This article was originally published by Acculation on another site.
Allergies and severe allergies on the rise; possible causes
Allergies are on the rise and no one knows exactly why. A study that just came out in June 2013 surprised experts showing that 1 in 12 American children had allergies (of which 40% were considered severe), more than twice the number expected. (Children and young adults are the demographic most affected by allergies; fortunately many will outgrow them.)
The exact causes are being debated. Increasing concentrations of chemical toxins in the environment are one possible cause. Another are potential culprit are GMO (Genetically modified) foods. A third cause might be changes in dietary patterns, including exposure or lack of exposure to allergens at a young age. The advice here from experts is contradictory, with some experts recommending avoid exposure to peanuts before age 1 while other experts making the exact opposite recommendation, revealing just how little is known about the interaction between the immune system and the digestive tract.
[Editor’s note: 2017 update: since this article was originally written in 2013, some progress has been made in better understanding the causes of peanut allergies. Larger issues around a reported rise in allergies remain, as do controversies around biotechnology and regulation thereof. This is article not intended as medical advice; consult a medical professional if you think you may have allergies.]
Ingested Proteins and the Immune System
The latter two potential culprits (GMO foods and early exposure/non-exposure to allergens) both involve ingested proteins. The interaction between the digestive tract and the immune system is not well understood, except that there appears to be one, despite the fact the digestive system is supposed to break down most proteins before they can become allergens. (For example, some experts have advised against peanut butter to children under the age of 1, because of a developing immune system that may become hypersensitive to peanuts as a result. We provide links below, but it’s worth noting that some experts give exactly the opposite advice, advising parents to start children on allergen-containing foods like peanuts and eggs much sooner to avoid allergies, showing how little the immune system is still understood. Similarly, many bicyclists consume cartilage supplements under the belief that these highly controversial supplements help protect them if injured. The exact mechanism, if any, remains unclear — the digestive tract breaks down ingested cartilage into the same amino acids of any other protein, but there was some scientific speculation thought perhaps the immune system monitors ingested proteins, and may be desensitized to cartilage and injuries involving cartilage through ingestion, although this remains controversial and an area of open research.)
GMO foods responsible?
That Genetically Modified proteins found in GMO foods could become allergens was a major concern at the time regulations were written around GMO foods in the United States. The regulators at the time assured the public that there would be strict regulation and testing to screen out any GMO foods that might be allergens. It is not clear whether the promised strict regulation has taken place, or whether the existing level of regulator supervision is in proportion to the public concern in this area.
This article by Jennifer Grayson in the Huffington Post discusses this issue more, and even suggests genetically modified soy in foods might be responsible for the recent rash of severe peanut allergies. As Grayson cautions in the article, once allergies have developed, switching to organic or non-GMO foods containing the allergen is too late; you need to follow your doctor’s advice here. [Editor’s note in 2017: since this HuffPo piece came out in 2013, understanding of peanut allergies has improved.]
Chemical Pollutants?
It’s worth noting that GMOs aren’t the only possible culprit for the increase in allergies. It’s a well-known fact that concentrations of certain chemical toxins have been increasing over the decades, and it seems likely that these share some responsibility (as this boundless.com article describes). Some of these are the result of increasing industrial contaminants in the environment; in other cases, it may be due to the increasing use of certain chemicals in consumer products (as this naturalnews.com article describes).
Contradictory Advice on Dietary Habits?
Finally, changing dietary habits may be yet another culprit. Speculation about the rash of peanut allergies being due to feeding children peanut butter at too young of an age (or alternatively, too old of an age) has already been discussed. This babble.com article advocates holding off on peanuts before age 1 (and perhaps even age 3). This article in the Wall Street Journal gives exactly the opposite advice, urging parents to start on peanuts between 4 and 6 months of age to prevent severe peanut allergies now become commonplace. The contradictory advice by experts reveals just how poorly understood the immune system’s interaction with the digestive tract remains.
Legal Disclaimer
The information on allergies and other medical conditions is provided in this blog in the hopes that it is useful, but is not intended as medical advice. If you or your child suffers from allergies or another medical condition, you need to follow the advice of your doctor or other medical professional.