Long-term study from the USA
Peanuts are said to relieve children from nut allergy
1/21/2022 8:33 am
It sounds paradoxical: the regular addition of peanuts to the diet of small children is said to be able to alleviate their nut allergy. A new study suggests so. Significantly fewer harmful reactions are recorded with the daily administration of peanut protein powder. However, some subjects suffer allergic shocks.
Including peanuts in young children’s diets may reduce allergies to legumes, according to a new US study. According to the long-term study published in the US journal The Lancet, the gradual introduction of peanut products into the diet of allergic children led to greater tolerance to common allergies. “Finding safe and effective treatment options is critical to improving the quality of life of these children,” said study co-author Wesley Burks of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
A total of 146 children between the ages of zero and three years with peanut allergy took part in the study. The researchers studied how adding peanuts to their diet affected their allergic response over a two-and-a-half year period. A group of 96 children received peanut protein powder daily, with the dose gradually increasing to the equivalent of six peanuts. The other children were given oatmeal as a placebo.
20 of the children from the peanut group did not show any more allergic reactions six months following the end of the peanut addition. They tolerated a dose equivalent to 16 peanuts. In the placebo group, this was found in only one child. Another 20 children in the peanut group showed a higher tolerance to the legumes. These children might tolerate a dose equivalent to between six and 12 peanuts for six months following stopping treatment. The younger the children, the better the effects, the researchers observed. “Intervening very early may offer the best chance” of reducing allergy, said co-author Stacie Jones of the University of Arkansas.
Rash and allergic shocks
However, there are limitations: The study was carried out under medical supervision. This often led to mild allergic reactions such as skin rashes, intestinal problems and breathing difficulties. However, 21 children also required adrenaline injections to combat more serious allergic shocks.
According to the study, two percent of children in western countries are affected by peanut allergies. These can last a lifetime and even be fatal. Some even have an allergic reaction just by hugging someone who has eaten peanuts. “There are no treatment options, which puts a significant burden on allergic children and their caregivers,” Burks said. In day-care centers, schools and public spaces in particular, there is a great potential for danger.
