Symptoms of Yeast Allergy

Yeast (Candida Albicans) is a fungi found in the body as well as in several food items. Yeast when present in small amounts in the body (intestinal tract), poses no particular harm. Usually, it is balanced out by a bacteria called lactobacillus acidophilus in the body, which prevents the yeast in the body from multiplying. However, sometimes it so happens that the yeast overpowers the bacteria and gets accumulated in large amounts in the body. This results into yeast allergy symptoms.

Some people are highly sensitive to yeast and develop reactions on consumption of food items containing yeast. Statistics reveal that one in every three Americans has yeast allergy. People with yeast allergy are hypersensitive to a protein present in yeast. Their immune system presumes that the protein in the yeast is a foreign body and produces antibodies against it, assuming they are harmful foreign bodies. Histamines and antibodies are released into the bloodstream in order to neutralize the yeast protein, which then triggers the allergic symptoms.

Causes of Yeast Allergy

There are two reasons why yeast allergy is caused. One is when people are allergic to food items with yeast in them, such as bread, wine, beer, cheese, mushrooms, dried fruit, peanuts, tomato sauce, vinegar, soy sauce and some other products. If after one beer or after consumption of bread, one feels tired, then one is allergic to yeast. In this case the best way to prevent it is by avoiding the above mentioned food products. These people must read food labels carefully and must not consume any food items with yeast in them.

The second reason is when people develop a yeast infection in the body called Candidiasis. Candidiasis is also known as yeast infection, thrush, Candidosis, Moniliasis or Oidiomycosis. This is a fungal infection which indicates that yeast is growing in parts of the body. It affects the moist regions of the body such as the mouth and vaginal areas in women and can be treated by oral drugs. Other food allergies can trigger yeast allergy in these women. Though Candidiasis is more common in women, men can also be affected. Reducing the sugar intake, especially refined sugar mostly helps reduce the infection. Refined sugar must be replaced completely by honey.

Some other possible causes of this allergy can be birth control pills, antibiotics, low Vitamin D, etc. People on antibiotics and steroids can develop this allergy. Further, women taking birth control pills, people with diabetes and people exposed to radiations (chemotherapy) are susceptible to this condition. Yeast allergy can promote food allergy and vice versa, thereby spearheading a viscous allergy cycle.

Symptoms of Yeast Allergy

The symptoms of this allergy generally develop after a few minutes or hours of yeast consumption or inhalation. The mild reactions are seen to last for not more than a day. Some of the commonly observed symptoms are as follows:

• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Headache
• Nasal congestion
• Itchy eyes and nose
• Skin rash
• digestive problems and bloating
• diarrhea
• Constipation
• white coated tongue or thrush
• Vomiting
• abdominal pain
• heartburn
• Watery eyes and running nose
• Dizziness
• Wheezing
• Fatigue
• Coughing

Yeast allergy weakens the immune system and vital organs and causes their malfunctioning. There is no particular treatment, as not much research has been done on this. Avoidance of yeast added foods helps prevent it. Alcoholic beverages, penicillin related drugs and refined sugar must be avoided. Oral drugs are available to control yeast infection.

Determining if you have a yeast allergy is not easy, as the symptoms appear like any other disease. However, in case of yeast infection, oozing of white liquid from the infected areas will give confirm its yeast infection. The white liquid will smell like yeast, which will further confirm the condition.

You need to understand your body reactions well to realize you are specifically allergic to yeast in the food. If you think you have a yeast allergy, seek medical advice immediately. You don't want the condition to aggravate.