Peanut Allergy In Adults
Is it true that you can develop peanut allergy as an adult? Ive always thought this only affected kids. If adults are allergic, are there any treatments to reduce the reaction?
Andrew Weil, M.D. |March 4, 2021
Recent research shows that nearly three percent of U.S. adults have a reported allergy to peanuts, including 4.6 million with a confirmed diagnosis. A recent study from Northwestern University found that in over 17 percent of these cases the allergy appeared after age 18 not during childhood. And most of those affected have at least one other food allergy, often to tree nuts, with more than one in five also allergic to shellfish.
Youngsters between the ages of four and 17 who are allergic to peanuts can be treated with the FDA-approved drug Palforzia, but this medication is indicated only for kids. Senior study author, Ruchi Gupta, M.D., M.P.H., professor of pediatrics at Northwesterns Feinberg School of Medicine, wrote that new therapies are needed to address the problem in adults.
In many cases, the study found that individuals who reported having severe reactions to eating peanuts had not had their allergies confirmed by physicians.
The new findings came from a telephone and web survey that included more than 40,000 U.S. adults who were asked for detailed information about any suspected food allergies, including specific reaction symptoms, details about medical diagnosis of their food allergies and information about their age and other aspects of their health.
What Does The Data Say About When We Develop Peanut Allergies
A new study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology recently looked at survey data from 40,443 participants and found that one in five adults with peanut allergies actually developed them after the age of 18, accounting for roughly 800,000 people out of four million with that particular allergy.
Because people often associate peanut allergies as something thats diagnosed in children, many doctors dont think to test adult patients for it if there are common symptoms. If people dont realize that theyve developed a peanut allergy, they may consume foods that have peanuts in them or be in the vicinity of peanut products, triggering a reaction that could be damaging or fatal. This is especially true since they wont have an adrenaline shot, medication, or other fast-acting course of treatment.
No one knows for sure what causes peanut allergies to develop later in life, but one working theory is that people who have pollen sensitivities may develop allergies to plant-based foods like fruits and nuts as well. Scientists are clear, however, that far more research needs to be done in this arena to understand how allergies evolve over time and what signs adults need to watch out for.
Are Peanut Allergies In Adults Common
Have you experienced a skin rash, itching in the mouth, or even breathing difficulties after eating peanuts? If so, you may be in need of a peanut allergy treatment to prevent a severe reaction. Most people are aware of the dangers to young children from peanut allergies, but discussions on the dangers to Atlanta adults are less prevalent. So, just how common are peanut allergies in adults today?
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Is There A Cure For Peanut Allergies
There is no cure for peanut allergies. But children can outgrow peanut allergies. As children get older, an allergist may perform another blood or skin test to measure a childs sensitivity to peanuts. If a peanut allergy appears to be decreasing, allergists may recommend an oral food test.
There are new treatments available called Oral Immunotherapy and early OIT. This is where carefully selected patients undergo therapy to help develop a tolerance to the food they have an allergy to. Palforzia®, a treatment for peanut allergies, is the first FDA approved treatment for food allergies. Although it doesn’t cure peanut allergies, it can make it possible for people to tolerate accidental peanut exposure without having a reaction.
If your child has a peanut allergy, it’s important to not give your child peanuts unless an allergist has directed you to do so.
As an adult, you can manage a peanut allergy by carefully avoiding peanuts. You may need to carry epinephrine if you have severe allergies that could lead to anaphylaxis.
Food And Pollen: A Mistaken Identity
Some adult-onset food allergies arise from preexisting allergies to pollen, one of the most common environmental allergens. With the body already on high alert for pollen and anything resembling it, an overzealous immune system can become even more hypervigilant and mistake proteins in fruits and vegetables for pollen. This can cause a mild to moderate allergic reaction, which doctors refer to as oral allergy syndrome. It most commonly occurs as a misidentification of birch tree pollen, manifesting itself in allergic reactions to fresh fruits. Frustratingly, this allergy may not reveal itself until later in life.
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Living With A Peanut Allergy
As there is currently no cure for peanut allergy, the complete avoidance of peanuts and foods which contain peanuts is important. Peanuts are widely used in a variety of foods and are a common ingredient in different types of cooking like Asian and Indian cuisine. They can also be found in foods like muesli and cereals and cereal bars.
It is important to carefully check the ingredients list on food items . Avoid foods which contain peanut and could be listed under any of the following names:
- Arachis hypogaea
What Are Adult Allergies
While most people have heard of allergies or allergic rhinitis , many don’t understand exactly why they happen or what triggers them. Most of the time, allergies are caused by environmental factors like dogs and cats, roaches, pollen, grasses, trees, and weeds. But they can also get triggered by foods or certain medicines.
Here’s how allergy symptoms happen:
When your body is exposed to a new substance in the environment, it enters into sensitization. The term “sensitization” refers to your immune system’s attempt to determine if something you’ve just encountered poses a threat. If the answer is yes, the substance is classed as an allergen and your body begins producing immunoglobulins E.
