Fish oil supplements are usually made from cold-water fish such as tuna, salmon, cod and mackerel. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, or FAAN, reports that salmon and tuna are know to be among the most common allergy-causing fish. Approximately 7 million people in the U.S. have fish allergies and once a person has a reaction, the allergy is considered to be a lifelong problem. This kind of allergy extends to fish oil as well.
Significance
Fish allergies are caused by a reaction to the protein called parvalbumin in the fish flesh or muscle. Although fish oil is made from fat, it is likely to be contaminated with minute amounts of molecules of protein and should be avoided if a person has fish allergies. It is generally recommended that people who are allergic to one species of fish avoid all types of fish, including fish oil.
Mild Symptoms of Fish Allergy
Symptoms of fish oil and fish allergy are similar to other food allergy reactions. According to the Beyond Allergy website, signs of an allergic reaction to fish include hives, mild swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat or other parts of the body, itching, upset stomach, digestive problems, nasal congestion, wheezing, asthma and heartburn.
Severe Symptoms of Fish Allergies
Anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction to seafood is rare but does happen. This life-threatening reaction interferes with breathing. The Cleveland Clinic notes that persons with severe allergy should carry injectable epinephrine, a form of adrenaline, at all times to be used in case of a severe reaction.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis include swollen throat and constricted airway, severe drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse and loss of consciousness.
Risk
A person's family history is a good indication of potential to fish or food allergy. If both parents have food allergies, a person has a 75 percent chance of having allergies too. If only one parent has food allergies, the chances drop to 30 to 40 percent. Even if there is no family history to food allergies, a person still has a 10 to 15 percent chance of developing food allergies.
The more exposure to a certain food, the more likely an allergen may develop. In Japan where people eat a lot of rice, it is more common for people to have rice allergy. In Scandinavia, cod is a prominent food allergy.
Prevention/Solution
Testing can be done through a family doctor or allergist to confirm a suspected fish or fish oil allergy. Most food allergies are identified by blood tests, skin testing or food elimination diets, which involves removing suspected foods from the diet one at a time until the symptoms disappear.
Doctors usually perform blood tests to look for antibodies or skin pricking tests for histamine reaction to determine fish allergies.
Considerations
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that 30,000 people every year are treated in emergency room visits for anaphylaxis to food allergies. About 150 people die each year. Prompt administration of epinephrine by an Epi-pen, or auto-injector, during the early symptoms of an allergic reaction would help reduce the number of serious consequences.
