P.M. BRIEFING : Some Found Allergic to Psyllium
BOSTON — Psyllium, a cereal grain that is supposed to do wonders for a person’s cholesterol count, may spark a life-threatening allergic reaction, according to a letter to be published in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Martin J. Kaplan of Highland Park, Ill., said a 43-year-old patient developed an allergic reaction shortly after eating Kellogg’s “Heartwise†cereal, which contains psyllium. Her face, eyes, mouth and tongue swelled, and she coughed and vomited before fainting.
The woman, a nurse, recovered in a local hospital.
In a response to the letter, a Kellogg official acknowledged that “there have been approximately 50 reported allergic reactions to the product.â€
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