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Causes of allergy and intolerance Please click on the links below to read our articles. If you are interested in research findings, click here for links to research reports.
Food families relevant in allergy. A helpful post on the Allergy Insight blog listing plant and fish food families. If you are allergic to one member of a family there is a greater likelihood that you may react to any food in that family - although you also may not. However, if you are unable to trace the cause of a new reaction, looking at the food family of your main allergen/s may come up with a link. August 2020 Allergens in toothpaste. A short post on the Allergy Insight blog about possible allergens in toothpastes. Toothpaste is classed as a cosmetic, not a food so does not have to declare food allergens other than in an INCI/Latin format. April 2019 Scratching the Skin Primes the Gut for Allergic Reactions to Food. Very interesting study suggesting that scratching the skin may trigger a series of immune responses culminating in an increased number of activated mast cells—immune cells involved in allergic reactions—in the small intestine. April 2019 Toxicant-induced Loss of Tolerance or TILT. Dr Claudia Miller at the University of Texas commented on a about oat and corn sensitivity with some information about the work that her group does with those who develop multi-system sensitivities, inlcuding food sensitivities, after being exposed to a major pollution event. January 2018 Allergy and Cross-reactivity – a new book by Sue Killian. 'An entirely new way of dealing with hypersensitivities of all sorts.' November 2017 Could man-made enzymes be the missing link in the allergy epidemic? Peter Alderman and Dr Thomas Bohner think that they could. Michelle Berriedale-Johnson elucidates. October 2017 Thinny Skinnies – Leaky skin: the cause of dermatitis, eczema and skin allergies? Micki Rose revises her excellent 2009 article looking at recent research and suggesting how you might deal with the problem. April 2017 Why the hygeine hypothesis is not the answer to allergies. Interesting article on the rise and fall of the hygeine hypothesis by Wiliam Parker, Associate Professor of Surgery, Duke University on The Conversation. Janury 2016 Plant cross reactivity and its fallout for allergy sufferers. Environmental biologist Sue Killian describes how so many of our plants are inter-related, not only with each other but with many of the foods that we eat. January 2016 Canadian researchers develop inhibitor peptide (STAT6-IP) which they hope will inhibit the action of the molecule STAT6 which is important in the sensitisation of the immune sytem to allergens. They hope it will direct the immune system away from the allergic response, no matter what the allergen. Research here; comment here. May 2015 Could the lack of fibre in modern diets be significant in the rise in allergic disease? March 2015 Allergy and Asthma Portal (AAP) – an online database and search engine developed to help uncover key risk factors in the development of asthma and allergies. October 2014 The Leaky Gut – Dr Janice Joneja. Part of a longer article on autism but relevant also to allergy and intolerance. November 2014 Interesting interview with Dr Robert Wood on the incidence of food allergies among inner city children. Septemebr 2014 Microbial Exposure and Onset of Allergic Diseases - Potential Prevention Strategies? May 2014 The Role of Epigenetics in the Development of Allergies by Marianne Marcheses ND in the Townsend Letter. May 2014 Why do allergies wax and wane with age? Interesting speculation by Brian Palmer on Slate.com. April 2014 Could ‘toxicant-induced loss-of tolerance', or TILT, resulting for 70 years of exposure to powerful yet untested-for-safety chemicals explain the 50% rise in allergies between 1997 and 2011? November 2013 Lack of breastfeeding is a key factor in autoimmune & allergy pandemic – Dr William Parker. September 2013 Priming the Gut: the Role of the Colonic Microflora in Food Allergy and Intolerance. Christine Edwards, Professor of Nutritional Physiology at the University of Glas Part of the annual Nutrition and Health Live event – November 2013 Food allergies in first 12 months after birth "programmed" at fetal stage. Discussions from the EAACI meeting in June 2013 Lyme disease appears to spark red-meat allergies. June 2013 Deficiency in the skin protein filaggrin may weaken skin barrier allowing microspcopic amounts of allergen such as milk, wheat, egg or fish to penetrate through the skin and influence the development of allergy. May 2013 New Zealand researchers identify a unique type of immune cell in the skin which appears to trigger allergy, initially in the skin as allergic eczema which can progress on to food and respiratory allergy. April 2013 Food allergy: an enigmatic epidemic. M. Cecilia Berin and Hugh A. Sampson, Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York May 2013 Mucosal Immunology of Food Allergy - A Review. Emerging evidence points to dietary factors and the microbiome as important modifiers of the mucosal immune environment, with a potential role in the development of inappropriate allergic sensitization to foods. May 2013 Allergy and inflammation. Lengthy investigation on the Dr Mercola site into inflammatory conditions, including allergy, all of which are