Posted by 
A team of researchers has linked sensitivity to an allergen in red meat to the buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart. High saturated fat levels in red meat contributes to heart disease, the new finding suggests that a subgroup of the population may be at risk because of food allergen.
According to the study leader, Coleen McNamara, M.D., a professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Research Center of the University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, allergy to red meat may be an underrecognized factor in heart disease.
The main allergen in red meat is galactose-α-1,3-galactose, or alpha-Gal, a type of complex sugar, Lone Star tick– can sensitizes people to this allergen when it bites them. That is why red meat allergies tend to be more common where ticks are more prevalent. Allergens can trigger certain immunological changes that might be associated with plaque buildup and artery blockages.
A specific blood marker for red meat allergy was associated with higher levels of arterial plaque, or fatty deposits on the inner lining of the arteries. The blood marker they identified is a type of antibody (immunoglobulin or IgE) that is specific to the alpha-Gal allergen.
To identify this blood marker, the researchers analyzed blood samples from 118 adults and detected antibodies to alpha-Gal, indicating sensitivity to red meat, in 26 percent of them.
Using an imaging procedure, the researchers found that the quantity of plaque was 30 percent higher in the alpha-Gal sensitized patients than in the non-sensitized patients. These plaques, a hallmark of atherosclerosis-hardening of the arteries also tended to be more structurally unstable, which means they can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
haleplushearty.org