In the following sections, we’ll delve into more detail about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for wine allergies. We’ll also discuss how to differentiate between a wine allergy and wine intolerance, as well as when to seek medical advice. This information can help you understand and manage your reactions to wine better, enhancing your overall health and quality of life. Allergic reactions to red wine can be triggered by several substances, including sulfites, histamines, or proteins from the grapes. Additionally, some people are sensitive to alcohol itself or to naturally occurring compounds in wine like tannins.
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Reintroducing a small amount of wine and monitoring delayed reactions can confirm if it is in fact a trigger for symptoms like headaches, gastrointestinal issues, etc. You may find you react to specific wine styles (dry reds) versus others (crisp whites). This can isolate whether the trigger is a compound like tannins or sulphites. If you have a true alcohol allergy, even small amounts of alcohol can cause symptoms. Let’s start with the difference between a true wine allergy versus intolerance to alcoholic beverages. Alcohol intolerance is more common and can happen with any alcoholic beverage, including wine.
Medical History and Physical Examination
Sulfites are compounds often added to wines as preservatives, and while most people tolerate them, some individuals may have an allergic reaction. Histamines are naturally occurring compounds in wine, particularly red wine, that can also cause allergic symptoms. Lastly, proteins from grapes can cause an allergic reaction in some individuals.
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- First, it’s important to understand what causes an allergic reaction.
- The reason some people have an intolerance to sulfites is unknown, but both genetics and the environment could be contributing factors.
- “It seems between the stuffy nose and the skin irritation that there’s a reaction,” said Miller.
However, for severe reactions, immediate medical attention is necessary. The best strategy is to identify the specific allergen in wine and avoid consuming it in the future. Symptoms resembling allergic rhinitis, such as a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, or itchy eyes, may also occur. These symptoms can often be mistaken for other conditions, so it’s important to consult a healthcare professional if you suspect a wine allergy. The second category, Red Wine Intolerance occurs even though there are no allergen-specific immunological reactions. Symptoms commonly experienced after a glass or two of a full-bodied red wine include headache, stuffy nose, skin flushing.
What ingredient in wine causes allergies?
Red wine contains more histamine than white wine because it’s made from the whole grape (including the skin), not just the juice. Some people have a shortage of an enzyme that breaks down histamine in the small intestine. Alcohol also inhibits the enzyme, so the combination may boost histamine levels in the blood, which can dilate blood red wine sneezing vessels and cause a headache. Foods such as mature cheese, fish and meat contain at least ten times the level of histamines found in wine. Studies show that red and white wine are more likely to create nasal congestion symptoms, so avoiding this type of alcohol may help. Histamine is produced by yeast and bacteria during fermentation.
When grapes are pressed during winemaking, insects can inadvertently contaminate the crush. The venoms of these insects are decomposed during the fermentation of the wines, but residual insect proteins may remain as allergens. In one Spanish study in 2007, researchers found that 5 individuals developed Red Wine Allergies to the venom of Vespula and Polistes wasps [7]. While there isn’t much research to support this method for treating wine allergies, it was tested in a person with a very severe grape and wine allergy. Beer does share some potential allergens with wine, such as ethanol, sulfites, and yeast.
- There is much confusion about these two terms, and at PureWine, we believe it is important to make the distinction between these concepts very clear for the wine lover.
- Even if your symptoms are mild, regular check-ups with an allergist can help monitor your condition and adjust treatment as necessary.
- In fact, a 2017 case study documented an individual who had an allergic reaction after consuming products like beer, wine, cider, and Champagne.
- In addition to histamine, sulfites can be found in wine and beer, which may also irritate allergies for some people.
- Allergens in wine that might trigger an allergic reaction include sulfites, histamines, and proteins from grapes.
Adverse food reactions: Allergy versus intolerance
It’s as simple as taking a finger-prick blood sample and returning it in the post – you’ll receive your results within 7 days. Other symptoms of a wine intolerance can include headaches, migraines, skin problems, low energy, low mood and nasal congestion. Alcohol intolerance can cause headaches and flushing or reddening of the skin especially on the neck or face. Sulphites are preservatives that are used in wine making to prevent oxidation and bacterial growth. Most people can tolerate sulphites, but they can cause allergic or intolerance reactions and exacerbate asthma symptoms in sulphite-sensitive individuals.
Any alcoholic beverage can dilate blood vessels in the brain and cause a headache. Avoid drinking wine, beer, or liquor on an empty stomach or when you’re dehydrated. But if you have two at a sitting, they should be separated by at least an hour.
- White wine tends to contain higher levels of sulfites than red wine and beer.
- This knowledge can also help individuals better manage their symptoms during certain allergy seasons, such as the Rhode Island allergy season.
- Some people have a shortage of an enzyme that breaks down histamine in the small intestine.
- Grape juice can only ever taste of grapes, whereas people write encyclopaedias about the taste of wine.
- Allergic reactions to red wine can be triggered by several substances, including sulfites, histamines, or proteins from the grapes.
Factors Influencing Hypersensitivity Reactions
On wine bottles, the label ‘Contains sulfites’ is also mandatory. Plenty of articles cover sulfites in wine and tell us they are bad for our health, causing hangovers, headaches and worse. We touched upon this in a previous article and established – unsurprisingly – that alcohol is the root cause of most hangovers. Wine itself as a whole doesn’t inherently cause allergies, but it contains a number of compounds that can trigger reactions in susceptible individuals.
Reactions to wine could also depend on the specific type of grape used in the wine. For example, one publication reports the occurrence of negative reactions in those with hypertension after consumption of wine containing Merlot grapes. In some cases, an allergic reaction can be severe and lead to anaphylaxis. When the immune system views something (an allergen) as a threat, it attempts to defend the body. When it does this, antibodies known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) react with cells to cause an allergic reaction. In some people, intolerance or allergy to alcohol can also result in uncomfortable or even dangerous symptoms.