Latest news with #ChrisBrookes-Smith
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man Who Nearly Died from Peanut Allergy Now Eats Them for Breakfast. Here's How He Did It
Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, thought he was "going to die" from his nut allergy when he went into anaphylactic shock after accidentally eating peanuts 10 years ago He now eats them every day as part of a clinical trial, which helped him overcome his nut allergy In the trial, people with nut allergies were given small supervised doses of the nut, and the "average tolerated dose of peanuts increased 100-fold" A man with a life-threatening allergy to peanuts overcame it through a new clinical trial that exposed people to small, supervised doses of the allergen. Now, he eats peanuts for breakfast. Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, struggled with a lifelong allergy to peanuts, telling the BBC that 10 years ago, "I thought I was going to die" after accidentally eating peanuts. "I knew I was in trouble after one bite," he told the outlet. "Within seconds, there were spots on my lips. Within minutes, I was vomiting. I could feel my throat closing up, hives forming in my armpits, then over my whole body ... My face going all puffy with the swelling." He ended up in the hospital, comparing his appearance to 'a plucked turkey because my skin had blistered so much.' Related: 25-Year-Old Dancer with Severe Peanut Allergy Dies After Eating Incorrectly Labeled Cookies Peanut allergies can often be fatal, causing a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylactic shock. It can cause a variety of symptoms, the most dire being a narrowing of airways that causes difficulty breathing, according to Mayo Clinic. Patients are typically administered epinephrine, an adrenaline treatment. If the condition isn't treated immediately, it can be fatal. However, thanks to a clinical trial led by King's College London and Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Brookes-Smith can safely eat the peanuts — not whole handfuls, but he has four nuts a day at breakfast, as advised by his doctor to keep the allergy managed. The results of the successful trial, called Grown Up Peanut Immunotherapy (GUPI), were published in the journal Allergy. Trial participants were slowly given increasing doses of peanuts, from 0.3 to 300 mg. Related: Graduate Student, 25, Frantically Texts Mom Before Nut Allergy Puts Him in a Coma "The first time I went there and I ingest this stuff, my heart's going a million miles an hour," Brookes-Smith, who hails from the English county of Northamptonshire, told the BBC. At first, he ate yogurt with a small amount of peanut powder mixed in — strictly supervised, of course. "The big jump in fear was going from peanut dust to half a whole nut," he told the outlet. As a result of the trial, 67% of participants — all adults — can now consume the equivalent of five peanuts. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Constant fear of life-threatening reactions place a huge burden on people with peanut allergy. The only way to manage a peanut allergy is strict avoidance and treatment of allergic reactions, including with adrenaline,' Chief Investigator Professor Stephen Till, Professor of Allergy in the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, said in a press release. 'The average tolerated dose of peanuts increased 100-fold over the course of the trial," Till explained. "Although peanut immunotherapy is known to be effective in children, this trial provides preliminary evidence that adults can also be desensitized and that this improves quality of life." Read the original article on People
New York Post
24-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Our peanut allergies were deadly — now we eat them every day thanks to a ‘well-worn' routine
It's a nut-so miracle! For two British men, peanuts used to be a death sentence. Now? They're a morning snack. Both suffered from lifelong peanut allergies that had previously sent them to the hospital before joining a nine-month study in the UK — where two-thirds of participants came out able to safely eat peanuts. Advertisement 3 Chris Brookes-Smith and Richard Lassiter have been liberated from a life-threatening peanut allergy thanks to a groundbreaking UK clinical trial. Goffkein – Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, was terrified of peanuts after some Indian takeout sent him to the hospital with hives that he likened to boiling water being poured over his body. 