thought to originate in the gut. March 2013 Strong association found between fast food and childhood asthma and allergies in massive new study of 400,000 children from 51 countries. The findings were consisitent across rich and poor countries and in both boys and girls. Research here; comment here. January 2013 Could the global decline in biodiversity and the rise of inflammatory diseases be linked? If the former is causing the latter, it presents a serious challenge for public health. November 2011 BSEM – Scientific conference in memory of the late Dr David Freed: Novelties and Controversies in Allergy and Hypersensitivity. July 2012 Barrier Breakdown: The Cause of Multiple Sensitivity? Nutritionist Micki Rose explains her theories about barrier breakdown in multiple sensitivity and how she believes the barriers can be repaired. June 2012 Xanthan gum – could it be a problem for food allergics and coeliacs? Michelle Berriedale-Johnson investigates. June 2012 The hapten hypothesis of atopic disease - from an article in Skin & Allergy News. October 2010 Ear infections – the food allergy connection. Courtesy of Latitudes. September 2010 Genetically modified soya beans may cause allergy. September 2010 SIgA Testing and Treatment. Nutritionist Micki Rose follows up Dr Albert Robbins recent SIgA article (see below) with some practical advice. September 2010 Food Allergy and IgA deficiency. Dr Albert Robbins, an allergist and environmental physician, looks at IgA deficiency in the context of food allergy and neurological conditions such as Tourette syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). August 2010 Clinical Guidelines for the avoidance of Allergy in Germany. 2009 Horizon allergy report: For those who did not see it, a report on the Horizon programme on allergies. by Micki Rose. 2009 Food Allergy: Science and Clinical practice: Report on a conference organised by the Allergy Research Foundation, by Cressida Langlands. 2009 Enzymes, the hidden extras: some enzymes used in industrial food production can be allergenic. Report by Ian Tokelove. 2008 Allergic to the smell of food: Sinnet Morch's story of reacting violently to the strong smells of foods. 2007 Idiopathic allergy: explaining what idiopathic anaphylaxis actually means, and what to do when diagnosed, by Dr Harry Morrow Brown. 2007 IgG and gastrointestinal disorders: Dr Anton Emmanuel outlines research into the possible role of food hypersensitivity as a cause of gastrointestinal diseases. 2007 Is your immune system confused? An exploration into how emotions and acquired habits might cause immune reactions, and how a little examination of one’s allergy and its origins might relieve the condition, by Rob Mesrie. 2007 Individual reactions for treatments: addressing the complicated question of individuality in allergic reaction. James Mallinson reports. 2006 |
Research Reports |
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There has been much interest in the role that the bacteria living in the gut (microbiota) might play in the development and potential treatment of food allergies. This study identified some interesting differences in the gut bacteria of infants who developed food allergies to those who did not. This warrants further investigation to understand more about the differences and potential causality of the relationship. The Role of Nutritional Aspects in Food Allergy: Prevention and Management. August 2017 Anti-allergic activity of glycyrrhizic acid (the sweet tasting constutent of liqurice root) on IgE-mediated allergic reaction by regulation of allergy-related immune cells. August 2017 Human Milk and Allergic Diseases: An Unsolved Puzzle. August 2017 Correlation between serum vitamin D status and immunological changes in children affected by gastrointestinal food allergy. July 2017 Clostridium difficile colonization and/or infection during infancy and the risk of childhood allergic diseases. May 2017 Regulatory T Cells in Allergy and Asthma May 2017 Genetic variation at the Th2 immune gene IL13 is associated with IgE-mediated paediatric food allergy. April 2017 Update on Timing and Source of 'Allergenic' Foods. March 2017 Detection of major food allergens in amniotic fluid: initial allergenic encounter during pregnancy. November 2016 Delivery by Caesarean section predisposes to development of food allergy but not atopic dermatitis in early childhood. February 2016 Current evidence summarised which shows that human mast cells play a central role at the GI barrier, both in health and disease. Febraury 2016 Could the food we eat affect our genes? Study in yeast suggests this may be the case. February 2016 Scientists find evidence for congenital food allergies in umbilical cord blood. January 2016 Food allergies developing after solid organ (liver, heart, lung, kidney, and intestinal) transplant. December 2015 Childbirth and consequent atopic disease: emerging evidence on epigenetic effects based on the hygiene and EPIIC (Epigenetic Impact of Childbirth) hypotheses. January 2016 The Role of Helminth Infection and Environment in the Development of Allergy: A Prospective Study of Newly-Arrived Ethiopian Immigrants in Israel. The increased allergy among immigrants one year after immigration may reflect the combined influence of the decreased helminth load as well asnovel environmental factors. January 2016 Current overview of allergens