Alpha-gal

Galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose is popularly known as alpha-gal. It is a carbohydrate found in the meat of mammals – exceptions being primates (humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans and gorillas) and apes (gibbons and the siamang) which are tailless monkeys of south-east Asia. Not all tailless monkeys are apes.

Galactose is a simple carbohydrate that is found in mammal milk. Alpha-gal is formed from a combination of two galactose molecules.

When our immune system recognise a foreign entity, it create antibodies an attempt to destroy the invader. There are five classes of antibodies found blood serum: IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE and IgD. IgG antibodies to alpha-gal are very common in humans as a result of continuous consumption of alpha-gal via red meat.

Since the early 2000s, severe allergic reaction has been observed several hours after the consumption of red meat. Several deaths have occurred. This is associated with IgE (not IgG) antibodies to alpha-gal as a result of the patients been bitten by ticks. This has occurred in eastern Australia, south-east USA and Sweden.

Alpha-gal is similar to the blood group B antigen. As a result, there is an association with the patients with B blood group and red meat allergy. ¹

The fact that we produce IgG antibodies to alpha-gal is an indication that red meat is recognised as an intruder in our bodies – it is not food. ^{2 3 4 5}

Neu5Gc

Neu5Gc (an abbreviation for N-Glycolylneuraminic acid), is a carbohydrate found in all mammals, including primates, except for humans.

It is a sialic acid, a group of 43 sugars that contain nine carbon atoms. Mammals have both Neu5Gc and Neu5Ac but human ancestors lost the ability to create Neu5Gc 2-3 million years ago, which is before the time that humans emerged.

Our immune system recognises it as an antigen – a foreign body – and it produces an immune response in an effort to fight the invader, which is convincing evidence that red meat is not a natural part of the human diet.

Neu5Gc occurs in many human tumours and it can only be found in humans if we eat red meat. ⁶

Last updated on Thursday 14 March 2024 at 06:45 by administrators

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