Alpha-gal syndrome is an allergy to meat and other products from mammals, and in Australia it is usually triggered by a paralysis tick bite. Reactions often come hours after eating, which is why so many people go years without a diagnosis. Australian doctors usually call it mammalian meat allergy (MMA).
This guide covers what it is, how it’s diagnosed here, how to stay safe around ticks, and where acupuncture and SAAT fit alongside your medical care.
I’m the first practitioner in Australia trained and certified in SAAT (Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment) by its developer, Dr Nader Soliman. I practise in Ballina, in the middle of paralysis tick country, and people travel to see me from all along the east coast, from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane down to Sydney and the South Coast.
Key points
- Alpha-gal is a sugar found in most mammals. Some people become allergic to it after a tick bite.
- In Australia the main trigger is the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus), found along the east coast from north Queensland to northern Victoria.
- CSIRO reports that national case numbers have grown by about 22% a year since 2020.
- Reactions usually start 2 to 6 hours after eating mammal meat, so many happen overnight.
- A blood test for alpha-gal specific IgE, ordered by your GP, can help confirm it.
- Avoiding further tick bites matters most. Freeze ticks, don’t squeeze them.
In this guide: What is alpha-gal? · Alpha-gal in Australia · Symptoms · Acupuncture and SAAT · A Chinese medicine view · Foods and hidden sources · Getting tested · Tick removal · Medical treatment · FAQs
What Is Alpha-Gal Syndrome?
Alpha-gal (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) is a sugar molecule found in the meat and tissues of most mammals. Humans don’t make it, so the immune system can learn to see it as foreign.
A tick bite can expose your immune system to alpha-gal. In some people this leads to IgE antibodies against it. After that, eating beef, lamb, pork, kangaroo or other mammal products can set off an allergic reaction.
In Australia it’s usually called mammalian meat allergy (MMA). You may also see red meat allergy or tick-induced meat allergy. They all describe the same thing.
Alpha-Gal in Australia
The link between tick bites and red meat allergy was first reported in Australia by Sydney immunologist Dr Sheryl van Nunen, and Australia has some of the highest reported rates in the world.
The main tick involved is the eastern paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus). It lives along the east coast, from north Queensland through New South Wales to northern Victoria.
In 2026 CSIRO published early findings from the first national surveillance of MMA, using anonymous testing data from four major pathology providers:
- National case numbers have climbed by about 22% a year since 2020.
- The highest rates are on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, a long-recognised hotspot.
- The Northern Rivers, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast hinterlands, and the Shoalhaven and South Coast are disproportionately affected compared with other coastal regions.
- In some tick-prone regions, rates exceed 700 cases per 100,000 people.
Those regions match where my alpha-gal patients come from. Gardeners, bushwalkers, farm workers and dog owners in tick country are regularly exposed.
Not everyone who is bitten develops alpha-gal, and not everyone with the antibodies has symptoms, so the true number of people affected is unclear. Repeated bites appear to increase the risk.
Tick allergy is different. Some Australians react to the tick bite itself, with swelling or even anaphylaxis at the time of the bite. That is a separate allergy to tick proteins, though some people have both.
Symptoms of Alpha-Gal Syndrome
The delay is what makes alpha-gal hard to spot. Most food allergies cause symptoms within minutes. Alpha-gal reactions usually start 2 to 6 hours after eating, sometimes longer. A steak at dinner can mean waking at 2am with hives.
- Skin: hives, itching, flushing, swelling of the lips, face or eyelids
- Gut: stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, reflux. Some people only get gut symptoms, which are easily mistaken for IBS.
- Breathing: throat tightness, wheeze, cough
- Circulation: dizziness, a racing heart, feeling faint
Reactions can vary from one meal to the next. Fattier meats, offal and larger serves tend to cause stronger reactions. Exercise, alcohol and anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as ibuprofen) can make a reaction more likely or more severe.
For the full picture, including the gut-only version, a symptom checklist and why reactions so often hit overnight, see my guide to alpha-gal symptoms in Australia.
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. Signs include difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, a hoarse voice, wheeze or collapse. Call 000. If you have an adrenaline autoinjector, use it as your ASCIA action plan directs.
Acupuncture and SAAT for Alpha-Gal
SAAT (Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment) is an ear acupuncture technique developed by Dr Nader Soliman. A very fine needle is placed at a specific point on the ear and left in for about three weeks.
What the research shows so far
The evidence is early. The only published study is a 2021 case series from two US clinics that reviewed 137 people with alpha-gal treated with SAAT. Most of those who could be followed up reported that their symptoms had settled, and no adverse reactions were recorded.
