those substances, says David Corry, M.D., professor of medicine in immunology, allergy, and rheumatology at Baylor College of Medicine. That means taking steps like staying indoors on high pollen count days and making a few lifestyle changes such as showering when you come indoors, cleaning your sheets regularly, and keeping petswho can carry things like pollen and grassout of your bed. Wearing a face mask when youre outdoors can also help filter out pollen and other allergens that may be irritating.

Youll also want to do your best to prioritize sleep to help you recharge at night and keep your bodys immune system in prime working order, Dr. Wada says.

Make drinking water a priority, too. Staying well hydrated can help thin out mucous and also help with some aspects of fatigue as well, Dr. Wada says. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that men aim to take in 15.5 cups of fluids a day and that women strive for 11.5 cups a day.

How to treat allergy-related fatigue

You May Like: Extreme Fatigue After Car Accident

Other Adverse Reactions To Food

There are many other adverse reactions to foods, apart from allergy and intolerance, including:

• Feeling unwell after eating from other causes such as heartburn after a fatty or spicy meal or a hangover after too much red wine.
• Coeliac disease is not an allergy, but does involve an immune system response to foods containing gluten. When gluten-containing cereals are eaten, inflammation of the gut occurs, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients. Major symptoms are gut upset, fatigue, anaemia or weight loss.
• Non-coeliac gluten intolerance is a recently recognised condition which can cause symptoms such as abdominal disturbance and occasionally malaise and tiredness. It appears to be genuine as proven by blinded challenge studies but the mechanism is not known.
• Food aversion is a condition where a person not only dislikes a food, but also experiences unpleasant physical symptoms when they see or smell the food. Symptoms are triggered by emotions associated with food rather than the food itself. This does not usually occur if the food is disguised.
• Underlying anxiety can result in unconscious over-breathing or hyperventilation. The symptoms that result can be very distressing, and can sometimes resemble food allergy.

ASCIA is the peak professional body of clinical immunology/allergy specialists in Australia and New Zealand.

For more information go to www.allergy.org.au

To donate to immunology/allergy research go to www.allergyimmunology.org.au

Treating Body Aches And Fatigue

Symptoms of allergies can be treated, but lasting relief comes from treating the cause of the allergies. Uncovering what allergens you are intolerant of can help you treat your allergies, and reduce or eliminate your symptoms. A board-certified allergist can help to diagnose your allergies and come up with a treatment plan.

At the Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia, our allergists are all board-certified specialists in Allergy and Immunology. Our teams focused training allows us to help you find relief from your allergies. We offer extended hours and same-day appointments to ensure that you can get treatment from our Georgia allergists, with no wait. Contact our offices today to schedule your appointment.

Read Also: How To Fix Allergy Fatigue

How To Address Adrenal Fatigue And Food Sensitivity Symptoms

The very first step in managing the problem is, of course, recognizing that the issue is related to adrenal fatigue. Delayed food sensitivity, which is connected to adrenal sensitivity, essentially means that certain modes and functions in the body are slowing down. The foods most likely to be responsible are dairy products, wheat, and corn. If one notices they are experiencing symptoms after eating such foods it is likely due to food sensitivity.

The most definitive method for reducing food sensitivities is to heal your adrenals and decrease congestion. Unfortunately, this process can take a while. In the meantime, it is best to avoid foods that you are sensitive to. Unfortunately food testing can be inaccurate when trying to determine the problem at hand. Even if it appears that the tests have concluded one or more food sensitivities, odds are there are more foods than the tests have confirmed. In cases of food sensitivity the body generally responds to a variety of different foods rather than a mere few. The simplest and most tactful way to assess one’s food sensitivity problems is to cut certain types of food out of their diet, such as gluten, wheat, corn, and so on. Using a selective process can more conclusively determine the trigger foods. Simply assess how the body responds after eating certain things and see if it symptoms subside after cutting out problem foods.

Certain Allergy Medications Can Worsen Fatigue

Even though they work to relieve some symptoms, certain allergy medicines can actually make you more tired. Antihistamines in particular have been known to cause drowsiness, however, most newer, second-generation pills are designed to be non-drowsy. Still, it is important to always read labels carefully, and consult with a doctor if unsure which allergy medications may cause increased fatigue.

