Allergy and Human Milk Oligosaccharides – Kristine Marie Gutierrez, M.D

Allergy affects about 1.4 billion people worldwide, and it manifests as allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, bronchial asthma, and drug allergies. These reactions are mainly attributed to Th1 and Th2 response. But other factors like genetics, lifestyle, pollution, and diet may contribute to the imbalance in Th1 and Th2 cells that may lead to the development of allergies. Promising new studies show possible mechanisms on how the gut microbiome may affect immune response and in turn, allergy development. Similarly, HMOs, the third most abundant solid in breastmilk, has also been in the limelight for new research in this line. Watch this video to find out more about HMOs and the role it may play in reducing the risk of allergies.