Study finds peanut allergy can be ‘cured’

Study finds peanut allergy can be ‘cured’

You might have seen in the news recently, reports of six year old Emily, who can now live out her life long dream of going to birthday parties and eating birthday cake thanks to a medical study she took part in that has helped her with her peanut allergies.

The study has shown that peanut allergies can be beaten with a treatment that slowly builds up tolerance. None of nearly 500 four- to 17-year-olds from the US and Europe could tolerate even a 10th of a peanut dose, but after taking tiny daily doses for a year, two-thirds could tolerate at least two whole peanuts, meaning that foods previously off limits to them, are now safe for them to eat.

Emily can now tolerate about seven peanuts, which means she can safely eat foods even if they may contain traces of peanut.

Speaking to reporters, Emily’s family told a story that is familiar to anyone who has a food intolerance, the constant stress of checking and double checking food labels to make sure that there was no chance that any trace of peanuts could get into her diet. For anyone who doesn’t have a peanut allergy, it can be shocking just how many foods you can find traces of peanuts and nuts, everything from cakes, biscuits and ice cream can contain trace amounts which could cause a life threatening reaction.

Doctors in the UK have said that the results of this trial are promising and offers hope that children with allergies can be protected from severe reactions from accidentally ingesting small amounts of peanuts. The number of children being diagnosed with peanut allergies in the UK has more than doubled over the past two decades, so studies such as this are good news for families.

The study worked by randomly assigning participants into groups that either received capsules of peanut protein or a placebo, the amount was gradually increased to cause a tolerance. After seeing such positive results, the findings could help allergy suffers all over the country.

Ignyte Ltd. Reg number 7125489. Registered in England and Wales. Registered address: Bathway Farm, Bathway, Chewton Mendip, Somerset, BA3 4LN | Refund Policy | Privacy Policy | Payment Terms