Allergy To Sulfite Additives

Sulfite is a common preservative that is used in a variety of medications and foods. This has been used them for quite a few centuries as food additives. 5% of people who suffer from asthma (mainly in adults) will have increased symptoms from their asthma related condition that is caused by the consumption of sulfite. This sulfite allergy can occur by consuming or breathing in sulfite fumes.

While this allergy can increase asthmatic symptoms it is not know whether or not it can cause anaphylaxis and hives. There are some people who have experienced severe reactions from medications that are made with sulfite. The reactions from this include; hives, flushing, and decreased lung function. The majority of people are allergic to sulfite because their bodies create allergic antibodies to it.

Sulfite allergy can be diagnosed using skin testing. However, there is no reliable skin test for this type of allergy and any results could be wrong. Most physicians will examine the history of the patient and monitor the types of reactions they have had to see whether or not it was caused by sulfite food or medications.

To confirm the diagnosis an allergist might be asked to perform an oral metabisulfite challenge. During this procedure the patient will be given large amounts of sulfite that they will swallow. The entire time the physician will be keeping an eye on their vital signs and lung function. If the lung function is dramatically decreased then the patient is allergic to it.