of plant pathogenesis related protein families. February 2014 Season of birth shapes neonatal immune function. October 2015 Dietary vegetable oils rich in n-6 PUFA may enhance the susceptibility to develop or sustain food allergy. August 2015 Significant clinical differences found between children with monosensitization and those with polysensitization to common food allergens. September 2015 New research suggests that, in allergy the immune system mistakes the proteins in environmental allergens (such as foods or pollen) for those in parastic worms which it is programmed to attack. Reseach here; comment here. October 2015 Second hand tobacco smoke exposure in infancy appears to increase the risk of sensitization to food allergens as well as eczema up to age 16 years. October 2015 Review of the human gastrointestinal microbiome, focusing on the theory and evidence for its role in the development of IgE-mediated food allergy and other allergic diseases. September 2015 Review of Environmental Impact on the Epigenetic Regulation of Atopic Diseases. June 2015 Primary prevention of allergy: will it soon become a reality? Three interventions discussed. October 2015 Maternal diet and its influence on the development of allergic disease. January 2015 Carrageenan, which causes both raised blood sugar levels and inflammation in animals, is found in sufficient quantities in most western diets to cause similar resuls in humans. September 2015 In a small, preliminary study, infants in households with furry pets were found to share some of the animals’ gut bacteria - possibly explaining why early animal exposure may protect against some allergies. September 2015 Key enzyme, A20, helps country kids ward off allergies and asthma. September 2015 Researchers successfully establish a causal relationship between exposure to so-called farm dust and protection against asthma and allergies. September 2015 Susceptibility to allergies reduced by increased production of regulatory T cells. September 2015 Allergy Therapeutics use a novel proteomic approach to understand the molecular fingerprint underpinning the causative agents of leading causes of allergy. August 2015 Carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80- induced gut microbiota alteration and gut barrier dysfunction in mice, resulting in weight gain, low-grade inflammation, and metabolic disorders. August 2015 Recent studies on correlations between food allergies and intestinal barrier functions. April 2015 Low vitamin D-binding protein levels increase risk for food allergy. August 2015 The chances of having a food allergy are significantly higher if you were born in the autumn or winter. July 2015 A summary of recent data on the epidemiologic link between sunlight (UVB) and food allergy, and evidence for and against a specific role for vitamin D status. August 2015 Increased intake of vegetable oil rich in n-6 PUFA enhances allergic symptoms and prevents oral tolerance induction in whey-allergic mice. July 2015 The association between primary IgE sensitization with respiratory symptoms to inhaled allergens and food allergy due to cross-reactive allergen components is important to assess in allergy practice. The use of molecular-based diagnosis improves the understanding of clinically relevant IgE sensitization to cross-reactive allergen components from aeroallergen sources and foods. June 2015 Exposure to traffic-related air pollution in the first year of life increases the risk of developing allergies to food, mould, pets and pests. May 2014 More evidence that antibiotics in infancy change gut bacteria and increase the likelihood of infectious diseases, allergies and autoimmune disorders in later life. May 2015 Molecular mimicry as a mechanism for food immune reactivities and autoimmunity. The mucosal immune system is constantly exposed to challenges from the antigenic substances found in food and released from the body's own microbial flora. The body's normal tolerance to friendly antigenic substances can be disrupted by disease, injury, shock, trauma, surgery, drugs, blood transfusion, environmental triggers, etc. When this happens, the ingestion of foods containing antigenic substances that have compositions similar to those of the body's autoantigens can result in the production of antibodies that react not only against the food antigens but also the body's own tissues. This response is known as food autoimmune reactivity. Professor Aristo Vojdani 2015 Oral tolerance and its relationship to food immunoreactivities. Professsor Vojdani describes the (1) importance of oral tolerance in maintaining homeostasis against bacterial toxins and food antigens; (2) way in which antigen-presenting cells (APCs), through their collaboration with effector T (TEFF) cells, T-helper (TH) cells, and regulatory T (TREG) cells, regulate the immune system to induce anergy or immune suppression; (3) the importance of various factors in the induction of oral tolerance and the consequences of its breakdown; and (4) the reasons why a disruption of oral tolerance to food antigens and bacterial toxins can result in autoimmunity. 