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What causes salicylate intolerance?

range of foods than cause salicylate intolerance

What are salicylates?

Salicylates are naturally occurring chemicals produced by plants that help to protect them against disease, highly concentrated in a range of fruits and vegetables. When salicylate intolerance occurs, it can cause them to build up in the body and trigger salicylate sensitivity.

Salicylate food list

a bowl of strawberries - which are a high salicylate food - sitting on a table

  • Fruits – all fruits (in varying degrees) except bananas, limes & pears
  • Vegetables – all vegetables (in varying degrees) except cabbage (white/green), celery, lettuce and potatoes
  • Some oils – especially coconut and olive oil
  • Beverages – fruit juices, teas, coffee and flavoured soft drinks
  • Processed and canned meats and fish
  • Most herbs & spices

They are also created synthetically for use in personal care products like toothpaste, shampoo, medications (e.g. aspirin) and cleaning products.

Salicylates occur in a wide range of foods, in varying degrees. To obtain a full salicylate food list please fill in the form below:

Request Salicylate Food List

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Salicylate intolerance & sensitivity

man with salicylate intolerance keeling over with stomach pain

Salicylate intolerance occurs when there is a build-up of salicylates which are not being metabolised or ‘flushed out’ of the body properly. Because of this excess build up, reactions to salicylates can develop, resulting in salicylate sensitivity.

Symptoms of salicylate sensitivity can include:

Many people report only experiencing salicylate sensitivity symptoms after consuming a larger amount (usually over a couple of days) because they’ve exceeded their tolerance “threshold”.

Some also only notice flare-ups when they consume smaller amounts but alongside other allergy symptoms, because their histamine levels are already heightened. But for those who are highly sensitive, even small amounts of high salicylate foods can result in symptoms.

What causes salicylate intolerance?

Liver enzyme issues
Liver enzymes (namely phenolsulfotransferase-P) and sulphates usually easily break down salicylates.

Therefore, it can result in a build-up of salicylates in the body when these are below normal levels. In fact, studies have found that children on the Autism Spectrum have low levels of this enzyme, which may help explain why many of these children tend to have salicylate sensitivity.

Leaky gut syndrome
Leaky gut is a condition where the gut lining becomes porous or ‘holey’, which allows foreign pathogens (like salicylates) to enter the bloodstream.

As we know, salicylates are prevalent in many foods. So, when salicylate particles are allowed to enter the bloodstream repeatedly, it can trigger an immune response and lead to salicylate sensitivity.

Managing salicylate sensitivity

lady shaping her fingers into a love heart over her navel, which has a flower in it
Salicylate sensitivity can result from salicylate intolerance, so there are a few things you can try to help manage your symptoms:

  • Support your salicylate metabolism – Boosting your intake of vitamins B1, B2, B5 and B6, omega three fats, zinc and magnesium,  because they can help your body produce the sulphate your liver enzymes need to flush out excess salicylates.
  • Repairing leaky gut – the naturopathic ‘heal and seal‘ approach aims to restore the gut lining to help prevent salicylate particles from leaking into the bloodstream.
  • Reduce your exposure – limit foods (refer to salicylate food list) and products high in salicylates (e.g. sunscreen, chlorine and mosquito spray)
  • Positive Association Technique (PAT) – PAT is a non-invasive, natural allergy treatment which aims to reduce reactions to food and environmental substances like salicylates.

Natural allergy treatment

At Health & Wellness Australia & Auckland (HWA), our Naturopaths use a form of muscle testing (kinesiology) to help pinpoint the substances triggering your child’s allergy symptoms. Following this, we perform a natural allergy treatment called Positive Association Technique (PAT), which aims to reduce their reactions and symptoms.

Positive Association Technique (PAT) is:

  • performed by qualified Naturopaths
  • draws on kinesiology and acupressure techniques
  • aims to re-train your body to minimise reactions to substances like salicylates
  • Send our Practitioners a Question HERE
  • Request a FREE PAT Information E-PACK HERE

 

Please note this blog is general information only. Always consult your healthcare professional before making any diet or lifestyle changes

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