'I thought I was going to die,' he told the BBC. This life-threatening allergy made activities that should have been enjoyable — like eating out with friends or traveling — fraught with peril. He even avoided visiting regions of the world where peanuts were likely to be in his food, like Southeast Asia. Advertisement That was until a groundbreaking clinical trial conducted by King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust changed his life. 'It's a wonderful feeling,' he said. 'I'm no longer afraid of dying.' The trial utilized a method called oral immunotherapy, in which the body becomes desensitized over time with microscopic doses of the allergen. They started patients off with trace amounts of peanut and gradually increased the amount. Advertisement By the end of the nine-month study, 14 of the 21 patients could eat up to five peanuts a day without having a reaction. Professor Stephen Till, who led the study, told the BBC that the treatment 'has potential to have a real impact on patients' lives. They've taken control, if you like, of their peanut allergy now.' 3 'They've taken control, if you like, of their peanut allergy now,' Till said. New Africa – That certainly seems to be how Richard Lassiter, 44, feels. Advertisement 'There was definitely a sense of nerves at first. You know, you have to get your mind around the idea of eating something you've tried to avoid your whole life,' Lassiter told Sky News. 'I obviously had a couple of [dangerous] incidents reasonably fresh in my mind.' Now, eating four peanuts — under medical supervision — is just a normal part of his morning. 3 'I know that that accidental exposure to peanuts isn't going to cause a serious reaction like it has done in the past,' Lassiter said. DenisMArt – 'The idea that I take four peanuts a day now after my breakfast is well-worn routine,' he said. 'I'm certainly much more confident and calm when I go out to dinner with my wife, or when we go traveling. I know that that accidental exposure to peanuts isn't going to cause a serious reaction like it has done in the past.' Brookes-Smith is relieved, too, that peanuts will no longer send his body into 'nuclear meltdown' — though he admitted that he actually hates the taste of them, despite now having to eat them every day to maintain his desensitization. Advertisement Till cautioned that while this is certainly 'not something to do at home,' the treatment has the potential to benefit people with other types of allergies — though larger trials would need to be conducted first. 'The principle should be applicable to other food options, but what I would say is that different foods can behave differently in terms of the amounts that are required to cause reactions and how severe the reactions are,' he told Sky News. 'So to do it in other foods, you really do need to do trials for those specific foods individually.' Advertisement Oral immunotherapy has only been used to treat food allergies for the last two decades, though it's predominantly been conducted on children, as adult allergies tend to be more stubborn. In other words, this peanut breakthrough is nuts.
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
I nearly died from my peanut allergy but now I eat them every day - here's how I cured myself
A 28-year-old man who almost died from his severe peanut allergy now eats them every day after a 'life changing' cure. Chris Brookes-Smith could never have an enjoyable experience when eating out or abroad as he was plagued with fear that he could die if even the smallest trace of peanut crept into his food. Ten years ago he suffered his worst allergic reaction after ordering a curry from his local Indian restaurant. He was rushed to hospital when after one bite he developed spots on his lips and began vomiting. Soon afterwards his throat closed up, hives formed all over his body and his face became swollen. 'I thought I was going to die,' he told the BBC. The hives were so panful it felt 'like boiling water had been poured over me,' he added. But now the cybersecurity specialist eats them every day with his breakfast after he participated in a clinical trial that changed his life. The study at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London recruited 21 adults between 18 and 40 with a clinical diagnosis of the allergy to test if they could be desensitised, also known as oral immunotherapy. It works by consuming microscopic amounts of peanuts and gradually increasing the dosage to build up immunity. Chris was given small amounts of peanut powder to eat at home mixed with yoghurt. Patients are started with the equivalent of 0.5 per cent to one per cent of a whole peanut. His dosage increased gradually and once he could tolerate 50-100mg of peanut protein he was switched to eating whole peanuts, peanut butter or peanut