2015 Sensitization to a food allergen is increased in mice that have been treated with antibiotics or are devoid of a commensal microbiota. September 2014 The composition of gut microbiota does not seem to be significantly different between atopic and healthy children, but lower abundance and prevalence of Akkermansia indicate that this bacterium may accompany or play a role in IgE-mediated atopic diseases. April 2015 Food allergens affect the intestinal tight junction permeability in inducing intestinal food allergy in rats. December 2014 Could prenatal stress affect the microbiota of the infant? January 2015 Could prenatal and postnatal supplementation of bifidobacteria be effective in primary preventing allergic diseases? July 2014 Review of Caesarean section and chronic immune disorders suggests that while C Section delivery increased the risk for asthma, systemic connective tissue disorders, juvenile arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, immune deficiencies, and leukemia there ws no assocatioation with type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, or celiac disease. October 2014 The gut microbiota and its role in the development of allergic disease: a wider perspective. December 2014 New studies suggest that estrogen may enhance the levels and activity of an enzyme that drives life-threatening allergic reactions – in mice. The study results may help explain why women frequently experience more severe allergic reactions compared to men. December 2014 Delivery mode (vaginal/caesarean) alters newborn's bacterial exposure and may suppress inflammatory response. December 2014 and Profilins are complete food allergens in food-allergic patient populations that are exposed to high levels of grass pollen. Observed reactions suggest that intake through the oral mucosa might constitute a relevant route of exposure to food allergens. October 2014 Food allergy related to specific primary immunodeficiency diseases. December 2014 Intestinal permeability - a new target for disease prevention and therapy. Review summarising the data that are accumulating emphasizing the important role of the intestinal barrier and intestinal permeability for health and disease. Stephan Bischoff and colleagues in BMC Gastroenterology. November 2014 Children up to 2 years of age with early-onset or severe atopic dermatitis/eczema are at higher risk of food allergy. January 2014 How microbial exposures can be associated with allergic immune responses. January 2014 Alterations in the gut microbiota composition are associated with food allergy. October 2014 Both active and passive smoking associated with a modest risk of increase in allergic disease, including food allergy, in children. March 2014 Review of recent findings regarding the importance of the microbiome/microbiota in the development of allergic diseases. October 2014 Epigenetics and development of food allergy (FA) in early childhood. September 2014 Environmental factors that play a role in the susceptibility/protection towards immune-mediated diseases beginning to shape the neonatal immunity in utero and direct the maturation in accordance with the surrounding microbial milieu. September 2014 CGRP, a neurotransmitter of enteric sensory neurons, contributes to the Breast feeding may not protect against food allergy but is associated with other health outcomes, including lower rates of ear, throat, and sinus infections and dietary habits that may have long-term health consequences. September 2014 Some antibiotics in early life may alter immunity long-term. August 2014 Clostridium bacteria may protect against food allergies. August 2014 Perinatal (immediately before and after birth) exposure to Bisphenal A (widely used in plastic including babies' bottles but claimed to be harmless although there have been concerns about its use for some years) coud increase the risk of developing food intolerance in adulthood. August 2014 Exposure to food allergens through inflamed skin promotes intestinal food allergy through the thymic stromal lymphopoietin-basophil axis. May 2014 Food allergens found in mattress dust may be an important source of allergen exposure. January 2014 Helminthic therapy and pregnancy with reference to the possibility of preventing allergy/autism in the child - an overview of the research on John Scott's blog. April 2014 More research suggests that children brought up on dairy farms have much lower incidence of allergy. June 2014 Increasing evidence suggests that perturbations in the intestinal microbiota composition of infants are implicated in the pathogenesis of food allergy. April 2014 A case for antibiotic perturbation of the microbiota leading to allergy development. November 2013 The Impact of Family History of Allergy on Risk of Food Allergy: A Population-Based Study of Infants. June 2014 Newborns exposed to dirt, dander, germs may have lower allergy, asthma risk. Benefits not found for older children. June 2014 Food allergy can be triggered by application of the food to broken skin. April 2014 If early microbial colonisation is delayed in mice, the gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) fail to develop, leading to persistent immune dysregulation. April 2014 Allergy and immune disorders can result from mutations in gene involved in sugar metabolism. March 2014 Children treated with gastric reflux drugs (GAS) more likely to develop food allergies. September 2013 Stress can worsen allergy symptoms. April 2014 Use of paracetamol in early life is a strong risk factor for allergic disease in childhood. April 2014 Antibiotic treatment induces gut fungal overgrowth which promotes allergic airway inflammation. January 2014 Evidence for a causal link between birth mode/birth order and allergy risk, via modulation of the microbiota composition. January 2014 Atopic dermatitis and disease severity are the main risk factors for food sensitization in exclusively breastfed infants. February 2014 Altered fecal microbiota composition associated with food allergy in infants. February 2014 Study suggests link between high vitamin D levels at pregnancy and pediatric allergy. 