That’s encouraging, but it can’t tell us how well SAAT works. There was no comparison group, the results were self-reported, and Dr Soliman was one of the authors. The researchers themselves call for proper prospective trials. I tell every patient the same thing before we start.
How I use it
SAAT is one option to discuss with your own doctor, not a replacement for avoidance, your action plan or your immunologist. Many people I see also have gut problems, fatigue, poor sleep or ongoing skin reactions, so I often combine SAAT with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to support how you feel day to day.
Considering SAAT for alpha-gal?
Treatment details, how to prepare, costs and travel information for patients coming from Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sydney.
A Chinese Medicine View of Alpha-Gal
Chinese medicine doesn’t have a name for alpha-gal, but it describes patterns that often show up in people who have it:
- Weak Wei Qi (defensive Qi): a defensive system that over-reacts, seen in hives and sensitivity to triggers
- Spleen and Stomach disharmony: bloating, loose stools, nausea and fatigue after eating
- Heat in the Blood: red, hot, itchy skin and flushing
- Wind-Heat: sudden, moving itch and swelling
A consultation looks at your symptoms, tongue and pulse to work out which patterns fit you, and treatment is tailored from there. Read more about Spleen Qi deficiency and Gu syndrome and ticks.
Foods and Hidden Sources of Alpha-Gal
Anything from a mammal can contain alpha-gal. Sensitivity differs between people: many react only to meat, while others also react to dairy or gelatine. Work out your own limits with your doctor.
| Usually avoid | Can react in some people | Usually safe |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, lamb, pork, veal, goat, venison, rabbit, kangaroo, offal (organ meats are often stronger) | Milk, cheese, cream, butter, gelatine, lard, tallow, meat stocks, carrageenan (407) | Chicken, turkey, duck, fish, seafood, eggs, plant foods |
Easy-to-miss sources
- Gelatine: lollies, marshmallows, jelly, some yoghurts and desserts
- Hidden meat and fat: stocks, gravies, pork casings on chicken sausages, pastry made with lard
- Medicines: gelatine capsules, some vaccines, and some medicines made from animal tissue, such as heparin. Tell every doctor, dentist and pharmacist you have alpha-gal.
- Cooking fumes: some very sensitive people react to the smell of meat cooking, such as at barbecues.
Check with your pharmacist before starting any new medicine or supplement, and read labels for gelatine and animal-derived ingredients.
What else do people with alpha-gal react to? In a 2026 US survey of 562 people with alpha-gal, the three most common other allergies they reported were dairy (14%), medicines (11%) and carrageenan (11%). “Medicines” means people said they had reacted to a medicine without naming which one. That’s easy to do with alpha-gal, because many tablets and capsules contain hidden animal-derived ingredients, such as gelatine capsules or lactose, and it’s hard to tell which part caused the reaction. Ask your pharmacist to check any new medicine for you.
Watch out for carrageenan in vegan products. Carrageenan (407, 407a) is a seaweed thickener that some people with alpha-gal react to. It doesn’t come from mammals, but ASCIA advises caution, and it’s in many of the vegan cheeses, plant milks and desserts people switch to after a diagnosis. Carrageenan and alpha-gal: what the evidence says
How Is Alpha-Gal Diagnosed in Australia?
- See your GP. Describe the delay between eating and symptoms, and any tick bites. The delay is the clue most often missed.
- Blood test. Your GP can order an alpha-gal specific IgE blood test (sometimes listed as “galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose IgE”).
- Specialist referral. A clinical immunologist or allergist can interpret results alongside your history, give you an ASCIA action plan, and decide whether you need an adrenaline autoinjector.
A positive test on its own doesn’t prove alpha-gal is causing your symptoms, and levels can change over time. Diagnosis combines the test with your history.
Tick Removal and Prevention
Avoiding more tick bites is the most important thing you can do. Further bites can make the allergy worse, and some research suggests antibody levels may fall over time when bites are avoided.
Freeze it, don’t squeeze it
Australian allergy experts, including ASCIA, recommend killing a tick where it is rather than pulling it out:
- Spray the tick with an ether-containing freeze spray (available from pharmacies). This kills it.
- Wait for it to drop off, or gently brush it off once it has died.
- Don’t pull it with tweezers, squeeze it or disturb it. Squeezing can inject more tick saliva.
- For tiny ticks (larvae and nymphs, often called grass ticks), a permethrin cream can be used. Ask your pharmacist.
