Currently, those who suffer from severe allergic reactions to peanuts have no other defence than to avoid peanuts at all costs. But a new research study offers hope, a way to potentially protect people from having a severe allergic reaction to peanuts is slowly becoming a reality.
The study included 500 children ages 4-17, all of whom suffer from severe peanut allergies. On each day of the study, the children were given capsules. The capsules contained either an everyday powdered substance or a powder with a small trace of peanut flour. The doctors and the children did not know what capsules they were getting until the end of the study.
67 percent of children who had the peanut flour capsules were able to tolerate the equivalent of roughly two peanuts at the end of the study, compared to 4 percent of others given a dummy powder. About 20 percent of children receiving the peanut powder dropped out of the study, another 12 percent dropped out of the study due to reactions or other problems.
The results will be reviewed by independent experts next month, and more trials will pursue. Although this doesn’t mean that a cure for peanut allergies has been found, it does mean doctors are closer to finding one.
Click here to read more about the study.