Where did all these food allergies come from?

Question

Questions here routinely have "and I'm allergic to wheat, eggs, soy, etc, etc" added to them.

You never heard that not so many years ago; similarly, nobody batted an eye about peanuts.

What're the theories about why this is on the rise?

And -- no offence to the so-afflicted -- but is any of this "it gives me a bit of digestive trouble" rather than actual "allergy"?

Answer 1

While I would *love* to put the blame on transgenic foods, hormones, genetic defects and modern chemicals added to our food those items just don't track with the data regarding the rise of food allergies.

The only theory that correlates to the very real observation that food allergies rising is the first theory that IO posted. Food allergies are *not* increasing in countries with poor sanitation! They do track with rising sanitation standard and the correlation is especially good with the increased use of antimicrobial products. I'd love to blame it on the disinfectants but allergy rates rise with general sanitation measures and not with the use of the chemicals. Additionally Russian scientists have published data on curing allergies by using phages (microbes) to give our immune system a better target than food, there are western doctors that have also reported success using this method. Even George Carlin ranted on the subject with the line (paraphrased) "When we were kids we played in raw sewage and we didn't get sick".

At one time (late '60's-early '70s) there was a theory that the rise was due to genetic damage from A-bomb use and atmospheric testing. This idea (along with genetic damage) as a cause was discarded because the radiation spread was (of course) global but allergy rise was only seen in western countries.

This is the same problem with theories blaming pesticides and chemicals, modified foods and/or transgenics. Third world usage of these 'items' is MUCH higher and unregulated. They don't experience allergy rise until sanitation is improved.

The idea that farming suddenly changed to using horrid chemicals post WWII just isn't true. The FDA was created pre-WWI because of the heavy usage of toxins in food! Look up the history of Paris Green aka Lead Arsenide in food and on crops as one tiny example. Modern food is safer and has the lowest level of chemical contamination in at least the last 100 years.

As to your last question? Possibly but I know in my own case eggs were upsetting my stomach for several years before I ended up in the ICU after having a violent reaction to an egg based vaccine! That upset stomach should have been seen as a warning that I had become allergic to eggs.

Edit:

I realized I forgot one theory that fits the facts and also makes at least some sense.
Canola oil (i.e.rapeseed oil) in it's natural state is highly toxic. It's only after *heavy* processing and filtering that it becomes 'edible' by humans. It also was never subjected to any testing to prove that it is in fact safe! The Canadian government sponsored the development of rapeseed as a food oil (thus the name Canola) and also *paid* governments to show the oil as GRAS (generally recognized as safe)!

The theory is that the slight toxins left in the oil set our immune system on "high alert" for the presence of foreign proteins and the immune system then attacks the proteins it finds in the presence of canola. Once attacked the body remembers these proteins and an allergy is born. Canola is more heavily used in '1st world' western countries and that's where the rise in allergy rates occur. The rise in allergy rates also tracks the usage of rapeseed oil as a food source quite well. The problem with this one is that it is quite literally politically incorrect! Northern governments have invested a lot of bucks pushing canola and they are highly disinclined to research negative effects of it's use.

Answer 2

Studies find that most (not all) food allergies are caused by infants ingesting solid foods to early. Around the begining of the century parents began to believe it was healthy to start their children on foods such as baby cereal, babys foods, and more as soon as they could, 4 months and sometimes earlier, and thought it would fill them up. (you have to remember before this time nursing was the norm, there was no formula, there was no prepackaged baby food or infant cereal.) This idea really took off during the 40's 50's, 60's, and 70's and have run rampant ever sense witht he old wives talk still floating around that your baby will sleep longer if you give him sold foods.

However science is proving that babies are still really very underdeveloped when born in MANY ways and their digestive system is very dellicate, which is why human milk (and water) is usually the only thing they should comsume before 6 months. Before 6 months (and depending on the child sometimes even later as children develop at different rates) infants have holes in their stomach lining. As well until a baby is at least 3-4 months old, his system lacks certain digestive enzymes, such as an enzyme called amylase, needed for digesting starches or complex carbohydrates. When fed foods, large particles of food are absorbed through the holes. If these particles reach the bloodstream, the immune system mounts a response that leads to an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction occurs when your body identifies molecules as potentially harmful and toxic; these molecules are called antigens.

Food allergies are the biggest concern in children younger than 2. Almost any food can be a trigger, but eight foods cause up to 90 percent of reactions; peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.), fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat.

*comment*
to the one person who said her mom is allergic to many foods she didn't grow up with, like MSG and sulfer. My mom is the same way and allergic to both. I have a feeling these are a little different then the average food allergies but I strongly believe a lot of elderly people are allergic to chemicals in their food as they have not been exposed to them. Just as a drug user will build up a resistance to the drug and need more and more to feel its effects, our children are now experiencing many chemicals and those who have been greatly exposed to them can notice the damaging effects.

Answer 3

I don't believe the theory that babies are weaned onto solid food too early.
My baby was fed cereal at 3 days old by the nurses in the hospital because he was a big baby and starving lol.
He has no allergies, perhaps because we are vegetarians as well.
If you look back to our grandparents time, food was pretty much organic. Most vegetables were home grown, everyone had chooks in the back yard and so the eggs were healthy.
Cows were not fed hormones so the meat and dairy was safe to eat.
Food allergies are becoming more prevalent and severe, I put it down to all the chemicals children ingest, especially from fast food.

