An exercise allergy?

Allergic to exercise? The perfect excuse, you might think. But exercise for some people can cause an allergic reaction so severe, it can be life threatening.

In susceptible people, exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA) can occur when swimming, jogging, walking or even digging the garden.

Initial symptoms usually include tiredness, feeling warm and turning red within minutes of starting exercise. For those of us who struggle to jog round the park and back, these symptoms may sound familiar.

However, if the person continues with exercise, they may develop an itchy red rash (hives) and swelling of the face, eyes, lips and throat, a drop in blood pressure, dizziness, shortness of breath and wheezing – symptoms of anaphylaxis which need to be treated immediately.

EIA is most common in young people (average age 25), women, and people with a family history of allergies.

The exact cause of EIA is unknown, but one type can be triggered by eating certain foods such as seafood, cereals, nuts, celery and alcohol, followed by exercise. Eating the offending food and exercise are both required to trigger the condition.

In others, exercise alone is all that’s needed to trigger the condition. If diagnosed with EIA, people are usually advised to exercise with another person, stop as soon as any symptoms appear, carry emergency medication and avoid any triggers associated with the condition.

This article was published on Thu 19 November 2009