Although most people associate “allergies” with seasonal allergies, food allergies, or allergies to other environmental sources, such as molds or animals, there are times when people experience symptoms that are not caused by these usual suspects. Allergies occur when your body triggers an immune response based on something you’ve encountered. It is not known why our bodies mistake certain items as a threat, but it is believed that genetics play a large role.
Because allergic reactions are simply the immune response to a substance, it’s theoretically possible to be allergic to anything. Some not-so-common allergies include: cotton, leather, antihistamines (the medication that’s suppose to stop an allergic reaction), ibuprofen, iron, testosterone, adhesives, and more. There have even been cases of people being allergic to water.
So how far can we take this? Is it possible for some to be “allergic to the sun” ? Well… yes! Our bodies produce vitamin D when exposed to the sun, and it’s very possible to be allergic to be allergic to Vitamin D, or any other vitamin. Even if you take vitamin D out of the picture, someone could still be allergic to the ultraviolet rays the sun produces. This is known as photosensitivity.
Even further: could someone be allergic to oxygen?…. This is where it can get controversial. Some would say that you can be allergic to air, but only because of the pollution in the air, or something else floating around, but not pure oxygen. Others might say that it’s possible to be allergic to oxygen, but not to the extent where it is life threatening or bothersome. As far as we can tell, there has never been a reported case of anyone being allergic to oxygen. But, that’s not to say it could never happen.
So, maybe no one has ever been allergic to oxygen, but just about everything else has the potential to cause an allergic reaction. If you ever find yourself wondering “am I allergic to____?” The answer is…. maybe.