Allergies are essentially the result of your body trying to keep you safe from harm, although the substances theyre responding to are essentially harmless. And when symptoms occur, it means your immune system has gone too far in attempting to fight off the benign intruders.
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Other Names And Common Sources Of Hidden Peanut Products
Warnings and educational brochures about allergy to peanuts are distributed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency . Peanuts may be manufactured under other names, including arachis oil, beer nuts, cacahouette, goober nuts or peas, ground nuts, mandelonas, nu-nuts, nut meats, and valencias .
Possible hidden sources of peanut exposure include almond and hazelnut paste, icing, glazes, marzipan, and nougat artificial nuts baked goods cereals chili cross-contamination desserts dried salad dressing, soup mix ethnic foods fried foods gravy hydrolyzed plant protein/vegetable protein peanut oil snack foods and vegetarian meat substitutes. Nonfood sources containing peanut protein include ant baits, bird feed, mouse traps, and pet food cosmetics sunscreens craft materials medications vitamins mushroom-growing medium and stuffing in toys .
Peanut Allergy More Common In Adults Than Children Many Report First Symptom As Adults
- 2.9% of U.S. adults report a current peanut allergy.
- About one in six adults with a peanut allergy developed it after age 18.
- Approximately one in five adults with peanut allergy report visiting the emergency department for food allergy treatment each year.
- Patients who developed their peanut allergy during adulthood are less likely to report having an epinephrine auto-injector prescription than those who developed their peanut allergy during childhood, despite similar frequencies of severe reactions among both groups.
CHICAGO Peanut allergy affects at least 4.5 million adults in the U.S., many of whom report developing their first allergy symptoms during adulthood, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.
However, despite the fact that roughly three out of four Americans with peanut allergy are over 17 years old, peanut allergy is often considered a predominantly pediatric concern. For example, earlier this year the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a peanut allergy therapy for initiation in pediatric patients ages 4-17. There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for patients with adult-onset food allergy.
The new study provides the first detailed estimates of peanut allergy among U.S. adults in all 50 states, which was previously unknown. These data indicate peanut allergy may be more common than previously acknowledged, and while younger adults are most affected, peanut allergy impacts U.S. adults of all ages.
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Whats The Difference Between A Food Allergy And A Sensitivity
Many people think that lactose intolerance and a milk allergy are the same, but these are actually two distinct conditions. Lactose intolerance is a food sensitivity, while a milk allergy is a type of allergy. Food allergies and sensitivities involve different systems and responses in your body. They also have distinct sets of symptoms and pose different health risks.
Treatment For Peanut Allergy
As peanut allergy has the potential to cause severe life-threatening reactions and is relatively common, extensive research has been done to look at new forms of treatment. One method that is available privately in some specialist allergy clinics is oral immunotherapy . This is the process of increasing the tolerance of food allergens that are eaten. The concept is that very small amounts of an allergen are introduced and the amount gradually increased until a target amount of the food is reached and maintained. This should never be tried without medical supervision at a specialist centre, where currently it remains the subject of active research programmes. Please contact your GP or allergy specialist if you would like more information.
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Can You All Of A Sudden Be Allergic To Nuts
An allergy to nuts means you’re unable to consume tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts and Brazil nuts. People usually develop food allergies as children, but can also develop them as adults. It is not certain why the sudden onset of food allergies in adults occurs.
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According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, most people develop food allergies as children. However, it is possible to develop allergies as an adult too.
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Life Changes For Good
WITH a new adult food allergy especially one revealed the hard way, through anaphylaxis the initial jolt of diagnosis tends to give way to a variety of emotions, including fear, anxiety and concern about social isolation. Then begins the steep learning curve of safely navigating day-to-day life through reading grocery labels, asking about ingredients in all food situations, and always carrying your auto-injectors.
Having to relearn how to eat is a huge undertaking as an adult, says Bond.
Adults also tend to lack the social support that is often present for a child with a food allergy. As an adult being thrown into this world, we dont have parents or schools to help give us the tools to manage, notes Kate Hufnagel, who lives in Colorado and was diagnosed with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, lentils, sunflower, sesame and artichokes at the age of 38.
Youre fine one day, and your life changes the next.
Hufnagel had her first major reaction at work. It was triggered by a dish she had prepared herself, with familiar ingredients, including lentils. First her cheeks started to burn, then her face swelled and turned purple. By sheer good fortune, she happened to own an epinephrine auto-injector it was prescribed after she happened to experienced a severe reaction to seasonal allergy shots. She injected herself and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
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Nut Allergy Symptoms In Adults
In retrospect, however, I should have realized that I was experiencing some level of allergic reactions to nuts before the anaphylactic episode. Months leading up to the event, after I would eat a handful of Brazil nuts or a spoonful of peanut or almond butter, my hands would become hot, itchy, and blotchy with hives.
