How to Prevent Beer Allergy?

Beer might be your favorite drink, but it may also make you uncomfortable and jittery. Beer can cause headache, nasal congestion, itchy skin and rashes. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you are reacting to one or more ingredients present in the beer. The ingredients which can cause beer allergy are:

• Yeast
• Gluten
• Wheat
• Barley
• Hop
• Sulphates
• Additives

How to Prevent Beer Allergy?

• Yeast and sulphates are present in every beer; so, if you have yeast allergy, you should completely avoid beer. As for sulphates, some brands use higher amounts of sulphates in their beer — so avoiding such brands can be helpful.
• If you are allergic to wheat and barley, choose beers which do not use these ingredients. Rice and buckwheat are some other grains which can be used to make beer.
• Hop is a flower which is used in beer. If you are allergic to hop, choose beers which are hop free.

You might also be allergic to the additives present in the beer. Hence, switching beer brands and checking can be helpful. You can also take up an allergy test.

If you suspect beer allergy, you can get yourself tested for yeast, wheat, gluten, sulphates and hop allergy. After knowing your allergen, you can choose a beer which does not contain that allergen. Blood test (RAST) and skin prick test are two tests which can be used for allergy testing.

Beer allergy is primarily caused due to the ingredients present in it. Skipping these ingredients can be helpful — but one cannot avoid yeast and sulphates in beer. So, if you are experiencing beer allergy symptoms such as headaches, rashes, itchy skin and nasal congestion after drinking a beer — do consult your doctor or allergist.

More Beer Allergy Symptoms

In some people, beer produces more than a simple hangover or drunkenness. So, they might wonder if they are allergic to beer. Actually, beer allergy is a rare condition. More likely, the allergy may be to an ingredient in the beer.

Beer may contain yeast, corn, rye, barley, hops or wheat. Allergic reactions to these ingredients may range from mild hives to severe anaphylaxis. Yeast allergy can also cause fatigue.

In some people, there is nasal congestion after beer consumption. This may be due to dilation of nasal passages, resulting in increased mucus generation.

Histamines are produced by the yeast during fermentation. Symptoms of a histamine reaction include itchy and red eyes, sneezing, wheezing, itching and hives.

Other serious symptoms of beer allergy are swelling of the lips, throat, tongue and face.