2013 The potential link between gut microbiota and IgE-mediated food allergy in early life. December 2013 Gender relevant in prevalence of allergy. November 2013 of treatment with antacid medication is associated with an increased prevalence of food allergy. May 2013 Endocrine disruptors found in food contaminants enhance allergic sensitization through an oxidative stress that promotes the development of allergic airway inflammation. September 2013 Hapten-chemical-atopy hypothesis III: the potential role of airborne chemicals. August 2013 Parental fat consumption can leave a "lard legacy" impacting their offspring’s microbiota and immunity. September 2013 Chronic worm infection in pregnant mothers appears to protect the child from eczema and wheeze. May 2011 An infant diet consisting of high levels of fruits, vegetables, and home-prepared foods is associated with less food allergy by the age of 2 years. July 2013 History of treatment with antacid medication is associated with an increased prevalence of food allergy. May 2013 First direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency may be an important protective factor for food allergy in the first year of life. April 2013 Eczema may play a key role in the development of food allergy in infants. July 2013 Children with high proportions of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in cord blood at birth are more likely to develop respiratory and skin allergies in their early teens. July 2013 Transgenes used to develop GM crops show close links with certain allergens Hev b 10 and Cap a 1w, and links with a number of others. February 2012 Australian children with Low Vitamin D levels at age one are three times more likely to develop allergies. March 2013 Foreign-born children who did not have allergies when they arrived became more likely to develop them after 10 years of residence in the US. February 2013 Babies born by C-section five time more likely to develop allergies by the age of two. February 2013 Triclosan - an antibacterial chemical found in toothpaste and other products - can contribute to an increased risk of allergy development in children. November 2012 High levels of dichlorophenols, a chemical used in pesticides and to chlorinate water, may weaken food tolerance in some people, causing food allergies. December 2012 Western diet is changing the gut bacteria of developed nations, which is causing an increase in allergy. September 2012 Food allergies more common in the city. June 2012 Amish farm children freer from allergies even than Swiss farm children. June 2012 Intestinal lymphoid nodular hyperplasia in children and its the relationship to food hypersensitivity. May 2012 Excess hygiene may weaken developing immune systems. March 2012 Allergic to cold? It is a real condition. January 2012 Dirt prevents allergy. November 2011 Allergy fears from new and GM foods. June 2011 Allergens transferred in blood more common than previously thought. June 2011 Allergic reactions enhanced by mobile phone use. May 2011 When it comes to certain allergies, birth order matters. March 2011 Semen allergy suspected in rare post-orgasm illness. January 2011 The consumption of fish in infancy and living on a farm both signficantly reduce the incidence of allergic disease in children. June 2010 Climate change grows more allergen-producing plants and fungi – rising CO2, temperatures can raise allergen levels. November 2010 Foetal development in the womb can affect a child’s chances of developing allergies or wheezing. October 2010 Children, males and blacks are at increased risk for food allergies. October 2010 Parasites may protect against allergies – the hygiene hypothesis vindicated. December 2010 Molecule that could ‘turn on’ allergy discovered. January 2010 Microbes help mothers protect children from allergies. December 2009 Dirt helps broken skin to heal and reduces allergic response. November 2009 Excess omega 6 fatty acids really do cause allergy. September 2009 Early herpes infection may protect against allergies? September 2009 Smoking prevents allergies! September 2009 Transplanting allergies. September 2009 Cystitis linked with food allergy. September 2009 A possible link between obesity and allergies in children. May 2009 Massive Indian study seeks cause for allergy in modern life. July 2009 Farm bacteria may help mothers protect their children from allergies. 2009 Henna tattoos can cause allergic reactions. September 2008 Birch pollen/soya cross-reactivity. July 2008 Permanent makeup: solution or nightmare? June 2008 Toxic shower curtains. September 2008 Relatedness of animal and human proteins and allergy. December 2007 Nut allergy passed in blood transfusion. July 2007 Antibiotics and Allergies. May 2006 Fatty foods may cause higher allergy risk. May 2006 The proteins we react to. July 2004
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