A pioneering study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health offers new hope to people with peanut allergies. The research suggests that it may be possible to reduce the severity of allergic reactions to peanuts, mostly when some allergic to these legumes accidentally eat it.
They conducted the study with the help of 175 children with peanut allergies from aged four to 17. But researchers warn that this does not mean that the people with peanut allergies will not have any allergic reactions anymore. But instead, the symptoms will only lessen.
Peanut Allergies
Peanut allergy reactions occur when the body mistakenly identifies peanuts as harmful substances. The immune system, the body's natural defense system which fights diseases and infections, overreacts when peanuts are ingested, which causes severe and sometimes life-threatening response.
It is the leading cause of food-related anaphylaxis in the United States, with approximately 6.1 million people suffering from a peanut allergy. According to a 2017 study, the numbers soared in recent decades, roughly about a 21 percent increase since 2010.
What happens when a person allergic to peanuts accidentally ingest them? The immune system then overreacts by sending chemicals, including histamine, into the bloodstream to counter the mistaken intruder.
These chemicals can affect different tissues such as the skin, eyes, nose, airways, lungs, intestinal tract, and blood vessels. However, it is not clear why peanuts trigger an allergic response in some people.
Symptoms of a peanut allergy could vary from mild to severe that could start a few minutes to a few hours after eating peanuts. These people may have a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis, which leads to breathing and swallowing problems, vomiting and diarrhea, swelling of lips, tongue, throat, and other parts of the body, and loss of consciousness.
Anaphylaxis could result in death if not treated immediately and could occur a few minutes or hours after ingesting peanuts.
Read Also: Do You Have An Adult Onset Allergy? Here's Why
Promising Results of Treatment Research
The pioneering new study on peanut allergy treatment called the Artemis trial is undertaken at hospitals in Europe, which involved 175 people with peanut allergies from ages four to 17. The participants were given either increasing amounts of peanut allergen protein of a placebo every day.
Participants in the experimental group are given a slightly higher dose every two weeks for six months, before maintaining the dosage for three months.
The results of the trials show that around 58 percent of the participants on the group who received peanut protein could tolerate at least three to four peanuts by the end of the experiment compared to just two percent in the placebo group.
The researchers concluded that their experiment led to rapid desensitization to peanut. Still, they warn people that it does not mean that those with peanut allergies can now eat a spoonful of peanut butter. However, the results suggest that allergic reactions can be reduced, especially when they accidentally consume peanuts.
James Redman, 12, one f the participants in the study, said that he can now tolerate eating up to seven peanuts after suffering severe reactions to peanut proteins. He even said it was an excellent experience for him, and he hopes that the study could lead to treatments so that people like him could benefit from it.
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