Food allergies are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that have been on the rise over the past two decades.  They emerge when the immune system overreacts to an otherwise harmless food protein.  This triggers the production of antibodies that can cause an array of allergic symptoms ranging from mild (diarrhea, dry cough, sneezing) to severe (trouble swallowing, turning blue, anaphylaxis).

Unfortunately, there are currently no cures for food allergies. The only guaranteed solution for life-threatening allergies is to completely remove allergens from the diet. For non-threatening food allergies and food intolerances, elimination diets have been the go-to idea, but probiotics have recently arisen as a promising new option for preventing food allergies, reducing food allergy symptoms, and in some cases, eliminating them entirely. Probiotics can affect food allergies by providing the gut with bacteria that interact with the immune system to promote tolerance of foods. They also reduce intestinal permeability, making it more difficult for allergens to enter the bloodstream and cause sensitization.