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ZOE Science & Nutrition · May 14, 2026 · 1h 2m

Is your gut making hay fever, seasonal allergies, eczema and food intolerances worse? Here are 5 ways to fight back

Prof. Adam Fox
Show Notes

Prof. Adam Fox, an allergy specialist at King's College London, explores why allergies have tripled in recent decades and what gut health has to do with it. The episode challenges common misconceptions about allergies—including that 90% of people told they're allergic may not actually be—and reveals how the immune system is trained differently by the gut and skin. Fox discusses why peanut allergies became common in children, how eczema shapes immune responses, and practical strategies for managing hay fever and seasonal allergies, including newer treatments that retrain rather than suppress the immune system.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Curious

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Eczema on Skin Trains the Immune System Differently Than Gut Exposure10:00
When the skin barrier is compromised (eczema), the immune system learns to react defensively; when food enters via the gut, the immune system learns tolerance—the opposite response.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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Peanut Allergies Became Common Due to Delayed Exposure and Skin Sensitization03:19
Delaying peanut exposure (following outdated advice to avoid allergenic foods) combined with skin exposure through contaminated cosmetics or eczema-damaged skin led to the rise of peanut allergies in children.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

Highlights

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Allergies Have Tripled Due to Modern Changes15:15
Allergies were almost nonexistent 200 years ago but have now tripled in prevalence, suggesting environmental or lifestyle changes rather than genetic shifts.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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90% of People Told They're Allergic May Not Actually Be Allergic00:00
The distinction between true allergies, intolerances, and food sensitivities is poorly understood, and many people are mislabeled as allergic when they have a different condition.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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Allergies Vary Dramatically by Country, Suggesting Environment, Not Genetics08:05
Allergy profiles differ strikingly between countries—some have high peanut allergies, others shellfish, others hay fever—indicating that local environment and culture shape immune responses more than genetics.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

Editorial

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Some Antihistamines May Suppress Immune Learning and Worsen Long-Term Outcomes00:00
Certain antihistamines work by broadly suppressing immune responses, which may prevent the immune system from learning to tolerate allergens and could worsen long-term allergy severity.
ClaudeChatGPTGemini

Misc

✧Allergies have tripled in recent decades; hay fever barely existed 200 years ago
✧90% of people told they have food allergies may not actually be allergic—distinction between allergy, intolerance, and sensitivity is critical
✧Geographic variation in allergies is stark—different countries have different allergy profiles, suggesting environmental/cultural factors matter more than genetics
✧Eczema on skin trains immune system differently than exposure via gut—this shapes lifelong allergy risk
✧Some antihistamines may cause more harm than benefit by suppressing the immune system's learning
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