In adults, nut allergy symptoms can be various, but can suddenly, without notice, become life-threatening. If you or someone you are with eats a nut-containing food and begins to experience any of the below symptoms, get to a hospital immediately or, if the reaction is serious enough, call 911. Do not wait.
Common Symptoms of Nut Allergies in Adults:
- Throat tightness or hoarseness,
- pistachios, and
Some people, however, may only be allergic to peanuts, which are, in fact, not a nut at all, but are, rather, a legume. I, personally, am allergic to both tree nuts and peanuts.
Food Sensitivities And Intolerances Begin In Your Digestive System
Sometimes, your digestive system cant properly break down certain kinds of foods. When you ingest these foods, you may experience bloating, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, and gas. This type of reaction is called a food intolerance or sensitivity.
Unlike a food allergy, food sensitivities are rarely life-threatening, although they can cause plenty of pain and discomfort. You may be able to manage your food intolerance symptoms using over-the-counter enzyme replacements.
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Symptoms Of A Peanut Allergy Reaction
Peanut allergy reactions are most often the result of accidental ingestion. Some patients may react from skin contact or, rarely, by inhaling dust or aerosols that contain peanuts. Even if a certain food or dish does not contain peanuts, cross-contamination can still result in an allergic reaction.
An allergic reaction to peanuts can manifest in a wide range of skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular symptoms. These include:
- Itching or tingling in the throat or mouth
- Swelling of the tongue and/or the lips or around the eyes
- Nasal congestion
- Difficulty breathing and/or wheezing
- A sense of impending doom
Peanut allergy is the most common allergy associated with anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the body to go into shock. Children and adults who have a severe peanut allergy are at the highest risk of experiencing anaphylaxis. Signs of anaphylaxis can include:
- Pale or bluish tint on the skin
- Throat constriction
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Confusion and/or dizziness
- Weak, rapid pulse
Fatalities are rare, however, allergy-related anaphylaxis cases do represent 63 to 99 deaths per year in the U.S. Should anaphylaxis occur, medical treatment must be sought immediately. Those with a peanut allergy should create an emergency anaphylaxis plan to minimize response time, including keeping two epinephrine auto-injectors accessible at all times.
Allergies Are An Immune System Response
When you have a food allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies components in your food as dangerous and attacks them with histamines. Your body may respond with symptoms like hives, itchy skin, vomiting, dizziness, swelling, and difficulty breathing. In the worst cases, sufferers can go into anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening if not treated immediately.
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Peanut Butter Quesadilla With Chocolate
When my kids come home from school, they are HUNGRY! The really work up an appetite learning and playing at recess, so I like to provide a filling snack that can tide them over until dinner. This Peanut Butter Quesadilla with Chocolate is one of their favorites. It combines the yummy flavor of Nutella with creamy peanut butter. Best of all, it is easy to put together. In fact, my kids even help me make it. If you are looking for more kids snacks, check out Easy Snacks for Kids.
Nut Allergy Diagnosis As An Adult
Diagnoses of nut allergies can happen at a time in your life that you least expect it. Check out this post if youve been diagnosed with a nut allergy as an adult!
Developing food allergies later in life can turn your whole world upside down, and the transition from a carefree diet and lifestyle to feeling concern surrounding every decision you make is challenging and can be very hard to accept.
After being diagnosed with serious peanut and tree nut allergies at the age of 26 after two episodes of anaphylaxis and an overnight stay in the ICU, I can confirm that the lifestyle changes can be REALLY challenging to navigate, but, with time, it does get easier.
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How To Deal With Peanut Allergy
Allergy attacks or reactions can vary from mild to severe. Mild reactions can go away all by themselves with time. However, in some cases an allergic reaction can be life-threatening, requiring immediate medical attention and intervention. In that case, call the medical emergency number without delay. Life threatening allergy reaction or anaphylaxis would have swelling of the skin and even the internal organs. It swells the windpipe as well and therefore, breathing becomes difficult or almost impossible.
In such a case, having an epinephrine auto injector is the best and the only way to prevent permanent damage. The signs and symptoms that indicate that it is time to take the epinephrine auto injector are
- Hives all over the body
What To Do If You Suspect An Allergy
This study revealed that peanut allergies in adults are much more prevalent than anticipated, said Bruce Roberts, chief research strategy and innovation officer at Food Allergy Research & Education, who was not involved in the study.
If you suspect you have a peanut allergy, Roberts recommended seeing your primary care doctor to get tested.
In addition to peanuts, he says you should be tested for other common allergens like tree nuts. Adults with an adult-onset peanut allergy were more likely to report multiple allergies compared to adults with a childhood-onset peanut allergy, according to the study.
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any peanut allergy therapy for adults, Warren said, but there is one therapy for children ages 4 to 17. The therapy slowly desensitizes the children to peanuts, which allows them to ingest the peanut protein and have a milder reaction or none at all, according to the study.
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