Food allergies affect more than 15 million Americans, with allergic reactions ranging from mild to life-threatening anaphylaxis. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center suggests that treatment with probiotics may be the answer for treatment of food allergies. A strain of bacteria known as Clostridia, commonly found in the intestinal system, may potentially block food allergy occurrence. The study utilized mouse models to test how gut bacteria affect food allergies by investigating their response to various food allergies. One group of mice were born and raised in sterile conditions, essentially rendering them completely germ-free. A second group of mice were treated with antibiotics as newborns and exposed to peanut allergens. Because antibiotics kill off most of the gut microbes (good and bad), this group of mice also had diminished bacterial colonies within the gut. Both groups of mice demonstrated a strong immunological response against peanut allergens – significantly stronger than mice with normal gut bacteria.
Perhaps one of the most important findings of the study is that this sensitization can be reversed. When the researchers reintroduced a mix of Clostridia bacteria back into the mice, the food allergies were reversed. The researchers also attempted to reverse this sensitization by introducing a different type of bacteria, known as Bacteriocides, into the digestive systems of the mice. Bacteriosides, however, failed to have the same effects as Clostridium, suggesting that the benefits of gut microbes have strain-specific properties. Clostridium is likely one class of bacterium that has protective effects against food allergens in animals.
The findings in the study are critical in today’s society. Food allergies are immune responses that can sometimes be deadly, and we have yet to learn the biochemical causes of food allergies as an immunological response. Many researchers theorize that the sudden increase in food allergies is due to modern dietary practices that have created a disturbance in normal gut flora. This theory is backed by the fact that food allergies in children have seen a sudden and sharp increase over the past two decades. Most researchers agree that this is at least in part due to generous use of antibiotic and antibacterial remedies.
Other likely factors to contribute to food allergies are environmental stimuli like caesarian birth, diets that are high in fat, and even formula feeding. It’s most likely, however, that antibiotic use and America’s obsession with antibacterial soaps, hand lotions, and serums are the largest contributors. These types of factors create an environment similar to the tested mice in the Chicago study. When we remove significant amounts of bacteria, we are creating a somewhat sterile environment that may adversely affect our intestinal flora. As these practices have continued over generations, we have co-evolved, and our susceptibility to food allergens has risen.
It logically follows that, similar to the Chicago study, humans may replace lost gut microbes and potentially reverse or lessen the reaction to food allergens. The identification of bacteria that actually protect against food allergens is the first step in someday understanding the cause-and-effect relationship concerning food allergens and the immune response.
Floracor-GI 