Brain allergies can cause behavioral and mood changes in response to food or chemical allergens. Symptoms may include fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity. Diagnosis is subjective and treatment may involve an elimination diet and supplements. Some doctors are skeptical of brain allergies, but alternative practitioners see it as an explanation for behavior and mood disorders.
Brain allergies are responses of the brain to food or chemical allergens. An allergic reaction occurs when contact with a substance causes the body’s immune system to overreact and release the chemical histamine into the bloodstream, thereby causing allergic symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Reactions that don’t involve a release of histamine are called sensitivities or intolerances and usually cause less severe symptoms than an allergy. A brain allergy can result from either type of reaction and usually involves a behavioral or mood response to a food allergy.
Typical allergy symptoms affecting parts of the body other than the brain include skin rashes, hives, and a runny nose. Other symptoms include sneezing, watery eyes and stomach pain. Sometimes, allergic reactions can be severe and life-threatening, which is called anaphylaxis.
In the brain, certain foods can alter chemicals and hormones, thereby causing behavioral changes and mood swings. Brain allergy symptoms may be present with or without traditional systemic allergy symptoms. Certain foods, usually wheat, milk or eggs, are the most common cause of symptoms in individuals with brain allergy. These symptoms may include fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, manic behavior, dizziness, headache, hyperactivity, or agitation.
Doctors usually diagnose allergies by administering a skin test in which common allergens are injected or scratched into the skin. Doctors look for skin reactions to determine if an allergic reaction is present. Not all allergies affect the brain, making diagnosing brain allergies more difficult than diagnosing traditional allergies. The diagnosis of brain allergy is subjective and depends on the observation of the symptoms.
Treatment of brain allergies can begin with an elimination diet in which a suspected food allergen is eliminated from the diet until symptoms subside. Doctors usually start by eliminating wheat, milk and eggs, as these items are the most common causes of brain allergies. Supplements are often used in conjunction with a food elimination diet to treat underlying vitamin deficiencies and further relieve symptoms. If the food elimination diet is overly restrictive, a four-day rotation in which the offending food is introduced only every four days may be used, provided the symptoms are not too severe for the patient to tolerate.
Brain allergies are suspected to have been around since Dr. Lauretta Bender conducted studies of emotionally disturbed children in the 1950s. Bender noted that children with schizophrenia had a higher incidence of celiac disease. This autoimmune disease is characterized by a severe intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat.
In the 1970s, Dr. William Philpott spent several years studying mental patients suffering from psychosis. He noted a strong correlation between food allergies and schizophrenic, depressive, and manic behavior. His studies have found a high correlation between food and tobacco allergies and psychotic behavior. Many doctors remain very skeptical of the existence of brain allergies. Alternative practitioners, however, have embraced the theory as an explanation for many behavior and mood disorders.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