products. Once participants achieved a daily dose of 1g they remained on this for at least four weeks before undergoing another food challenge. This involved being given increasing doses of either peanut or placebo on separate days to test their tolerance. Participants then continued daily dosing for at least three months. By the end of the nine-month study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, 14 of the patients were able to eat the equivalent of five peanuts without reacting—including Mr Brookes-Smith. Anxious about willingly ingesting peanuts, the 28-year-old said his heart was going 'a million miles an hour' during the study. But a team of doctors and nurses were on standby, with drugs such as adrenaline at the ready in case of a reaction. 'You've got 100 eyes on you, nothing is going to happen,' he said. After successfully completing the trial, he told the BBC: 'I'm no longer afraid of dying.' About one in every 200 adults in the UK—0.5 per cent—has a nut allergy. Life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis occur when the immune system mistakenly overreacts, affecting a patient's ability to breathe. However building tolerance is known to help calm and prevent this extreme reaction. The trial, published in the journal Allergy, shows adults with serious allergies can increase the amount of peanut they can tolerate by 100 times. Participants for whom the strategy works should eat four peanuts every morning to keep the allergy at bay, as recommended by doctors. Chief Investigator Professor Stephen Till, Professor of Allergy at King's College London, said: 'Constant fear of life-threatening reactions place a huge burden on people with peanut allergy. 'The only way to manage a peanut allergy is strict avoidance and treatment of allergic reactions, including with adrenaline. 'Although peanut immunotherapy is known to be effective in children, this trial provides preliminary evidence that adults can also be desensitised and that this improves quality of life.' But he said larger studies were needed to confirm findings. Lead author, Hannah Hunter a specialist Allergy Dietitian from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust said: 'Living with peanut allergy is a huge burden due to the need for constant vigilance and the risk of accidental exposures. 'Everyday situations such as eating in restaurants and social events are anxiety provoking and our patients tell us that the condition also affects travel choices and career options. 'We found that quality of life significantly improved after oral immunotherapy and fear of food also decreased. Many participants who completed the trial told us that the treatment had been life-changing and they were no longer living in fear.' Public Health Minister, Ashley Dalton said: 'This groundbreaking research offers hope to thousands living with peanut allergies. For too long, people have navigated daily life in fear of accidental exposure that could be life-threatening. 'I'm proud the UK is leading this vital work through NIHR funding. These results show how we're transforming lives through science, potentially changing care standards for adults with peanut allergies worldwide.'
Perth Now
24-04-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Nut allergy sufferers no longer 'living in fear' with new treatment
Peanut flour can help people beat their nut allergies. King's College London enlisted 21 adults aged between 18 and 40 who have a serious reaction to peanuts for a trial, and they hailed the treatment as "life-changing" and are "no longer living in fear". The group - of which some members spent between eight and 23 months doing the research, depending on their tolerance and delays due to Covid-19 - were given 0.8mg, 1.5mg and 3mg doses of peanut flour that was mixed with other food under medic supervision. If they could handle the quantity, the amount of nuts they could consume increased over the course of the weeks and months, And 67 per cent went on to consume four or five peanuts without having a reaction. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust's Hannah Hunter, who was the study author, said: 'Many participants who completed the trial told us that the treatment had been life-changing and they were no longer living in fear.' One person who took part was 28 year old Chris Brookes-Smith. He used to live in fear of dying because of his peanut allergy, and although he does not like the taste of them, Chris has said it is good he can have four peanuts with his granola - which was recommended by his doctor - every morning. He is quoted by BBC News as saying: "It's a wonderful feeling. "I'm no longer afraid of dying."
