Dealing with Lemon Allergies

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Lemon is a food most commonly used and used every day. Even so, some people are allergic to lemons and citrus foods. The cause may be an allergy to the citric acid or the protein in the lemon. This article can help you understand more about lemon allergy.

1. Lemon allergy

About 2% of adults and 6% of children have food allergies. Any food can cause an allergic reaction, including lemons. Symptoms of a lemon allergy can occur within minutes of exposure to the fruit or can take up to two hours to manifest. Allergy to lemons can be dangerous if left untreated. You should consult your doctor if you experience allergy symptoms.

1.1. General symptoms

Although rare, you can experience itching, swelling, redness, blisters, rough and dry skin after touching a lemon. More commonly, it is possible to develop an itchy mouth, a sore throat, a cough, or a metallic taste in the mouth after eating lemons. Gastrointestinal side effects may include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some cases, temporary sun sensitivity may occur after exposure to lemons.

1.2. Why does a lemon allergy happen?

Food allergies develop when the immune system mistakes proteins called profilins in lemons as dangerous. As a result, the immune system releases histamine and antibodies into the bloodstream to fight profiling, the substance that causes the symptoms of an allergic reaction. In addition to lemons, waxes and dyes that are sometimes applied to lemon peels can also cause an allergic reaction.
Allergic reactions are caused by your immune system mistakenly protecting your body against substances that do not normally pose a threat to you. These substances are called allergens. When your immune system reacts to an allergen, it causes an allergic reaction.
Allergic reactions to raw citrus fruits are sometimes seen in people with pollen allergies, in a phenomenon known as cross-reactivity. Others may experience an allergic reaction after coming into contact with the peel of a citrus fruit. There have also been some documented cases of certain citrus fruits causing a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, although this is rare.
One thing that can't cause an allergic reaction is citric acid. Citric acid is a chemical found in the juices of citrus fruits, which gives them their tart flavor. Citric acid itself is not an allergen, although it can irritate the skin and mouth, and even cause stomach upset. However, citric acid doesn't trigger an immune system response, so while you may be sensitive to it, it's not technically an allergen.

2. Cross-reaction

Many allergic reactions to lemons are due to OAS, which is caused by a pollen allergy. This is known as cross-reactivity, which occurs because pollen and citrus fruits have similarities to certain proteins. These shared proteins cause the body to react to a mouthful of fruit as if it were an allergic pollen rash. Allergic cross-reactivity to this pollen food causes OAS.
People with grass allergies can especially get OAS for citrus fruits. A 2013 study of 72 children and young adults with grass pollen allergies. They exposed the participants to the fruits of fresh lemons, oranges, and clementine with a prick test, and found that 39% of the participants who were allergic to pollen also had a sensitivity to citrus.

2.1. Limonene allergy

People who are allergic to citrus peels are often allergic to limonene, a chemical found in citrus peels. These people simply touching the outside of a citrus fruit can cause contact dermatitis symptoms, but they can drink the fresh juice. Limonene is also commonly used as a fragrance agent in cosmetics and perfumery.

2.2. Whole body allergy

Not much is known about the number of people with systemic allergies to citrus fruits, but there are documented cases of people having severe anaphylactic reactions to oranges and citrus fruits. other. There have also been cases of food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis with oranges and grapefruits. This is a specific form of food allergy in which an allergic reaction occurs only after ingesting the allergen and then exercising shortly thereafter.
More research needs to be done to discover how many people have a systemic allergy to citrus fruits.

3. Diagnosis of lemon allergy

If you or your child has a reaction to pollen, your doctor will do a skin prick test and talk to you about possible fruit allergies. The skin prick test involves a simple prick with a needle with a small amount of the suspected allergen inserted. If you're allergic, you'll develop a bump with a red ring around it after 15 to 20 minutes.
If your child is too young to tell you if they are bothered by certain fruits, watch closely when trying new foods and watch for any reactions.
Call for medical help right away if you suspect anaphylaxis. If your allergies are severe, your doctor will recommend that you carry an EpiPen with you.

4. Remedy

Consult a dermatologist if you develop an allergic reaction after eating or touching a lemon. Your doctor may perform patch or skin prick tests to positively identify the allergen. Avoid contact with lemons and all products containing lemons, such as drink mixes and skin products. Wear gloves to protect your hands if you must handle lemons. Apply an over-the-counter emollient to help calm irritation and redness. Your doctor may also prescribe oral or topical steroids to treat allergy symptoms.
If your allergy to lemons is severe, it can lead to a reaction called anaphylaxis, which constricts your airways and can make it difficult or impossible to breathe. Additionally, you may experience wheezing, chest tightness, dizziness, and trouble swallowing. Get to the emergency room right away if you go into anaphylaxis after touching or eating a lemon. Your doctor may ask you to carry an epinephrine self-injector at all times if you are diagnosed with a lemon allergy.
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Reference sources: livestrong.com, healthlabs.com