How Can Probiotic Bacteria Help Cure Peanut Allergies?

Can Probiotic Bacteria Help Cure Peanut Allergies?

A peanut allergy is one of the hardest food allergies to have. Millions of children are diagnosed with this very allergy which prevents them from enjoying a variety of different foods or being around certain people who have consumed peanuts. There have been many doctors who have strived to find ways to help cure this deadly allergy, which often causes anaphylactic shock and sometimes death if left untreated. Of the millions that suffer from these allergies, it is predicted that only about 4% of children are able to outgrow their peanut allergies.

The Study

Recently, a study was conducted that theorized that children would be able to consume peanuts if they were exposed to probiotic bacteria. They gathered two groups, one that were given the probiotic, and the other was given a placebo, or a fake medication. Nobody, except for scientist, knew which group received which. Over a period of 18 months, these children were given a dose of probiotic along with slowly increasing amounts of peanut protein.

The Conclusion of the Study

They were only able to consume around 4 grams of peanuts without reaction. While this doesn’t seem like a lot, this is a breakthrough. These children all presented severe allergic reaction to peanuts were now able to tolerate small amounts of the allergen without having a life threatening reaction. Of that 80%, a small fraction of those children were still able to tolerate a small amount of peanuts three months after the conclusion of the study. The results varied from being able to eat less than 5 peanuts, to being able to tolerate a maximum of 3 tablespoons of peanut butter in a