is it possible to be allergic to elements?

[Walleye]

like for example, i was told once that you can be allergic to water. water's a combination of elements, but a very basic one. is it possible to be allergic to it? I wouldnt think so, because there isnt an antibody small enough to tackle it. so how would anything be alleric to elements?

anyone know?

 

[AndyHui]

Water isn't an element; it's a molecule.

There are lots and lots of basic molecules that can cause problems. Take for example, carbon monoxide. Breath in a tiny amount of that and I guarantee more than just an allergic reaction.

 

[Walleye]

carbon monoxide, dioxide, arsenic... these things arent something you get allergic to. these are things that poison you. there's a difference. im talking about random genetic errors resulting in an allergy to something like Water.


btw, i know water isnt an element, but it fit the example because of that's the statement i was told oh so long ago by a nitwit bio teacher.

 

[zayened]

i know 3 or 4 girls that are allergic to gold...


Au is an element...

 

[woolmilk]

i know 3 or 4 girls that are allergic to gold...

I know some people that are allergic to nickel (NI) which is often
found in cheap cheap jewelry like rings and earrings. Its the first
time I hear of an allergic reaction to gold? Gold does not corrode
and is also widely used in medical science.

 

[zayened]

you know what, i take that back...they are allergic to FAKE gold (you know, cheap .25 cent rings from the machine). sorry and thanks for clearing that up woolmilk

 

[prosaic]

Each element and each compound has a characteristic threshold for toxicity in the human body. That's not the same as allergic reaction or anaphylaxis.

And no one is allergic to water. The vast majority of the substance of a human being is water. It's possible for someone to have an uncharacteristically low threshold of toxicity for something IN the water (like chlorine of fluoride). It's even possible for contaminated water to elicit an allergic response, but that would require that something be in the water which should definitely NOT be found in drinking water -- like proteins. Ugh! I don't even want to think about it!

- prosaic

 

[Matt]

Yes, one could be allergic to elements. To elicit an allergic reaction you need to have a reasonably large molecule in order for it to be recognized by the immune system. Thus, heavier compounds like the metals more often cause immune reactions. Nickel is quite common to be allergic against, look at all the ppl who react against the metal buttons in jeans.
Also, usually it's the oxidized form of the metal that causes the reaction. Gold is not very common to react against since it's a very stable substance, not very prone to oxidize.

One can't be allergic to the gaseous elements since they can't bind into receptors used by the immune cells, thus preventing any response from them.

/Matt

 

[Mark R]

An allergy is an immune reaction - an antibody (or immune cell) recognises a chemical as foreign and activates an immune response.

In many cases, it is the molecule itself that is detected by the immune system. However, elements in a pure form are not sufficiently large to bind to the receptors: metals (like nickel) bind to naturally occurring body proteins, and alter their shape - it is the complex of metal-protein that binds the antibody or immune cell 'receptor'.

What most people mean by an allergy to 'gold' is an allergy to fake gold, or thinly plated base metal. Nickel is the primary allergen - and in someone who is allergic to nickel, only a tiny amount is required to produce a reaction. Even jewellery that is '24k gold plated' can cause a reaction because some nickel is able to escape through tiny breaks in the gold plating. True gold allergy is extremely rare, but does exist.

 

[Spike]

I actually do know a woman who is allergic to gold. Her husband had to "settle" for a silver rolex watch for her due to this problem. I am not sure how widespread this is, but she was definitly allergic to the gold.

 

[sao123]

It is physically immpossible to be allergic to pure water. You may be allergic to some of the chemicals and treatments put into the water to "clean it, ie chlorine...etc".

The body is made of something like 75% water. The immune system recognizes water as naturally occuring in the microscopic environment of the body, so it could not be targeted as a foreign substance which causes allergic reactions.

on a non-related side note...
I saw on the news yesterday... organ transplants can cause the recieving patient to inherit the same allergies that the donor has.

 

[DukeOfAnandTech]

It's possible to be allergic to elements. Your body can grow allergic reactions to just about anything.

I am allergic to certain people. If I wrestle with certain people, I break out in hives, with others, I don't. Weirdly enough, I'm allergic to my brother.

