New Study: Probiotic-Peanut Combo Shows Promise in Treating Childhood Allergies
A new study suggests a promising treatment for peanut allergies in children. The research, conducted on 56 children, found that 67% of those treated could eat peanuts without adverse effects, compared to just 4% in the control group. The treatment involves a combination of probiotics and small doses of peanuts.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved Finnish scientists. It works by gradually training the children's immune systems to accept the peanut allergen. This method, known as oral immunotherapy, has shown promising results, with some children able to eat peanuts without reactions for up to four years.
The treatment uses probiotics to improve the digestive system's ability to tolerate the peanuts without triggering an immune reaction. This aligns with the 'hygiene hypothesis', which suggests that lack of early childhood exposure to infectious agents and microorganisms can leave people more susceptible to allergies. However, more diverse and larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
The National Institutes of Health now recommends introducing peanut-containing foods to infants as young as 4 to 6 months old to prevent allergies. While this study shows promising results, further research is needed to determine if this treatment method works on older people. The role of probiotics in infant peanut allergy prevention remains an active area of investigation.
