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Possible Allergic Reaction to Sports Drink

Today at her soccer game, my 6 year old drank a small bottle of Gatorade.  Shortly after I noticed a rash on her upper lip shaped like the mouth of the bottle.  There are tiny red speckles throughout the rash.  This has only happened once before.  During the fall season, she had Powerade and developed the same rash on her upper lip.  That rash took at least a week to clear up and she hasn't been allowed to drink Powerade since.  She usually drinks water at the games and I had attributed the previous rash to the Powerade and not Gatorade.  I did a few internet searches looking for any similar stories and found none.  Has anyone ever heard of an allergy to sports drinks?
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Avatar universal
My son has developed the same exact thing you have described. He has also developed that same rash after drinking snapple.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't have any answers here, but I came across this conversation while looking for info about electrolyte allergies. My boyfriend is allergic to a "synthetic electrolyte" in sports drinks and nearly died twice from resulting anaphylaxis. He doesn't have much info on it because he was so young at the time.
Reading all of these fascinating comments, I'm disappointed to find that no one mentions allergies to the minerals (it seems impossible), but I do think some of the commenters may have the same ailment as my boyfriend. The young lady who suffered a terrible "asthma" attack may very well have gone into anaphylaxis herself.
I feel there is a conversation here that someone somewhere should be having and passing the information on to us all.
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1 Comments
Not sure there is such a thing as a "synthetic" electrolyte except insofar as whenever you take a supplement it is to an extent synthetic as it's not the way it occurs in food.  No nutrient exists in isolation, they are part of lots of other things in food, and the digestive process either puts it where it needs to be or it doesn't and you evacuate it.  When you make a supplement, you have to chelate it, meaning bind it to something that allows the body to absorb it (or with many chelates, not absorb it because it's a form the body can't use).  Meaning, if someone were truly allergic to electrolytes that person would be dead, because they are necessary to life and are present in most of the food we eat.  More likely he was allergic to something else in the particular drink he used, because pretty much all of them use tons of artificial ingredients (not to mention a ton of sugar) and are also flavored.  It's possible the chelation, not the mineral, caused the problem, but not likely.  So I'm guessing your boyfriend isn't at all allergic to electrolytes because, again, if he were, it would be an autoimmune disease that would prevent him from being alive.  The following are some electrolytes and maybe this will give you some insight into what I'm saying:  calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc.  As you can see, the human body can't exist without them.  On the other hand, magnesium bound with the oxide form isn't capable of being utilized by most people but you do find it in a lot of supplements because it's really cheap to make and I can imagine someone being allergic to the oxide form.  Calcium is often well absorbed by being bound to citric acid, or citrate, but again, I can imagine someone having an allergy to citrus foods.  Wouldn't be common, but could be.  What your boyfriend has to determine is exactly what of the many things in the drink caused the problem because it wasn't likely the minerals themselves.  Peace.
Avatar universal
This just happened to my daughter but she broke out all over her face and went in to a serious asthma attack. She drank blue gatorade very scary
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Avatar universal
It's the brominated vegetable oil in sports drinks. I have the allergy too. I think it's made with soy but it helps keep the flavors in suspension. I'd be willing to bet that if you find one of the flavors without it (ie, Ice Punch - in the kid's size bottles) you won't have the reaction. This stuff is used in some sodas too. Especially yellow ones
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Avatar universal
Ok I have a question I have the problems you listed when I drink sports drinks never have before but now do and I noticed that when I do its color is always present any idea on what I'm allergic to within the drink also never had any allergies before
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Avatar universal
Look up Photodermititis. My daughter is 5 and got the  deep rash with little spots on the outline of it. i took her to the dr and told her about the blue powerade. He said the blue dye and then exposure to the sun caused the rash
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Did he give her medication or did it clear up itself?
Avatar universal
This weekend, I gave my 5 year old daughter the clear mixed berry gatorade (thinking, it's clear, there's no dye).  I was mistaken.  Same thing, red dots on her upper lip in the shape of the top of the bottle.  Then the next day, it got darker and looks like it's bruised.  She's so embarrassed by it.  I feel bad.  Is there anything to help it go away soon?
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Avatar universal
I'm suffering from the same thing.  I have a sensitive stomach to begin with and this summer I really drank a lot of powerade working in the hot sun.  Even started drinking it with meals because I like the taste.  Almost anything I eat now gives me a burning feeling around my entire stomach and heartburn.  It even hurts when my stomach is empty.  A few months ago I also started getting hives on the front of my arms around the elbows.  This is what got me thinking about allergies.  I eat pretty much the same things all the time but powerade was the one 'new' thing in my diet.  I've been off it for 4 days now and think I might be starting to feel better.  I hope this is the cause and I hope my stomach can get back to normal now.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My husband was told that he was suffering from a sever case of an allergic reaction. His stomach was inflamed. We discovered that once he stopped drinking powerades and gatorades that the pain went from a 9 to a 2. He ate Chinese lo mean noodles with and egg roll with a packet of soy sauce. He said that what ever he ate "fired" up his stomach again. Any ideas as to what it could be? He never had problem before but working out in the field this summer he was downing 5-6 powerade and gatorade drinks a day! Please help me. Ps. Chinese resturant doesn't use msg.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Many varieties of Gatorade contain bromated soybean oil listed as modified food starch. :-(

http://blog.onespotallergy.com/2011/09/gatorade-allergy-alert/
Avatar universal
I'm allergic to sport drink . Every time I drink those drink my throat get swollen
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My 9 year old boy had a bottle of Cool Blue Powerade at lunch and a rash appeared shortly after. It is just as you explained on his upper lip in the shape of the top of the bottle. Did you put anything on your childs skin or give any medication. My son is fine, just a little embarrased about going to school tomorrow.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,

Yes, it is wise to just avoid all sports drink at this point. Food allergies usually present with diarrhea, stomach cramps and vomiting. Throat and mouth itchiness may also be noted. If there is a strong history of allergies or asthma in the family, it is best to have this evaluated further so you may know which triggers to avoid in the future.

Has the rash subsided already?

Ask your physician for the right medications to have at home in cases of an allergy.

Antihistamines are usually prescribed.

Here is a url which may help:

http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/foodallergy.stm
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The rash was on the upper lip only.  She did complain of a tummy ache but had no diarrhea or vomiting.

I never considered the bottle.. .thank you for pointing that out; however, I think we are just going to avoid sports drinks in general since she had had the same reaction to Powerade, as well.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,

Was the rash localized on her upper lip only?

Was there any associated diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting?

One thing to consider here is that your child may actually be allergic not to the beverage itself but to the bottle.

Has your daughter tried taking the drink through a glass or another container?

Nevertheless,I suggest that your daughter avoid this particular drink. Preventing allergic reactions is through avoiding the triggers.
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