Food allergies could be linked to gut bacterial, health officials say
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As more than 32 million Americans struggle with food allergies, health advocates and officials are searching for the root cause, which includes studying microbiomes.
The Food Allergy Fund (FAF) hosted a forum in Washington, D.C. on Monday with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, FDA Chief Martin Makary, and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Makary shared how the function of microbiomes evolves over time.
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According to Makary, the gut is home to more than a billion different types of bacteria that normally live in balance.
The doctor added: “But due to modern diets, antibiotics and other exposures, this imbalance can cause inflammation, cause health problems and be associated with food allergies.”
“Gut health is at the heart of overall health,” said Makary, photographed at the Nov. 16 forum hosted by the Food Allergy Fund. (Ashley J. DiMella/Fox News Digital)
“Gut health is at the heart of overall health,” Makary emphasized. He added that due to dietary and environmental changes, some beneficial microbes may be missing in modern societies, which may play a role in the increase in food allergies.
Researchers at Siolta Therapeutics are testing this theory. The oral microbiome therapy STMC-103H showed promising results in a Phase 2 trial involving 238 newborns with a family history of allergies.
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Preliminary data shows that the treatment may reduce the risk of developing food allergies by 77%; This suggests that improving gut bacteria early in life can prevent allergies before they start.
Final results are expected in early 2026.
Preliminary data shows that the treatment may reduce the risk of developing food allergies by 77%; This suggests that improving gut bacteria early in life can prevent allergies before they start. (iStock)
Ilana Golant, founder and CEO of FAF, told Fox News Digital that “food allergies may be the canary in the coal mine of a much larger microbiome-related health crisis.”
FAF launched the Food Allergy Fund Microbiome Collective in New York City to further explore how gut bacteria may help prevent or treat not only allergies but also autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases.
“Gut health is at the heart of overall health.”
“Unraveling allergies could reveal how to prevent and treat a range of diseases that impact millions of lives, from autoimmune disorders to neurodegeneration,” Golant said.
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Food allergies are common, affecting one in 10 adults and one in 13 children, according to the FAF. Every three minutes in the United States, there is a person treated in an emergency room for a severe allergic reaction.
Peanut allergies are among the most common food allergies in the United States; New research shows that introducing peanuts early can significantly reduce childhood allergies.
FAF founder and CEO Ilana Golant (left) with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Food Allergy Fund Forum in Washington, DC. chatting with. (Ashley J. DiMella/Fox News Digital)
Secretary Kennedy observed at the FAF conference that food allergies (especially involving peanuts) appear to be much more common among children today than when he was growing up.
“I never met anyone who had a peanut allergy as a child,” Kennedy said. “I had 11 siblings and about 71 first cousins, and I didn’t know a single person who was my cousin at any of my schools or camps I went to.”
“There could be many reasons, or there could be just one; we don’t know yet.”
He shared that one of his sons had a severe anaphylactic allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, and several other foods.
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“By the time he was 2 years old, we had been to the emergency room about 22 times,” Kennedy said.
“At first I focused on how we were going to treat him and keep him safe. But my mind quickly turned to a bigger question: Why is this happening? Five of my seven children have allergies,” she said.
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“It could be many reasons, or it could be just one; we don’t know yet,” Kennedy continued. “But we will examine this. We will break this omertà, end the taboo, and find out what caused this.”
