Soy allergies are most common in infants and young children, and
they almost always outgrow them. While these allergies are
unusual in adults, they can occur and, reportedly, their
incidence is increasing. In many cases, however, what you may
perceive as an allergy may actually be a sensitivity to soy or
simply an intolerance of these foods. Allergic reactions are
mediated by the immune system and are marked by symptoms such as
hives, runny nose, rashes, nausea, diarrhea and, most seriously,
anaphylactic shock. Some 15 possible allergens in soy protein
are capable of triggering these responses. Fortunately, soy
allergy symptoms are typically mild. You can be tested to
confirm an allergy to soy with a skin-prick test or an IgE RAST
blood test. If those tests are negative, your problem with soy
foods is likely to be an intolerance or sensitivity. Randy
Horwitz, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the Arizona Center for
Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, who
specializes in immunology, notes that whe