True food allergies, rather than simple food intolerances, affect approximately 4 percent of all adults. Unlike intolerances that cause digestive symptoms like bloating, food allergies are a response by the immune system, which causes reactions in numerous body systems. Although trouble breathing, or anaphylaxis, is a widely known allergic reaction to peanut allergy, digestive reactions can cause vomiting and diarrhea as well.
Common Food Allergy Reactions
Allergic reactions from food can occur when the food is ingested or, in people with severe allergies, when the food is being cooked or served nearby. Even a very small amount of food ingested can cause the body to react. Common reactions include itchy sensations, skin rashes, wheezing or coughing, and diarrhea or vomiting. In young children, the digestive symptoms are often the easiest to identify.
Diarrhea and Vomiting From Food Allergies
The body reacts to and purges an allergen through stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea; these symptoms can begin rapidly and can continue until the immune system reaction slows or is stopped with medical treatment. Repeated episodes of loose stool with or without vomiting may cause dehydration, fatigue and weight loss.
Treatment of Diarrhea From Food Allergy
Treatment of any food allergy reaction, including diarrhea, is based on the severity of the reaction and on stopping the symptoms as quickly as possible. Unless serious breathing problems, like anaphylaxis, are occurring at the same time, treatment of diarrhea from food allergies does not warrant emergency epinephrine, or Epi-Pen, injection. Although antihistamines, such as Benadryl, may be given to stop mild allergic reactions, especially rashes or cough, treatment of diarrhea often focuses on preventing dehydration by increasing fluid intake. Oral rehydration solutions replace minerals and electrolytes that are lost through extensive diarrhea. Diarrhea that contains blood or that is associated with vomiting that prevents rehydration warrants a physician visit.
Prevention of Diarrhea From Food Allergy
The only way to prevent symptoms from food allergies is to avoid ingestion or contact with the allergy-causing food. A new type of therapy in the 21st century, oral immunotherapy, or OIT, focuses on preventing food or environmental allergic reactions by slowly training the immune system to accept the allergen in the body. Tiny doses of the allergy trigger that are small enough to avoid a reaction are placed under the tongue, and the doses are increased in steps. Although results of OIT use have been positive in early attempts in people with peanut allergy, the technique is not widely available and is still in early research stages.