You May Like: Best Rated Anti Fatigue Mats

Congestion Can Cause Brain Fog

A stuffy, swollen nose can make it difficult to think clearly, often causing a hazy or tried feeling. Many have termed this feeling brain fog, and it results from the congestion and pressure in your nasal and sinus air passages. Without treating allergy symptoms, and sometimes contributing sinus issues, the inflammation, irritation, and runny nose at the root of this issue will keep making you feel foggy.

What Causes Allergies Anyway

An allergic reaction is a chain reaction that starts in your genes and is expressed by your immune system, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology .

When you have an allergy to something, like pollen or grass, your immune system views it as an invader . It then overreacts by producing antibodies called Immunoglobulin E , which travel to cells that release chemicals called histamines, Dr. Monteleone explains. Cue the stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing, and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Go here to join Prevention Premium , subscribe to the magazine, or get digital-only access.

Don’t Miss: Extreme Fatigue For No Reason

A Few Tips For Keeping Happy And Healthy Over Easter:

• Choose quality over quantity. Often all we need is a taste. Youll probably find eating half a piece and leaving the rest to be more satisfying than having the entire thing. Get your fix and dont overindulge.
• Freeze hot cross buns. If you buy a 6 pack, you dont need to eat them all. Eat one and freeze the rest for another time. One hot cross bun is on average 300 calories. And then you will probably add some butter. This is similar in calories to a meal.
• For most people, it is better to eat one large Easter egg rather than little ones. People who buy the packs of little ones tend to not psychologically register how much they are consuming. Each trip to the pantry ends up with another little egg. A packet of little eggs is about 800 calories. If you can eat just the one great, but for a lot of us we cant stop. It could be better to just buy the big one. A 110 gram Kinder Easter Bunny, or a Cadbury 110 grams Crunchie egg is about 600. Know how your eating habits and choose what is best for you.
• Get rid of it. If you have too much take it to work and share it around. Or, put it in the bin. I do hate food wastage but better in the bin than in your gut.
• For a lot of us, Easter is a 4-day long weekend. Use it. Get active, relax and enjoy life. We live in a world whereby everyone is stressed and busy. Just breathe and be 🙂

The Link Between Food Sensitivity And Fatigue

Many of us have experienced that tired feeling after having too much at Christmas or a party with friends. You may remember a family member falling asleep after the food has been cleared away. As the body works in overdrive to digest and process the meal, sleepiness takes over.

But when you have a food sensitivity, this could happen more often. The fatigue could be a response to a food sensitivity or allergy. Your body uses up your energy reserves to deal with the food sensitivity, making you too tired to do much else.

It could also be a symptom of the stress caused by other more typical food sensitivity symptoms like IBS, cramps, and migraines. Lastly, the tiredness could stem from the body not being able to absorb certain nutrients and antioxidants from the food youre eating. As a result, your energy levels get lower.

As you can see, fatigue can be a relatively common symptom of food sensitivity and intolerance. At yorktest, we have found 46% of our customers have experienced symptoms of fatigue prior to taking a test.

This was true of keen marathon runner, Ian Moore. Ian was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome . A mixture of brain fog, memory loss, headaches, chronic fatigue, and nausea resulted in Ian taking long-term leave of absence from work, and the 38-year-old had to pull out of the Amsterdam marathon.

Also Check: Plus Size Army Fatigue Outfit

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome And Fibromyalgia

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are conditions that can cause persistent, unexplained fatigue that interferes with daily activities for more than six months.

Both conditions are chronic and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, but lifestyle changes can often help ease some symptoms of fatigue. Strategies include good sleep habits , relaxation techniques, light exercise, pacing yourself, and eating a balanced diet.

What Exactly Is A Food Sensitivity/intolerance

A food sensitivity/intolerance is quite another story. Delayed reactions can appear in many different ways. They can affect any organ in the body and can take from 45 minutes to several days for symptoms to appear.

