Athletes & Allergies: Increasing Problems
This week I visited with Neil Smith of Allergy Solutions in Boulder, Colorado where Neil explained how serious allergies to food and environmental allergens are becoming increasingly more common in our society. They can manifest in many ways that can be detrimental to an athlete’s health and performance. There was a lot that I didn’t know!
Neil said “In the last twenty years, we have seen an epidemic increase in allergies and asthma, including a 400% increase in food allergies and 300% increase in asthma, with a 56% increase in asthma-related deaths” (1) Neil also commented on some of the great resources available online for those of you who are concerned and want to be a little more proactive.
All of the following conditions are caused or worsened by allergies (1):
- asthma
- allergic rhinitis
- eczema
- chronic fatigue
- fibromyalgia
- nasal polyps
- recurrent colds
- otitis media
- irritable bowel syndrome
- urticaria/angioedema
- anaphylaxis
Now this should be of particular concern to those considering themselves to be athletes. Neil says “There have been increasingly more reports of patients with anaphylaxis that occurs only if the patient exercises or exerts themselves within two to four hours of ingestion of food. This is referred to as food dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis. These reactions seem to be most prevalent in adolescents and young adults, although they can occur in middle-aged patients as well. Most patients react to one or two specific foods. Common causative foods include wheat, celery, and seafood. The food can be ingested in the absence of exercise without development of symptoms. Some patients react after eating any food prior to exercise.” (1)
I consider myself a moderate-level athlete, so when I heard all that Neil had to say, I was a bit concerned. However, Neil broke things down in a simple manner so that I could digest the information, and together we figured out a practical way for me to stay more proactive, informed, and ready if allergies and their manifestations were ever to occur. Even for me, allergies can be potentially troublesome, as they often result in fatigue, lost or poor training sessions, and suboptimal race results.
The good news is that allergy treatments are also advancing – mild allergic rhinitis-antihistamines and nasal steroids are usually enough to combat problems – and all of the above conditions can be treated.
For more information, click here to contact Neil.
(1) Allergykids.com
(2) Wesley Burks, MD et al. Clinical Manifestations of Food Allergy. UpToDate.com