Answer 4

So the allergies could arise every time when your immune system encounter new protein. Then it might trigger the hypersensitive reaction, since you never know how it will respond.

There are two theories why there is a increase in the allergy rate lately. The theory says that hygienic standards for humans increased dramatically so we don`t encounter so many potential allergens as before. But we still have immune cell ready and waiting to react. So now instead of acting on common pathogen which was present previously it react on something else (i.e food component). There are some limited evidence supporting this theory. Second theory state that there is exponential increase in use of chemicals after WWII and that this chemicals provoke allergies. Also there is abuse of medical drugs. Also the air quality is getting worse. So this all could be potential factors that render your immune system hypersensitive and provokes random fire on something that are not pathogens but they might seem to it like they are.
My opinion about the food it is also that globalization could potentially lead to increased allergies since now you face more various food from all sides of the world something that was not the case before so it also might be a risk factor for allergies to increase. Especially since your immune and digestive system have adapted (via evolution) to a food that your ancestors used to eat for centuries.
And the answer to last question it is no. I think many people indeed have allergies, some not so serious but they still make fuzz of it, and some have food intolerance which they mix with allergies. But most of it is real.
Edit
I am not fighting for any theory here I am just presenting the existing ones, but I think both are reasonable and partially true and no one is sufficient for itself. Also I am open-minded to everything else that has enough support in evidence.

Answer 5

I am often the one posting about allergies to wheat, soy, eggs. etc. I consumed these things my entire life, and was always sickly. At the age of 42, I finally discovered that I was allergic to them, and when I eliminated them, I healed from several chronic illnesses. My allergist says that allergens are on the rise due to the fact that manufacturers often "modify" foods with other foods, like adding soy to corn, or wheat to soy (read labels that say Modified corn starch, etc) Supposedly, by splicing the gene of one species into another, it helps promote rapid growth, control pests, etc. Unfortunately, people who may only be allergic to ONE species, develop cross reactions by consuming the modified product, which is what happened in my case. My "cup" simply filled up, and the allergens spilled over. Now, I get severe anaphalactic reaction to wheat and soy, and break out in boils all over if I eat eggs. Some of my allergens only cause a little discomfort, but the two biggies, wheat and soy, could easily kill me. I think many people suffering from chronic illness are just experiencing an undiagnosed food allergy. It has been quite a learning process for me. I guess it truly isnt nice to fool mother nature. Most soy produced in the US is no longer pure soy at all-it has been spliced with all sorts of things. Who knows what it really is any more.

Answer 6

I think mostly two issues: 1) our life style has changed and our eating habits with it and 2) our food is full of chemicals... but there is also a psychological side to it. I had severe acne and was told to refrain from eating chocolate. One Christmas I only ate chocolate for four days, nothing else (I am an addict!). My acne disappeared... but only for a couple of days, when I switched back to normal eating habits my acne was back. Then I was allergic to black pepper. One day I decided that I could not be allergic any more, because I love the taste of it and that was also when I started working as a chef. My allergy disappeared overnight, never came back... but I am allergic to most white wines because they use sulfur and as much as I try (like I drink a lot, LOL), that seems to be a true allergy.

Mom of 4: great, everybody should read that! Yes, I also grew up with 'real' food... I am allergic to certain additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), nothing my mother would EVER have fed us children! I try to refrain from all those things and also buy organic vegetables from the markets... I can, it is easy where I live now... in Sabah, Borneo

Answer 7

I completely agree with you, I remember the doctors telling me to only feed my children one new food a week when they were babies, not to feed them food until they were 9mnths old, etc etc. or elses they would get a food allergy. I KNOW my mom didn't do that with me, and I said forget it, and fed them a variety of foods as soon as they showed an interest in them, no allergies here! I think it is all a big myth, something to make "super-mommies" feel good about going by the book.

Answer 8

To be honest..Food allergies probably did not start until growth hormones and such were being put into food to make more or make it bigger and so on a such. Most likely if a person were to start eating an organic counterpart to what they are " allergic" too the symptoms of allergy would cease to exist.

this may not really answer your question..but it is something to think about.

Answer 9

From experience, no..it is not genetic..my son is allergic to ALL food and drinks....He was tested in an allergy clinic and everything tested positive...This was years ago, he learnt to have very small amount of one food but lots of variety..he still cannot eat a large amount of the one food in one hit...his allergic reaction builds up over period of time then when it hits, WE RUN to get needle fast !!...his eyeballs go jelly like, and bulge, face arms and legs swollen, welts and very itchy, high temp and very unwell...We have to watch out for throat swelling especially now he is older, he has less episodes but are severe and quick to react..
No one else in the family on both sides has had anything like this..
In my heart, I am thinking it is definitely the chemicals used for growing the different foods and hormones they feeding the livestock to which my sons body rejects and comes out in the form of allergic reactions..........hope this helps you to understand at least...one opinion...........thankyou for the question.......

Answer 10

I blame it on genetic defects. In my case caused by my mother smoking while pregnant. Fortunately my food allergies are mild but my pollen and smoke allergies are life threatening.