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FOOD
ALLERGIES AND PROBIOTIC BACTERIA. It
is estimated that approximately 15% of children born in the Western countries
are currently affected by one or other type of hypersensitivity to foods, i.e.
food allergies. In South Africa this problem is also assuming alarming
proportions/numbers. Even more frequent are cases of food intolerance. What
are food allergies and how do they differ from food intolerances? Food
allergy is defined as a reproducible reaction/symptom occurring after
ingestion/eating of a specific food, or a food additive, such as monosodium
glutamate, or an artificial food colourant (tartrazine), for which immunological
reactions are proven. The widespread allergy to egg white, nuts, fish or
strawberries can be manifested as an inflammatory reaction every time an
offending food (allergen) is consumed. In these cases a special type of antibody
(IgE) is produced and the affected individuals may develop various disorders of
the gastrointestinal tract, skin problems such as urticaria or chronic
dermatitis, or respiratory problems manifested as rhinitis or asthma.
Food intolerance, on the other hand, is
a gastrointestinal tract reaction (e.g. diarrhoea, cramps) to a particular food,
not based on an immunological reaction. The
best-known example is lactose intolerance, caused by too low levels of an enzyme
that splits lactose into smaller molecules. Both
types of problems can be overcome, at least theoretically, either by placing the
patient on an exclusion diet, eliminating the allergy-inducing food, or by
inducing oral tolerance towards the offending substance. Oral tolerance, i.e.,
the generation of active immunological suppression towards the allergens, is
difficult to achieve and this approach is used rather infrequently. The
exclusion diet, apart from the difficulties associated with the identification
of foods responsible
for the allergic reactions, is likewise difficult to implement, particularly
among children, and is often not successful. Causes
of these disorders. Opinions
on the origin and causes of these disorders are highly controversial and there
are no easy and unambiguous answers. The following explanations have been
proposed: ·
Genetic
predisposition ·
Dietary
factors ·
Incorrectly
functioning intestinal mucosa barrier (hyper permeability of the child’s
gastrointestinal tract) ·
Inflammation
of the intestinal lining ·
A
strong bias in newborn infants towards the antibody-based immunity ·
The
“hygiene hypothesis” ·
A
delay in the development or the lack of maturation of the common mucosal immune
system The
last two factors listed above appear to be gaining acceptance as offering
probable explanations. The
hygiene hypothesis proposes the lack of sufficient exposure to bacterial and
viral infections in the early childhood as an underlying factor. This factor
detrimentally affects the development of the cellular immunity, which should
rectify the bias towards antibody-based immunity developed during pregnancy and
initial stages of breast-feeding. This bias favors the development of an
allergy. The
delay in the development or the lack of maturation of the common mucosal immune
system in infants is considered to be directly related to the lack of exposure
to beneficial intestinal bacteria, specifically to bacteria belonging to the
genus Bifidobacterium. These anaerobic bacteria dominate the gut of healthy,
breast-fed infants, born by the vaginal delivery. Probiotic bacteria and allergies The
role of probiotic organisms in the prevention of the development of food
allergies and in alleviating these disorders has been extensively investigated
over the last few years in a number of clinical trials. The outcome of these
trials clearly established the beneficial role played by probiotic
microorganisms in these disorders. The
mechanisms through which probiotics can exert their influence are of dual
nature. They can directly alter the allergen itself or can affect the response
of the host in a number of ways. By
enzymatic action probiotics can split the molecule of the allergen into smaller
molecules (e.g. proteins can be digested to peptides and amino acids) and/or
they can change the structure of the molecule and thus alter the immunogenicity
of the offensive compound. The
action of probiotics on the host organism is much more complex and focuses
primarily on: ·
Maintaining
the integrity and functionality of the intestinal mucosa; ·
The
maturation of the human immune system; and ·
Enhancement
and/or control of the functions of a child’s immune system.
Dietary
factors As
far as dietary factors are concerned, dietary antioxidants such as omega-3 as
well as omega-6 fatty acids appear to be the most important in the prevention of
allergies. They can be administered easily in the form of flaxseed oil capsules.
Mothers,
whose children suffer from any form of allergies, should consult an experienced
dietician. (Article
published in “ My Winning Child” magazine ---- August 2003). For
further information, please visit the website:
or e-mail us at: bioflora@lantic.net Dr Ela
Johannsen MSc
Microbiology PhD
Microbiology, Rhodes
University, Grahamstown)
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