The standard treatment for food allergies is to avoid that particular food in any form, but it seems some people attempt to eat what they are allergic to in hopes that the process will ‘cure them.’
A doctor specializing in allergy treatment and immunology shared a warning on social media after responding to a young girl who is trying to overcome a mango allergy by eating the fruit each day. Find out the reason this ‘cure’ will not work and could be harmful, as well as other potential food allergen treatment options available.
Doctor warns people against eating food they’re allergic to
Dr. Rubin, MD is a pediatric allergist/clinical immunologist who shares allergen advice on social media for educational purposes, to help his audience stay happy and healthy.
The board-certified allergist reacted to a TikTok video showing a young girl documenting her attempt to cure her mango allergy.
A mango allergy can cause mouth itching, hives, vomiting, or breathing issues shortly after exposure. A person may also experience a delayed reaction, such as a rash around the mouth or eye swelling, according to Medical News Today.
In the TikTok series, @ninaissupercoolspams has now exceeded the 15th day of eating mango, in an attempt to overcome her allergy to the tasty fruit.
Alarmed by the video, Dr. Rubin clarifies that there is, unfortunately, no reliable cure for food allergies at this time. He explains that if you try to eat small amounts of the food allergen to overcome it, “you may end up increasing the risk of developing a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.”
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that can happen seconds or minutes after you’ve been exposed to something you’re allergic to. Mayo Clinic states that during anaphylaxis, the immune system releases a flood of chemicals that can cause the body to go into shock.
Anaphylaxis causes the blood pressure to drop, airways to narrow, and breathing to be blocked. Anaphylaxis needs to be treated right away with an injection of epinephrine, or else it can be deadly.
Alternative food allergy treatment options
Dr. Rubin instead explains that there is a type of food allergy treatment called oral immunotherapy or OIT, where people with food allergies are given small doses of the food over time, that is prescribed by an allergist under tight medical supervision, and under control, on a regular basis.
This induces a state of desensitization, which refers to the improvement in food challenge outcomes after therapy, and relies on ongoing exposure to the allergen.
Allergy expert Dr. Rubin clarifies that oral immunotherapy helps reduce the risk of developing anaphylaxis if there is accidental ingestion. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you can freely eat the food.
The doctor urges the TikToker to be very careful about this and suggest that if they are interested in food allergy treatment, it’s a good idea to talk to an allergist to learn more.
Doctor Zachary Rubin, MD is a double board-certified pediatrician specializing in allergy treatment and immunology.
