'My peanut allergy could have killed me - now I eat four for breakfast every day'

A man with a life-threatening peanut now eats four for breakfast every day after taking part in a groundbreaking study. Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, was diagnosed as a baby and had always associated the "smell of peanuts with fear and death". But he can now safely tolerate eating them after joining the first clinical trial to test whether small daily doses can increase tolerance in adults.

Chris, a cybersecurity specialist from Northamptonshire, said: "I'm so proud to have been part of this trial and so happy to say that I used to be allergic to peanuts but thanks to this trial, this is no longer a concern. Me and my family were always anxious that even a trace of peanut could be life-threatening."

At the beginning of the study, Chris began eating a small amount of peanut flour with yoghurt. By the end, he could eat four nuts in one sitting.

He added: "I have four peanuts every day with my breakfast to maintain my immunity. Before, a tiny mistake could have life-threatening impacts but now I don't have the fear that I might collapse and die from eating a takeaway."

Such methods to desensitise sufferers have previously proven effective in children. The Grown Up Peanut Immunotherapy trial was led by King's College and Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust.

Under close supervision, 21 adults aged 18 to 40 first received 0.8mg peanut flour mixed in with food. They were given 1.5 mg 30 minutes later, followed by 3mg a further 30 minutes later.

Those who tolerated 1.5mg or 3mg of peanut flour continued on a daily dose at home for two weeks, which was the equivalent of 0.5-1% of a whole peanut.

Patients returned to the clinic every two weeks for increasing supervised doses, eventually progressing to eating whole peanuts, peanut butter or peanut products.

By the end of the trial, two third of participants were able to eat 1.4g of peanut protein - the equivalent of five peanuts - without reacting.

Chief investigator Professor Stephen Till, an allergy expert at King's College London, said: "Although peanut immunotherapy is known to be effective in children, this trial provides preliminary evidence that adults can also be desensitised and that this improves quality of life.

"The average tolerated dose of peanuts increased 100-fold over the course of the trial." Researchers now plan to launch larger trials and identify which groups of adults are most likely to benefit from the therapy.

Lead author Hannah Hunter, a specialist allergy dietitian from Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Living with peanut allergy is a huge burden due to the need for constant vigilance and the risk of accidental exposures.

"Many participants who completed the trial told us that the treatment had been life-changing and they were no longer living in fear."

The study, published in the journal Allergy, was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton said: "This groundbreaking research offers hope to thousands living with peanut allergies.

"For too long, people have navigated daily life in fear of accidental exposure that could be life-threatening.

"I'm proud the UK is leading this vital work through NIHR funding. These results show how we're transforming lives through science, potentially changing care standards for adults with peanut allergies worldwide."