Why can't some people eat broad beans? Will they suffer from favism for the rest of their lives?

Broad beans belong to the pea family. They can be stir-fried or made into fried food. They are delicious and crispy. However, some people cannot eat broad beans because they have favism. This is a genetic disease that will follow you for a lifetime. It cannot be completely cured, but you can avoid it by paying more attention to your daily life.

Why can't some people eat broad beans?

This is actually a genetic problem, mainly caused by abnormal G6PD gene on X chromosome, which can cause glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Symptoms of acute hemolysis after eating broad beans or contacting related drugs are commonly known as "favism". Favism is an X-chromosome recessive genetic disease. Statistically speaking, more boys are affected than girls.

People with favism will develop hemolytic anemia about 2 days (in fact, it ranges from a few hours to 15 days) after eating broad beans or coming into contact with broad bean pollen. In mild cases, they will experience dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, etc. In severe cases, electrolyte imbalance in the body will cause organ failure.

Is favism lifelong?

Favism is a genetic disease and therefore cannot be cured. Treatment can only be symptomatic and prevention is required on a daily basis.

Symptomatic treatment

Stay away from triggering factors. If you have accidentally eaten broad beans, you need to induce vomiting or gastric lavage;

Blood transfusion: For patients with more severe symptoms, blood transfusion is needed to replenish blood volume;

Hormone therapy: For severe symptoms such as fever, shock, coma, etc., dexamethasone may be considered;

Dialysis treatment: For those with symptoms of kidney failure, dialysis treatment is used.

(Some contents require guidance from medical staff)

Daily prevention

Avoid eating broad beans or related products, and stay away from broad bean pollen;

Stay away from mothballs containing naphthalene;

Do not take medicines at will: for example, sulfonamides and quinolines can cause symptoms of hemolytic anemia.

Which test can detect favism?

1. Conduct a pre-marital check-up to find out in advance whether the couple is deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). If deficient, a blood test must be done after the newborn is born.

2. You can take your child to the hospital for blood, bone marrow, urine and other examinations to check whether the child has favism.