What are the symptoms and causes of gastrointestinal allergy?

There are many reasons for gastroenteritis. Some gastroenteritis may be allergic, that is, some foods cause gastrointestinal discomfort, which causes an adverse reaction of the consumption system or the whole body. What are the symptoms of gastrointestinal allergy and what are the causes of gastrointestinal allergy?

1. Symptoms of gastrointestinal allergy

Gastrointestinal allergy symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, mucus in the stool, etc. Abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea are the most common symptoms. Abdominal pain is mainly in the left lower abdomen and lower abdomen, with varying degrees of severity, and can be relieved after defecation or gas. The frequency of bowel movements increases, 2 to 6 times a day or more, and the stools are mostly mushy or watery, but without blood.

2. Causes of gastrointestinal allergies

1. There are five ways for food to induce allergies: gastrointestinal ingestion, respiratory inhalation, skin contact or injection, and entry through human milk and placenta.

2. Food allergens Food allergens refer to food antigen molecules that can cause immune responses. For example; milk, eggs, soybeans, peanuts, wheat, etc.

3. Genetic factors: Food allergy is related to genetic genes. If one of the parents has a history of food allergy, the prevalence rate of their children is 30%. If both parents suffer from the disease, the prevalence rate of their children is as high as 60%.

4. Anatomical factors: The nonspecific and specific mucosal barrier systems of the human gastrointestinal tract can limit the invasion of intact protein antigens. Food antigens that enter the intestine combine with secretory IgA (SIgA) to form antigen-antibody complexes, which limit the intestinal absorption of food antigens, thereby directly or indirectly reducing the immune response to food proteins.

5. Other factors: Gastrointestinal inflammation is one of the reasons for the increased incidence of intestinal allergies. This is because gastrointestinal inflammation causes gastrointestinal mucosal damage, increases the permeability of the gastrointestinal mucosa, causes excessive food antigens to be absorbed, and causes allergic reactions.