If you've been diagnosed with a soy allergy and you experience heart palpitations, you need to call 911 immediately. An increased heart rate after eating soy is a sign of anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Other symptoms will develop if you're experiencing anaphylaxis, such as facial swelling, hives and shortness of breath. Heart palpitations are not a common allergic reaction to soy and may require an injection of epinephrine.
Soy Allergy
Soy allergies are considered common in children under the age of 3, but are becoming more common in adults, according to MayoClinic.com. Soy is a product from of soy beans, commonly used to make beverages, health foods and as a bulking agent in many processed foods. Soy contains around 15 different proteins that can trigger an allergic reaction in your body. If your immune system doesn't recognize one of the proteins, it may react to it as if it were a dangerous substance. This reaction causes the body to produce chemicals to protect the body, which results in allergy symptoms.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations after eating soyare the result of excessive amounts of histamine released throughout the body. This causes the body to experience a state of shock, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylactic Network. Your heart rate will increase but will become faint. Anaphylaxis typically begins suddenly with tingling, itching and a metallic taste in your mouth. You may also experience warmth, wheezing, swelling in the throat, diarrhea, cramping, a drop in blood pressure and becoming faint.
Treatment
A severe allergic reaction needs to be treated by medical personal. If you have a known soy allergy, you should talk with your doctor about carrying a epinephrine pen on your person. An epinephrine pen is the most effective treatment for anaphylactic shock. Once injected into your body, the medication will restore the body's normal functioning, alleviating common anaphylaxis symptoms. Even if symptoms improve after the injection, you need to call 911 or go to the emergency room, because the symptoms may return after 15 minutes.
Prevention
The most effective way to prevent heart palpitation from a soy allergy is to avoid the consumption of soy products. Obvious soy products include: soy beans, soy sprouts, soy milk, tofu and other soy-based foods. Soy may be hidden in many processed foods, such as ice cream, hot dogs and crackers. Read all the ingredients and allergy warnings on packaged foods to prevent an allergic reaction to soy.
