IgA Deficiency: What It Is, How It Affects You, and What You Can Do

When your body doesn’t make enough IgA deficiency, a condition where the immune system lacks sufficient immunoglobulin A, the antibody that lines your respiratory and digestive tracts. Also known as selective IgA deficiency, it’s the most common primary immune disorder—yet many people live with it without ever knowing.

This isn’t just about getting sick more often. IgA deficiency means your first line of defense—your mucous membranes—is weak. That’s why people with it often get repeated sinus infections, ear infections, bronchitis, or gastrointestinal bugs. It’s also linked to allergies, celiac disease, and autoimmune conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Your body might start attacking itself because it can’t properly filter out harmless substances. And yes, some people with IgA deficiency react badly to blood transfusions or IVIG treatments because their immune system sees IgA as a foreign invader.

It’s not something you can fix with a pill, but you can manage it. Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics, staying up to date on vaccines (except live ones if advised), and paying attention to gut health can make a real difference. Many people with mild cases never need treatment—just awareness. Others work with immunologists to track patterns in their infections and find hidden triggers. It’s not rare, but it’s often missed. If you’ve had the same infections over and over, or if you’ve been told you’re "just prone to illness," IgA deficiency might be the missing piece.

In the posts below, you’ll find real-world insights on how IgA deficiency connects to other conditions like celiac disease, recurrent respiratory infections, and immune-related skin issues. You’ll see how it overlaps with treatments for allergies, gut inflammation, and autoimmune triggers. No fluff. Just clear, practical connections between what you’re experiencing and what science says about your immune system.