An active lifestyle with sports activities is always recommended for good health, but for some, a lesser-known but serious health threat lurks while following such habits.Food Dependent Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is a condition where physical exercise triggers an allergic reaction to certain foods consumed before the activity.
In a recent case study at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, a 12-year-old boy, who had always been healthy, ate shrimp salad for lunch before heading out for a cricket match with friends.
Just ten minutes into the game, he experienced severe itching, swelling, and breathing difficulty.
Speaking about the case, Dr Neeraj Gupta, Allergist, Pediatric Intensivist and Sleep Specialist, and Senior Consultant at the hospital, said that the boy was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors recognised the signs of anaphylaxis.
Follow-up allergy testing revealed that his condition was triggered by a combination of shrimp consumption and exercise – a classic case of Food Dependent Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis.
Explaining about FDEIA, Dr Gupta told PTI, “FDEIA is a condition where physical exercise triggers an allergic reaction to certain foods consumed before the activity.”
Unlike typical food allergies that are triggered immediately after ingestion, FDEIA requires the combination of eating allergenic food followed by exercise to provoke symptoms, Gupta added.