Article by Ralph Cahaly, MD
In the past, managing food allergies mainly involved strictly avoiding the allergen and carrying an epinephrine auto-injector in case of accidental exposure.
Now, there are more advanced treatment options that can help individuals develop tolerance to food allergens. One such option is oral immunotherapy (OIT). This process involves introducing a very small amount of the allergenic food and gradually increasing the dose over time—usually over several months. The goal is to train the immune system to tolerate the food, reducing the risk of a serious allergic reaction from accidental exposure. This treatment can be used for allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and sesame.
In addition, there is a newer treatment using a biologic medication, which works by blocking the antibodies responsible for triggering food allergy reactions. This biologic can reduce allergic responses by up to 98%, leaving only a small fraction of the reaction the person would have had otherwise. It can be used on its own to reduce the chance of accidental reactions or alongside oral immunotherapy to make it safer for individuals with severe allergies.
More biologic treatments for food allergies are currently being researched and are expected to become available in the near future.