It is possible to be allergic to water, in which case you would die as a fetus. Once hystamine producers are formed, your entire body would kill itself off.

 

[basara318]

It is possible to be allergic to water. I once saw a news special where a young british girl is allergic to water since birth and has to wear a bubble. else she gets serious rashes..

 

[Analog]

of course.

 

[Walleye]

well, as was pointed out, if you are allergic to water, you will die because the human body is made primarily of water. but what i was referring to was the fetus in the womb of the mother, could be allergic to water for a microsecond, then it dies, and the mother flushes it out. how would she ever know...

 

[sao123]

well, as was pointed out, if you are allergic to water, you will die because the human body is made primarily of water. but what i was referring to was the fetus in the womb of the mother, could be allergic to water for a microsecond, then it dies, and the mother flushes it out. how would she ever know...

Because the fetus does not develop an immune system (the major requirement of an allergic reaction) until the late stages of development. it would not die instantly.

It is possible to be allergic to water. I once saw a news special where a young british girl is allergic to water since birth and has to wear a bubble. else she gets serious rashes..

She isnt allergic to pure h2o water...she is allergic to one of the treatments or impurities in the water.

 

[PowerMacG5]

Well it is possible to be allergic to elements and I know this, because I am. I am allergic to Silver, pure, or not. Whenever I wear good silver jewelry (not the cheap stuff, the near pure stuff) I get a horrible rash, which takes about 1-2 weeks to dissipate into making my life livable again. Even while touching silver coins, I can feel something not right in my finger tips. I'm not deathly allergic to it AFAIK, because I am talking to you. If you want to know if it is possible to be deathly allergic to elements, I don't know. I know this isn't an allergy, but look at Uranium, Plutonium (or any other radioactive element) and there effects on the human body. But to answer your question on elements, it is possible to be allergic to elements.

 

[Actaeon]

My GF is allergic to Silver.

I would suppose so.

 

[StageLeft]

I saw something about somebody allergic to water, but it may have been the chemicals as mentioned below. As also mentioned since the majority of the human body is water naturally it seems impossible to be allergic to it ultimately.

 

[Matt]

Ok, once more... You can't be allergic to water. It's impossible. Pure water can't elicit an immune response.
What Mark R says in his post is correct. Elements are too small to be able to bind into the receptors of the immune system. They instead form a bond with a protein which then can evoke response from the immune system. Allergy to pure gold or silver is very rare since they are very inert metals, not prone to oxidize and thus form bonds with proteins.
If someone says they are allergic to gold/silver it is often the impurities in the metals ppl are reacting against. Gold always contains trace elements of nickel.

Once again. A very good post from Mark R.

Matt, MD

 

[Mday]

molecular allergies suck. i pity all those allergic to "nuts" who cannot eat candies due to the allergy at the molecular level (same machines used to make nut, and nutless candies).

golly, mark R posts!!! OMG!

 

[pm]

I'm allergic to elemental sulfur (pure S - not sulfides). It doesn't seem to bother most people but it causes a hayfever-like reaction in me after inhaling it. It's used as a anti-fungal on grapevines and they blow it into the air. For days after a sulfur blow in a vineyard, I have to take antihistamines. And, yes, it's definitely pure elemental sulfur.

 

[gururu]

I thought this was supposed to be highly technical...

Antibodies only recognize peptide sequences (antigens). Allergic reactions do not require the use of antibodies.
In order to elicit an allergic reaction all you need are inflammatory cytokines. Any cell can produce these molecules in response
to undesirable conditions. People can be hypersensitive to chemicals (cleaning agents, etc) or elements (Ag, Au, Ni, etc), That is, their skin, respiratory tract, sinuses, might respnd negatively to these foreign substances. It is in no way clearly understood why some cells go nuts in these conditions.

water: why not? the immune system develops AFTER embryonic development. If a bad immune system develops, the host is toast. Its hard to think of water being an allergen however since, there are billions upon billions of water molecules present in cells. the organism would like completely self-destruct.

In most cases, an allergic reaction exists because the allergen persists. Remove the allergen and all is well.