Feeding Infants Peanut Products Could Save Them From Allergies

More research says infants who eat peanut products before they turn 1 could be permanently protected from the allergy.

The research builds on a study published last year in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that giving peanut protein to infants who have a high risk of developing the allergy reduced their risk of having reactions later on.

Researchers followed up with the kids who had eaten peanuts up until age 5. They then asked them to avoid eating the protein for a year. Afterward, researchers found no significant increase in peanut allergies.

The new research is important because it could mean kids don't need constant exposure to keep up that immunity if they're safely exposed to peanuts early on.

This video includes images from Dean Hochman / CC BY 2.0, Heather / CC BY 2.0 and Denise Krebs / CC BY 2.0.