- If you have a known tick allergy, keep the tick in place, freeze it and seek medical help.
Reduce your exposure
- Wear long sleeves and tuck long pants into socks in bush and long grass. Light colours make ticks easier to see.
- Use a repellent containing DEET or picaridin on skin, and consider permethrin-treated clothing.
- Check yourself, children and pets after time outdoors, especially behind the ears, the hairline, armpits and waistband.
- Put outdoor clothes through a hot dryer to kill hidden ticks.
- Keep lawns short and leaf litter cleared around the house.
The Tick-induced Allergies Research and Awareness group (TiARA) has detailed Australian advice.
Medical Treatment for Alpha-Gal
There is currently no cure for alpha-gal syndrome. Standard care in Australia focuses on:
- Avoiding mammal meat and any other products you react to
- An ASCIA action plan, and an adrenaline autoinjector if prescribed
- Antihistamines for milder symptoms, as advised by your doctor
- Avoiding further tick bites
Your GP and immunologist should stay at the centre of your care. Acupuncture, SAAT and Chinese herbal medicine sit alongside that care, never in place of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does acupuncture work for alpha-gal?
The evidence is limited. One 2021 case series of 137 people treated with SAAT ear acupuncture found most of those followed up reported their symptoms had settled, but it had no comparison group, so we can’t yet say how well it works. Acupuncture is a complementary option to discuss with your doctor.
Is kangaroo meat safe with alpha-gal?
No. Kangaroo is a mammal and contains alpha-gal, so it’s treated the same as beef or lamb.
Can I eat chicken and fish?
Yes. Birds and fish don’t contain alpha-gal, so unless you have a separate allergy, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs are usually safe. Watch for processed products with pork casings, beef stock or gelatine.
Is vegan food safe with alpha-gal?
Vegan food contains no mammal ingredients, so it has no alpha-gal. But many vegan cheeses, plant milks and desserts contain carrageenan, a seaweed thickener some people with alpha-gal react to. Read more about carrageenan and alpha-gal.
Does alpha-gal ever go away?
For some people antibody levels fall over months to years, especially if they avoid further tick bites. Others stay sensitive. Only reintroduce foods under your immunologist’s guidance.
Why do I react only sometimes?
The amount and fat content of the meat, plus cofactors like exercise, alcohol and anti-inflammatory painkillers, all affect whether a reaction happens and how strong it is.
I’ve been bitten by a tick. Will I get alpha-gal?
Most people bitten by a tick don’t develop alpha-gal. Remove ticks safely by freezing them, and see your GP if you develop delayed reactions after eating meat.
Does acupuncture replace my adrenaline autoinjector or diet?
No. Keep following your medical plan, carry any prescribed medication and keep avoiding your triggers. Never reintroduce foods or stop medicines without your doctor’s advice.
Do I need a diagnosis before booking?
A blood test result helps, but you don’t need one to book. If you haven’t been tested, I’ll recommend seeing your GP as part of your care.
Living with alpha-gal on the east coast?
Book an initial consultation in Ballina to talk through your symptoms and whether Chinese medicine or SAAT could support your care.
Book a consultationSAAT for alpha-gal
SAAT is a complementary approach and doesn’t replace allergy testing or emergency care.
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About the author
Eric Higashino, B.H.Sc. (Chinese Medicine), is an AHPRA-registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner (CMR0002758292) and AACMA member. He practises at Kentro Health, 18 Cherry St, Ballina NSW. See also: acupuncture for tick-borne illness and SAAT for MCAS.
Last updated November 2026
References
- Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). Mammalian meat allergy and tick allergy FAQ.
- CSIRO (2026). Ticked off: how a bite can turn meat against you.
- van Nunen SA, et al. Association between tick bite reactions and red meat allergy in humans. Med J Aust. 2009;190(9):510-511.
- Commins SP, et al. Delayed anaphylaxis, angioedema, or urticaria after consumption of red meat in patients with IgE antibodies specific for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;123(2):426-433.
- Uchi, Hughes, Nourian, Meinholz, et al. Carrageenan: a non-mammalian allergen in alpha-gal syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2026 (abstract). doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2025.12.676.
- Bernal M, Huecker M, Shreffler J, Mittel O, Mittel J, Soliman N. Successful treatment for alpha gal mammal product allergy using auricular acupuncture: a case series. Med Acupunct. 2021;33(5):343-348. PubMed 35003502.
- Tick-induced Allergies Research and Awareness (TiARA). tiara.org.au.