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Is Everything a Possible Allergen?

Dragonrock

Militant Elvisian Tacoist
Dragonrock
Joined
May 17, 2002
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Location
Emmonak, Alaska
Are there things that it is impossible to be allergic to? Is it possible to be allergic to gold or helium since I believe that they are chemically inert?
 
Dragonrock said:
Are there things that it is impossible to be allergic to? Is it possible to be allergic to gold or helium since I believe that they are chemically inert?
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Gold is chemicaly inert?
 
Dragonrock said:
Are there things that it is impossible to be allergic to? Is it possible to be allergic to gold or helium since I believe that they are chemically inert?
Click to expand...

In general, the immune system (which is responsible for allergic reactions) only responds to proteins. Gold isn't a protein and isn't likely to cause the body to produce an unusual protein to which it can react.
 
Re: Re: Is Everything a Possible Allergen?

new drkitten said:
In general, the immune system (which is responsible for allergic reactions) only responds to proteins. Gold isn't a protein and isn't likely to cause the body to produce an unusual protein to which it can react.
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Some people are allergic and/or sensitive to silver.
 
Re: Re: Re: Is Everything a Possible Allergen?

Dragonrock said:
I knew there was a reason why I usually limit my posts to comments about Tacos.
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I only have a vague idea of what inert means. Since you are the only person in the room, that makes you the expert. I found the wording of the sentance funny though.

By the way, since we're the only two in the room, mind if I take off my pants?
 
I'm going for yes pretty much. I have a hard time imagaining any of the noble gasses as allergens (and for that matter nitrogen, oxygen and water) but I suspect pretty much everything else could be in the right form.
 
I can't imagine anyone being allergic to water.

(Considering it is the major component of our bodies)

As for helium I don't know, but gold tends to be used as plating, or as the total composition of hypo-allergenic jewelry. (Some people are apparantly affected by silver and other metals)
 
I don't know about anything , but I know people who really, really like horses. Including one that, I'm told, is allergic to grass.

Before you ask, I'm also told they try to keep it on a diet of hay and granules. Sadly, I never met the horse, or the vet who made the diagnosis, so it's all anecdotal. But it's a fairly entertaining anecdote!
 
odorousrex said:
I can't imagine anyone being allergic to water.

(Considering it is the major component of our bodies)

As for helium I don't know, but gold tends to be used as plating, or as the total composition of hypo-allergenic jewelry. (Some people are apparantly affected by silver and other metals)
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This little blurb mentions allergies to water and semen both of which it says are rare.


Originally posted by ManfredVonPervert By the way, since we're the only two in the room, mind if I take off my pants?
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Go right ahead, I haven't worn any in months.
 
Re: Re: Is Everything a Possible Allergen?

new drkitten said:
In general, the immune system (which is responsible for allergic reactions) only responds to proteins. Gold isn't a protein and isn't likely to cause the body to produce an unusual protein to which it can react.
Click to expand...
I'm allergic to nickel (but not to silver). My mother is allergic to clavulanate. Neither of which are proteins. Neither is penicillin come to that.

There's an answer to this, and it may have something to do with particle size, but it isn't as simple as just not being a protein.

Rolfe.
 
Re: Re: Is Everything a Possible Allergen?

new drkitten said:
In general, the immune system (which is responsible for allergic reactions) only responds to proteins. Gold isn't a protein and isn't likely to cause the body to produce an unusual protein to which it can react.
Click to expand...

I have noticed that most food allergies are of the protein sort (eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, etc)... and fortunately I do not have any of those.

BUT... I am allergic to several pollins (ragweed, grasses, alder and willow trees), plus horse hair, cat dander, dust mites and a few other air borne annoyances (which is why I have a built in vacuum cleaner). These are allergies that are just slightly annoying.

I am also allergic to percodan (learned when I had my wisdom teeth removed). My dad had a very dramatic reaction to penicillen (sp?) several years back... especially since it only occurred after he had finished the bottle, and the swelling started when he was on an airplane, fortunately he got to a hospital in time.

What REALLY bugs me are my allergies to thimersal (leaned that when I wore contact lenses), nickel, possibly chromium and now I think I can add iodine to the list. The last two times I have given blood I had a rash the next day where I was smeared with iodine.

I find the nickel allergy to be the most annoying. It means I need to reset my wedding band set and mother's ring with my children's birthstones -- and worst of all --- I sew for a hobby. Other than specific tapestry and quilting needles (which are coated with gold), handsewing needles are coated in nickel. When I do handsewing (like hems, sewing on buttons, etc) I have to wear gloves.

Note: tapestry needles are blunt, they are meant to go through between the thread weaves and not pierce fabric, and quilting "betweens" are very small fine needles that are not appropriate for any fabric thicker than smooth cotton.
 
It depends on how your body reacts to a given substance. Hmm, that sounds obvious, but let me explain.

Your antibodies are your body's main way of recognizing what is foreign and what is 'self'. However, they can only detect complex non-homogenous substances. Otherwise it would be overwhelmed by any small section of protein floating in your body; a problem when you consider the magnitude of that.

So a protein with a repeating amino acid unit is relatively undetectable. So are most simple substances that contain relatively homogenous structures. When somebody is allergic to a metal, such as nickel or silver, it is because of a reaction that is facilitated by the acid in your skin, causing a reaction with your skin cells that starts the allergic response. It is not a direct effect of the metal stimulating the immune system.

Athon
 
athon said:
It depends on how your body reacts to a given substance. Hmm, that sounds obvious, but let me explain.

Your antibodies are your body's main way of recognizing what is foreign and what is 'self'. However, they can only detect complex non-homogenous substances. Otherwise it would be overwhelmed by any small section of protein floating in your body; a problem when you consider the magnitude of that.

So a protein with a repeating amino acid unit is relatively undetectable. So are most simple substances that contain relatively homogenous structures. When somebody is allergic to a metal, such as nickel or silver, it is because of a reaction that is facilitated by the acid in your skin, causing a reaction with your skin cells that starts the allergic response. It is not a direct effect of the metal stimulating the immune system.

Athon
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Thank you Athon, that was pretty much what I wanted to know.
 
There are a few people who are allergic to water.

More likely the water is reacting with something unusual about their skin, and that reaction triggers the allergy. But as far as the person is concerned, it's simple water that they're allergic to!
 
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