Food sensitivities can be an extremely difficult puzzle to try to solve on your own. This is due to the delayed onset of symptoms and complex bodily functions involved. In fact, food sensitivities often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. This makes them especially adept at being a hidden cause of fatigue!

When your body struggles to digest certain foods, ingredients or additives it may cause a food intolerance.

Symptoms of food intolerance include:

• Irritability or nervousness

A food sensitivity or intolerance is caused by the IgG antibody. This is the most common antibody in your blood. It binds with viruses, bacteria, and fungi and help your body remove these harmful substances.

Food sensitivity tests measure the number of IgG antibodies your body develops after eating a particular food.

For example, you may not create any IgE antibodies to dairy products which means you are not allergic to dairy. However, you could produce IgG antibodies which shows that you are sensitive.

To further complicate matters, there are other antibodies that can be measured for food sensitivities. These include IgM and IgA. This means that your IgG antibodies might not react to dairy, but your IgA antibodies do.

Also Check: Best Anti Fatigue Kitchen Mats For Hardwood Floors

Is Your Chronic Fatigue A Sign Of Food Sensitivity

3 minute read time

Tiredness happens to everyone whether its an expected feeling after strenuous activities or at the end of a long day at work. The other most common reason is, of course, lack of sleep, which can often be remedied by an early night.

Fatigue can also be a sign of a food sensitivity. If you are suffering from drowsiness, headaches, dizziness and other symptoms after eating certain foods, you may want to investigate if a food sensitivity is to blame.

Treatment For Food Allergies

The main way to deal with food allergies is to avoid them. For highly allergic people, even tiny amounts of an allergen can trigger a reaction. Less-sensitive people may be able to have small amounts of a food that they’re allergic to.

Once you’ve identified the food, you have to stop eating it. That may mean reading long, detailed ingredient lists because many allergy-triggering foods are in things you wouldn’t expect to find them in. Peanuts, for example, may be included for protein, and eggs are in some salad dressings. At restaurants, you might have to ask about the ingredients that are in specific dishes or in the kitchen.

Even people who are very careful can make a mistake, so if you have severe food allergies, you must be prepared to treat an accidental exposure. If you’ve had anaphylactic reactions to a food, you should wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace. And you should carry two auto-injectors of epinephrine and be ready to use them if you think a reaction is starting. Mild symptoms such as tingling in your mouth and throat or an upset stomach might not be an allergic reaction, but you should still give yourself an injection. It won’t hurt, and it could save your life. Then call 911 or get a ride to the emergency room.

Medications can help relieve food allergy symptoms that aren’t part of an anaphylactic reaction:

• Antihistamines for digestive issues, hives, and sneezing and a runny nose
• Bronchodilators for tightened airways or asthma-like symptoms

Also Check: How To Improve Chronic Fatigue

Why The Standard American Diet Causes Fatigue

Posted by Kylene Bogden | Dec 7, 2017 | Fatigue, Food Allergies, & Sensitivities | 0

As I sit here sifting through my athletes food journals, I notice one pervasive theme: a heavy reliance on processed foods.

Over and over I see cereal, pasta, sandwiches, gummy bears, etc. all consumed in a days time. It makes me think back to my high school and college days as an athlete where my food journal looked the same, possibly worse. .

Knowing what I know now, it is beyond obvious why the standard American diet causes fatigue and why there is a HUGE need for functional sports nutrition.

Growing up as an athlete and through my schooling in college, I frequently heard all kinds of messages like, Just count your calories, as long as your macronutrient needs are met, it really doesnt matter what you eat!

You are so active, you can eat whatever you want. Youll just burn it off!, or my all-time favorite, You just need to carb load before your race, and you will feel great!.

If only I had known then what I know now. Unfortunately, though those words of wisdom sound pretty good, none of that information is correct. Our bodies are such intricate and sensitive machines.

We also know now that the food we eat has the ability to alter gene expression.

When we start to feel poorly, and that feeling does not subside, we tend to blame everything else on the planet but food and lifestyle. Then what comes next? We quickly jump to medications and surgery.