Food Allergies: Treatment or Cure?
Oral Immunotherapy Offers Hope for a Cure
Oral immunotherapy is an experimental treatment for food allergies. Small amounts of powdered food proteins fed to food allergic patients increase their tolerance.
Many readers know our food supply is in a precarious state. We're not sure about eating fresh spinach, how or where our fish should be raised; we're even unsure what to feed our pets. In short, we are not in control of our food supply. It's not a healthy position for the consumer, but for those with food allergies, who must avoid certain ingredients that are supposed to be clearly labeled, grocery shopping can be a dangerous guessing game.
Oral Immunotherapy: A Potential Cure
Oral immunotherapy offers the 6-8% of children and 2% of adults who live with food allergies hope for a cure, according to the Consortium of Food Allergy Research. Immunotherapy usually involves injecting the patient with an allergan to desensitize them to the substance, such as dust or pollen. However, this method is not effective for food allergies. Oral immunotherapy gives the food allergic patient escalating amounts of powdered food protein mixed with other food. In early 2006, some promising results have emerged from small studies challenging peanut, egg, and dairy allergies. The studies have involved children with these allergies to reduce the risk of a reaction should they inadvertently ingest one of the offending foods.
The First Peanut Allergy Trial
In February 2007, Dr. Scott D. Nash of Duke University described the very first trial of oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy in an article for WebMD Medical News. In this study, eight peanut-allergic children spent one day at the medical center, where increasing doses of peanut protein were given throughout the day. Patients then completed a "home phase", during which daily doses were gradually increased. The final phase was an 18-month home maintenance phase with a daily dose of 300 mg, roughly one peanut. Seven children completed this portion of the study, after which they were given a food challenge to peanut flour, exposing them to the equivalent of more than 13 peanuts. Five of the seven tolerated this level. Dr. Nash concluded, "Immune system changes from the start to the end of the study showed growing tolerance to the peanut protein." Although the goal is to eliminate the allergy, the results are very promising, as Nash states, "We have essentially proven they can tolerate an accidental ingestion. We think our patients are now at reduced risk for anaphylaxis." A similar egg study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in 2006 achieved similar results.
These findings are no small matter! If you, or your child(ren) live with food allergies, you no doubt understand their importance. The results of oral immunotherapy not only offer hope for a cure, but the increased tolerance and reduced risk of anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction), gives parents a small, yet vital sense of relief as we leave these vulnerable, young children at daycare centers and schools. Not to mention the terrifying prospect of these children becoming risk-taking teenagers and young adults who neglect to report their eating habits to their close friends and dating partners!
Alas, maybe we'll see improvements in our food supply, but until then, we must educate ourselves, change our food-buying habits, and support further research.
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