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Wine Allergy

Is there such a thing as having a wine allergy? If so, what is it called? Does it have to do with ethanol?

Thanks.

Karen

Dear Karen,

Thanks for asking about having allergy like symptoms when drinking wine.

Wine often contains the chemical preservative metabisulfite. Metabisulfites induce spasms in the muscles of the breathing passageways in the lungs. Asthma patients frequently complain of increasing chest tightness and coughing after consuming wines.

Red wines also have vasoactive compounds that aggravate migraine headaches in predisposed individuals.

Allergic like reactions of coughing, wheezing and headaches with minute amounts of wine consumption are rarely due to the alcohol within the beverages.

I hope this info is useful to you. Please be certain to discuss your symptoms with your own physician.

Good luck.

Steve Kagen, M.D.
Allernet.com