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'My peanut allergy nearly killed me - now I eat them every day for breakfast'
Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, used to live in fear of dying from eating even the smallest trace of peanut. Ten years ago he had his worst allergic reaction after ordering a curry at a local Indian takeaway. The trauma of it is seared into his memory. "I knew I was in trouble after one bite," he says. "Within seconds there were spots on my lips. Within minutes I was vomiting. I could feel my throat closing up, hives forming in my armpits then over my whole body... My face going all puffy with the swelling." His voice tails off, full of emotion. "I thought I was going to die." Photos taken in hospital later that day show the toll the reaction took on his body. "I looked like a plucked turkey because my skin had blistered so much," Chris says. But the most painful thing were the hives - red, raised bumps on the skin - which felt "like boiling water had been poured over me". Trying to avoid peanuts, one of the most common food allergies, has been a way of life for Chris and millions of other adults with a serious allergy. Eating out, going to social events and travelling abroad are all fraught with anxiety. As many as one in 200 adults and one in 50 children have a nut allergy, charities say. Some children grow out of their allergies, but many don't - and they continue into adulthood, often getting worse. An allergic reaction occurs when the body reacts to the protein in peanuts, thinking it's a threat, which triggers a sudden release of chemicals. Symptoms can range from the mild to very serious. Chris's allergy first came to light as a baby, when he developed a rash as his mum made peanut butter sandwiches. Each reaction since has been worse than the one before, which means he's become accustomed to living every day "on high alert hoping nothing bad happens". Activities such as going out with friends or eating in restaurants, which should be enjoyable, turned into stressful, potentially life-threatening experiences. Despite a love of travel, Chris avoided going to countries where peanuts are commonly used, like south east Asia, after three allergic reactions on a trip to Italy. As Chris grew up, his family constantly worried about him. But then his mum heard about a clinical trial at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London that would change her son's life. It would test whether adults like Chris with serious peanut allergies could be desensitised by training their bodies to tolerate the very thing that could kill it, calming down the immune system when it would usually over-react. Despite being "really nervous", Chris agreed to sign up. Under the watchful eye of doctors, Chris started by eating a fraction of a milligram of peanut powder mixed with yoghurt. Over many months, the amount of peanut was gradually increased, slowly building up to Chris eating fractions of nuts and, finally, whole nuts. By the end of the nine-month study, 14 of the 21 patients could eat the equivalent of five peanuts without having allergic reactions - including Chris. Professor Stephen Till, who led the research, says the treatment "has potential to have a real impact on patients' lives". "Most severe reactions occur because of mistakes, usually by somebody else, and miscommunication. So it provides them with some protection against that. "They've taken control, if you like, of their peanut allergy now." The method - called oral immunotherapy - is already proven to work for allergies to pollen, wasp and bee stings. It's only been used on food allergies in the last 20 years, and mostly in children whose immune systems are still developing. Adult allergies are thought to be harder to shift. "Peanut allergy is very common in children and almost never goes away," says Prof Till. "Those young people are going to become adults, so we need treatments for adults too." This trial, published in the journal Allergy, shows adults with serious allergies can increase the amount of peanut they can tolerate by 100 times. Chris had no idea how he would react to even the slightest trace of peanut. Increasing that dose - willingly - every day was something he couldn't imagine. "The first time I went there and I ingest this stuff, my heart's going a million miles an hour," he says. "The big jump in fear was going from peanut dust to half a whole nut." But he was reassured by having a team of doctors and nurses present, with drugs such as adrenaline standing by in case of a severe, life-threatening reaction. "You've got 100 eyes on you - nothing is gonna happen." However, experts stress no one should try this at home on their own because of the risk of a serious allergic reaction occurring. Not everyone who tried the treatment was desensitised, and larger trials in more people will have to work out why that is. "For some people, there were reactions and we had to slow down or go back a step," explains Prof Till. "But the message is that you can desensitise adults to peanuts -and there should be more focus on adults in the future." Being able to eat peanuts safely had a huge impact on the lives of those who took part, the researchers say. It has given them freedom to travel, reduced their anxiety when eating out and removed their fear of food. How to develop this into a practical treatment on the NHS is more of a challenge. First, larger trials are needed to prove it can work for more people. And researchers are looking at whether putting drops of peanut in solution under the tongue could be a safer way of achieving the same end result. Chris now eats four peanuts every morning with his breakfast granola to keep his allergy at bay – as recommended by his doctors. He's grateful for having had the opportunity to take part in the trial and hopes many others with serious peanut allergies can also benefit from the treatment. While he admits he still hates the flavour of peanuts, he says knowing he can now eat something that once sent his body into "nuclear meltdown" has changed his life. "It's a wonderful feeling," Chris says. "I'm no longer afraid of dying." Early peanut butter can give lifelong allergy defence Give babies peanut butter to cut allergy - study Children with peanut allergies improving - trial
