Who Gets Allergies?

So why do some people get allergies, while others don’t? Well that’s exactly the topic of today’s episode, so stay tuned as we dive in.

Of course plenty of you don’t have allergies, but that doesn’t mean you won’t some time in the future. So let’s talk more about it.

A surprisingly large percentage of people have allergies to at least one substance. By one estimate about 50 million people in the United States do, so that’s about 15% of the population. That percentage has been on the rise for the last 50 years and it looks like it’ll keep trending upward.

Generally allergies are more common in children but people of any age can suddenly discover a fun new allergy to something. Environmental allergies can develop with age, and likewise allergies can be outgrown. Actually quite a lot of kids with milk or egg allergies eventually outgrow them, as many as 60-80%. Then they become more powerful than you could possibly imagine. Some allergies rear their ugly heads again though after years of remission. Maddeningly, we’re not sure why. But there do seem to be risk factors that make a person more likely to develop allergies. Some of them are genetic, and some are environmental.

Let’s start with genetics. In an effort to see how big a role they play scientists have studied twins. For fraternal twins when one has a peanut allergy, the other also has that allergy only 7% of the time. But when the twins are identical, that allergy is shared 64% of the time. That’s a big increase that points to genes being a factor.

A person is more likely to have an allergy if their parents do too, but strangely, a child won’t necessarily have the same allergy as their parents. If someone is allergic to bees, their kid has a greater chance of also being allergic to something, but it could be nuts or cats instead.

It’s also possible that an allergy doesn’t appear until adulthood because it’s been slowly building up over time. Exposure to new allergens later in life could trigger new reactions. Things like moving to a new area with different flora or getting a pet cat.

#Allergies #SeasonalAllergies #Allergy #FoodAllergy #Seeker #SeekerPlus

Read more:
Allergies and the Immune System
“Allergic disease is one of the most common chronic health conditions in the world. People with a family history of allergies have an increase risk of developing allergic disease. ”

What causes allergies?
“Wondering what causes allergies and if there's a cure? Well, allergies are exaggerated immune reactions to foreign substances. ”

Are ‘WiFi allergies’ a real thing? A quick guide to electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

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Seeker+ is your home for deep dives, fun facts, rabbit holes, and more. Join host Julian Huguet as he unapologetically nerds out on the oddball history, astounding science and intriguing future around topics that will make you the smartest person at your next trivia night.
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[MrRagweed]

Struggled with seasonal allergies for all my life. At 27 years old I stopped eating sugar and carbs and my allergies went away!! My eczema also has gone away

[numenthehuman]

I outgrew my hayfever. This is the first year I am not dying. It is truly wonderful.

[teevictoria]

I developed hay fever in my forties. I didn't have any known allergies until then. My mother developed allergy symptoms to cut grass in her forties. She doesn't seem to suffer from them anymore, though.

[DrewSprague]

My brother and I were both allergic to strawberries as kids, we independently realized recently that we no longer are allergic to strawberries (idk what his thing was but mine was a mixed up order at a smoothie place). I also grew out of my walnut allergy (even touching a walnut would leave blisters on my fingers). BUT I developed pollen allergies as I got older AND something called Oral Allergy Syndrome; every time I eat celery, chia seeds, melons, or uncooked tomatoes, my tongue/mouth goes numb.

[larrywave]

I and my father have a dog/Nut/Mosquito and carrot allergy both started in early 20 but now that im close to 30 they are just going away my father still has all his allergys

[CanariasCanariass]

I am 36 and up until 4 years ago, I have never had any allergies, but at 32 I suddenly developed hayfever. Weird

[abyssoftus]

Used to have a mild allergy to raspberries, I would get a migraine headache within 30 mins of consumption, it appears to have eliminated itself about 3 years ago and is no longer noticeable for which I am very happy as I love raspberries.

[EnvisMavros]

I’ve developed allergies. When I was 14 years old I completely changed my eating/living habits to be healthier, like eating lost of greens and fish, and doing a lot of cardio. When I was 15 I started getting tummy aches if I were to eat processed foods or refined sugars. When I turned 16, I started having to clear my throat constantly after eating a treat-meal or a sugary snack, and I have to “wash it down” with greens. I’m 19 years old now, I feel really strong and in touch with myself, but the trade off is now I just have to clear my throat all the time. God forbid I try and drink a soda or anything else that my body doesn’t accept

[tanakaobi]

I`m allergic to bullshit. I get pretty severe reactions.

[ok..]

Funny how yesterday I ended up getting a allergy reaction for the first time in my life when Ive never been allergic to any meds/food/or products. It was a surprise to me that now I need to get testing done to see what caused it, if it wasn't something in the air like pollen or anything else. Weird I got recommended this

[xKhfanx]

While I'm lucky enough to not have or never have had allergies, my twin brother has had several different types over our lives.

He had a childhood allergy to Flintstone vitamins and raspberries, which he eventually grew out of. Eventually in our later teens he developed allergies to pollen and cats and still deals with those today.

[XSpImmaLion]

Everyone gets allergies! You get allergies! You get allergies! Everyone gets allergies!

[DangerDave-eu]

I can't have dairy, soy, and nightshades. It happened after age 30. Not hereditary.

[kellirahfeldt]

I was allergic to penicillins, I got tested at the allergist, and I'm not anymore. I am still allergic to my cat and dust though...

[ddpwe]

Well, allergies definitely run in my family. However, it took me until my late 20s to start feeling them myself. My brother and mom on the other hand go through the same routine every year with their varieties of allergies. Even though I've started to get some, mine are NOWHERE near as bad, NOWHERE near as I might get some sniffles and sneeze a little more, but unless my family members take meds, they'd be doing nothing but pulling out tissues non-stop, most likely from bed with the headaches. Which thankfully doesn't happen very often anymore with the newer meds out now and swear by Aerius(they used to use Reactine).

[ariesmars]

I don't know if I'm allergic to it, but fresh cut grass has a horrible smell and makes me get a stuffy noise and cough. That makes yard work quite difficult.

[melindaaguilo]

Thank you so much for the info ..I develops my allergy in my 40s age maybe for environmental issues...sorethroath running nose and snessing..that's way I feel how to prevent it my allergy?thank you sir

[MandyDeadite]

My allergies stangely enough got kind of worse because of lockdown. I get them in spring, summer AND winter and before it was only winter. I hate it here.

[jayjones]

I have blue light syndrome which is a offshoot of having a wifi allergy.... Artificial lights give me headaches and neon lights make me sick. I'm a gamer and I need shades to play

Allergic! Skin allergy/eczema starting at age 15. It does run in my family...but it could also be environmental. Baby niece seems to have developed my allergies