Food Allergy Symptoms - What Causes Them?

Food allergies affect around 12 million people each year. Some of the symptoms are mild such as stomach upset or a skin rash. There are even milder symptoms such as sleeplessness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea adverse reactions such as hives, stomach upset, migraines and swelling. Then in more severe cases your throat and mouth swell making you unable to breathe which can result in death if left untreated.

A Food allergy occurs when the body has an immune response to certain proteins in the food you are eating. The body releases an antibody called Immunoglobulin E. This antibody is released from the lining of the intestines. Once this antibody is released, other chemicals including histamines are also released. Histamines are what cause the adverse reactions such as hives, stomach upset and swelling.

There seems to be an increase in Western Civilizations of food allergies. It has been reported that at least 6% of all children and 4% of adults living in western countries have food allergies.

So what about other countries?

Other countries seem to have a much lower percentage of food allergies then the western world, but the types of foods they are allergic to are different as well. For instance, in Asian countries there are a higher number of people with rice allergies. In the United States there are eight main types of foods people are allergic to that constitute at least 90% of all types of food allergies;

• milk,


• peanuts,


• tree nuts,


• eggs,


• seafood,


• shellfish,


• soy and wheat.

Why are some people allergic to foods and others not?

There a few theories surrounding why this is.

1. Some people are just genetically predisposed to being allergic to foods.


2. That once the body starts an allergic reaction the body produces antibodies or eosinophils that will attack any foreign protein in the blood.


3. Some theorize that egg allergies occur because vaccines such as yellow fever and the flu vaccine contain egg. Once the body has a reaction to a certain foods then the proteins that are produced are targeted the next time it is found in the body. In some people the reaction stays the same, or gets progressively worse and in others they can have one reaction and it can be fatal.


4. Another theory has to do with infants. This theory states that an infants body may be too immature to handle new foods too soon and that the body targets these new proteins as dangerous foreign bodies. Once formed, these antibodies will create an immune response anytime this same protein is introduced into the body.


5. The final theory states that as westerners we use too much antibacterial soaps and chemicals in our homes and on and around children when their immune system is just forming. The immature system does not fight the natural germs and dirt it would come in contact with. This immature immune system mistakes the protein cells for germ cells and attacks them. This theory is supported by the fact in other countries where antibacterial products are not available; there is less numbers of children and adults that develop food allergies.

What ever the cause for food allergies, the only treatment is to avoid all foods that you are allergic too.