What does your microbiome have to do with allergies?

<p>Genetics and food exposure in early life can impact if you develop allergies or not. But those aren&#39;t the only factors at play!</p><p>This month we are continuing on the topic of allergies, and this time we will explore how <strong>our microbiome and exposure to microbes</strong> can impact our risk of developing allergies. </p><p>We talk about how a diverse microbiome can reduce your risk of allergies and why, and what happens when your microbiome is less well-balanced. </p><p>And to end - have you heard of the hygiene hypothesis? Well, it has an update... Listen in to find out more about the &#39;old friends&#39; hypothesis!</p><p><strong>Key References:</strong></p><ul><li>Tan J et al. Your Regulatory T Cells Are What You Eat: How Diet and Gut Microbiota Affect Regulatory T Cell Development. Front Nutr. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.878382</li><li>Gang Y et al. Risk and protective factors for food allergy: an in-depth analysis of dietary patterns and specific dietary components. Allergy Medicine 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.allmed.2025.100076</li><li>Kim CH &amp; Baker JR. Regulation of allergies across the body by microbial metabolites. Exp Mol Med 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-026-01642-1</li><li>Rook GAW. The old friends hypothesis: evolution, immunoregulation and essential microbial inputs. Front Allergy 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/falgy.2023.1220481</li><li>Azad MB et al. Infant gut microbiota and the hygiene hypothesis of allergic disease: impact of household pets and siblings on microbiota composition and diversity. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol 2013. https://doi.org/10.1186/1710-1492-9-15</li></ul>