Scientists may have found a cure for peanut allergies

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last updated 28 January 2015

Researchers at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Australia, have developed a probiotic-protein mixture that appears to have cured peanut allergies.

The scientists gave 30 children who were allergic to peanuts a daily dose of peanut protein with increasing amounts of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus over an 18-month period. The dose of the probiotic was the equivalent of eating 44 pounds of yogurt each day. By the end of the trial, 80 percent of the children had no reaction to eating peanuts.

Lead researcher Mimi Tang warned against trying to treat your children at home, though — the trial did sometimes cause allergic reactions in the children, and more research is needed to see whether the participants will be able to tolerate peanuts in the coming years. The researchers plan to conduct a followup study where they'll remove peanuts from the participants' diets for eight weeks to see if they are still tolerant of them.