New Study Suggests That Daily Peanut Exposure Could Desensitize People With Allergies

Peanut allergies are very common and the best way to treat them is to avoid any exposure to the nuts. While it is very common in children and some have outgrown it, for many adults the allergy gets worse with every exposure. Now there is new hope for people with peanut allergies.

A study, published in the journal Allergy, suggests that adults with severe peanut allergies can be desensitized to the allergen. This very good news as the BBC reported that as many as one in 50 children and one in 200 adults suffer from peanut allergies.

The reactions to peanuts, which range from mild to very severe, occur when a person’s body reacts to the protein in peanuts, which triggers a release of chemicals including histamines to fight off what is perceived as a threat.

Why the Study is so Important

For people with severe reactions which could include anaphylactic shock, the only treatment is  an injection with an Epi-Pen and a trip to the emergency room. But the best way to avoid reactions was to avoid peanuts which greatly infringed on the life of people with peanut allergies.

That’s why this clinical trial that used a method called oral immunotherapy (to desensitize people from the allergen) has been proven to work with allergies to bee stings and pollen is so important. It has already been used to successfully treat children with peanut allergies.

Professor Stephen Till, who led the research, told The BBC that  the treatment “has potential to have a real impact on patients’ lives. Most severe reactions occur because of mistakes, usually by somebody else, and miscommunication. So, it provides them with some protection against that.”

Going From Milligrams to Whole Nuts

The study – which was the first of its kind – looked at whether adults with severe peanut allergies could be desensitized by daily exposure, reported The Guardian. The participants in The Grown-Up Peanut Immunotherapy (GUPI) trial included 21 adults between the ages of 18 and 40 who had a clinical diagnosis of peanut allergy.

The trial participants were given small doses of peanut flour that were steadily increased over two-week intervals under medical supervision. After three months 67 percent of them were able to tolerate the equivalent of five peanuts. Some patients took longer to desensitize.

“Living with [a]peanut allergy is a huge burden due to the need for constant vigilance and the risk of accidental exposures,” Hannah Hunter, lead author and a specialist allergy dietitian at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust told The Guardian. “Many participants who completed the trial told us that the treatment had been life-changing and they were no longer living in fear.”

The participants, who must continue a daily dose of peanuts, are still considered allergic and must carry an Epi-Pen, but it is still a major change.

Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, was diagnosed with a peanut allergy when he was very young and before he participated in the trial had many severe reactions. The possibility of peanut exposure was a constant source of anxiety.

“Now, I have four peanuts every day with my breakfast to maintain my immunity,” he said. “Before, a tiny mistake could have life-threatening impacts but now I don’t have the fear that I might collapse and die from eating a takeaway.”

While there is clear evidence that oral immunotherapy for food works best on children, it is still beneficial for adults, according to Professor Adam Fox, chair of the national allergy study group at King’s College London. He shared, “this study shows that for many, oral immunotherapy for peanuts, at least, can still make a real difference.”