What’s Causing the Food Allergy Epidemic?

Short description:

In this episode of The Immune Edit, Dr. Doug Jones explores why food allergies have become so common—diving into factors like gut health, antibiotics, C-sections, early feeding practices, and vitamin D deficiency—and explains how the microbiome may be the key to prevention.

Introduction

Hi, welcome back. It’s exciting to have you here for another episode.

One of the questions I get almost daily is:

“What is causing the food allergy epidemic?”

Is it real? Are people making it up?

And if it is real—what’s behind it?

Because for many of us who grew up a few decades ago, food allergies were almost unheard of.

Now, everyone knows someone with one.

So what changed? Let’s take a look at what might be driving this rise in food allergies.

1. The Role of Early Antibiotic and Antacid Use

Some of the earliest and strongest theories involve early exposure to antibiotics and antacids—both in pregnant mothers and infants.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics save lives, but they don’t discriminate.

They kill harmful bacteria—but also the good bacteria that make up a healthy gut microbiome.

When antibiotics are used early in life—either in a pregnant mother or in an infant—they can disrupt that delicate microbial balance, which may affect how the immune system learns to recognize foods.

Antacids

Antacids can also play a role.

When given to infants with reflux, they change the stomach’s pH, altering how food proteins are digested.

This can make the body perceive certain foods as foreign, potentially triggering allergic sensitization.

2. The Impact of C-Sections

The increasing number of C-sections worldwide is another important factor.

When babies are born vaginally, they’re exposed to their mother’s beneficial bacteria, which helps establish a healthy gut microbiome.

But when a baby is delivered via C-section, that exposure is bypassed.

Instead, their gut flora more closely resembles skin bacteria than gut bacteria—affecting early immune development and tolerance.

That doesn’t mean C-sections are bad; they’re often medically necessary.

But it’s important for parents to recognize this and talk to their pediatrician about ways to support gut health early, possibly through probiotics or other strategies.

3. Delayed Food Introduction: A Medical Misstep

For decades, doctors told parents to delay introducing allergenic foods—like peanuts, eggs, and milk—until after infancy.

We now know that was a mistake.

The LEAP Study (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy), published about a decade ago, showed that early introduction of allergenic foods—around 4 months of age—can significantly reduce the risk of food allergy.

It took years for these new recommendations to be adopted, but more pediatricians are now encouraging early introduction for infants who don’t have severe eczema or a strong family history of allergy.

4. Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency, both in pregnant mothers and infants, has been linked to an increased risk of inflammation and allergic disease.

Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system.

Low levels may make the body more reactive and prone to over-respond to harmless foods.

It’s a simple, correctable factor:

Mothers should have their vitamin D levels checked during pregnancy, and infants may also benefit from monitoring if there are early allergy concerns.

5. The Common Thread: The Gut Microbiome

What do all these factors—antibiotics, antacids, C-sections, delayed feeding, and vitamin D deficiency—have in common?

The gut microbiome.

It’s the ecosystem inside us that trains our immune system to distinguish friend from foe.

When that balance is disrupted—especially early in life—it can lead to inflammation and food sensitivity instead of tolerance.

That’s why so much of our allergy prevention and treatment today revolves around supporting gut health.

6. The Immune Edit: Focus on Gut Health and Family Habits

In my clinic, we look at the whole person—not just the allergy test.

We evaluate inflammation, gut balance, and lifestyle factors that affect immune function.

If there’s one edit you can make today, it’s this:

👉 Pay attention to your gut microbiome.

For yourself and for your children, start with small steps—healthier eating, smart use of medications, sunlight exposure, and introducing diverse foods early when it’s safe to do so.

Your children will learn their habits from you.

By improving your own health practices, you’re helping them build a foundation for theirs.

That’s this week’s Immune Edit.

Let’s continue to make small, meaningful edits toward a healthier, more balanced immune system—starting from the inside out.

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