Episode 01: Alpha-gal Syndrome: Background & Basics

What is Alpha-Gal Syndrome? How do you get it? Why do reactions happen hours after eating? And can it actually go away? In the first episode of Questions People Ask, allergist, researcher, and leading Alpha-Gal expert Dr. Scott Commins answers the questions he hears most often from patients newly diagnosed with Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS), the tick-associated allergy linked to red meat and mammalian products. Dr. Commins breaks down what Alpha-Gal actually is, how AGS develops after tick bites, and why reactions can be delayed, inconsistent, and difficult to recognize. He walks through the symptoms that may point toward a diagnosis, from hives, itching, and swelling to gastrointestinal distress, breathing symptoms, and isolated GI reactions that often go overlooked.