Allergic diseases are a set of chronic inflammatory disorders of lung, skin, and nose epithelium characterized by aberrant IgE and Th2 cytokine-mediated immune responses to exposed allergens. Evidence has shown that a broad range of nutrients and dietary components play critical roles in the prevention or treatment of allergic disease through host and gut microbiota-derived metabolites.
In a study published in Nutrients, ZHANG Ping of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) reviewed recent advances in the understanding of diet and food components as contributing factors in the etiology of allergies, molecular targets of nutrient regulation of immune cells and structural cells involved in allergy, and clinical findings about nutrition intervention in treating allergic diseases.
The researcher conducted a systematic literature search and reviewed most relevant articles. The literature review showed that diet and nutrition play a key role in the development and severity of allergic diseases by regulating tissue and immune homeostasis. The identified diet and nutritional risk factors for allergy are high energy, high protein, high saturated fat, n-6 fatty acids, medium-chain fatty acids, cholesterol, low total dietary fiber, low vegetables and fruits, high simple sugar and processed foods, low level of minerals Zn and iron and vitamins A, D, and E.
Excessive calories, high intake of protein and saturated fatty acids, or lack of dietary fiber and micronutrients can trigger the defense mechanism in the immune system and prime the host for allergic reactions. Therefore, calorie restriction, coupled with sufficient dietary fiber and adequate macronutrient intake, will be essential for maintaining immune tolerance to allergens.
Since plant-based diets are enriched with micronutrients and dietary flavonoids associated with potent anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effects, the researcher considered that a plant-based diet may be particularly useful for the treatment of severe allergic diseases associated with obesity.
Contact
ZHANG Ping Ph.D
Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China
E-mail: zhangping@xtbg.org.cn
Published: 22 August 2023
