He Nearly Died From A Peanut Allergy. Now He Eats Peanuts For Breakfast

April 24, 2025

A groundbreaking clinical trial has helped 28-year-old Chris Brookes-Smith—and others with severe peanut allergies—build life-changing tolerance to peanuts, offering new hope and freedom for adults once held hostage by their condition.

Chris Brookes-Smith (top right) / DailyMail 

For most of his life, Chris Brookes-Smith lived in fear that a single bite of the wrong food could end his life.

Even a trace of peanut was enough to send the 28-year-old into a terrifying, full-body allergic reaction. A decade ago, one such experience after eating a takeaway curry left him hospitalized and traumatized.

“I thought I was going to die,” Chris told BBC, describing symptoms that included vomiting, swelling, and blistered skin that left him looking, in his words, “like a plucked turkey.”

Going out to eat, traveling abroad, or even socializing became a source of anxiety. Despite a love for adventure, Chris avoided entire regions of the world where peanuts are commonly used in cooking.

But a groundbreaking clinical trial at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London offered a glimmer of hope—and changed his life forever.

The study, led by Professor Stephen Till, explored oral immunotherapy, a method where patients are exposed to tiny amounts of the allergen—in this case, peanut protein—to help the body gradually build tolerance. Though this therapy has shown promise in children, it has rarely been studied in adults.

Chris was nervous, but he signed up.

Starting with a microscopic dose of peanut powder mixed into yogurt, he worked closely with doctors over several months, increasing the dose bit by bit. By the end of the nine-month trial, Chris and two-thirds of the participants were able to tolerate the equivalent of five whole peanuts—a dramatic increase that researchers say could save lives in accidental exposure scenarios.

“You’ve got 100 eyes on you—nothing is gonna happen,” Chris said, reflecting on the medical supervision that gave him the confidence to keep going through the trial’s most nerve-wracking stages.

Though he still dislikes the taste of peanuts, Chris now eats four every morning with breakfast to maintain his tolerance—and reclaim his freedom.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said. “I’m no longer afraid of dying.”

This trial adds to growing evidence that even adults with lifelong food allergies might benefit from desensitization therapies, potentially offering hope to the many people still living in fear of their next meal.

And it’s not just peanut allergy that’s being tackled. Decades ago, scientists studying lactose intolerance made a surprising discovery: regular lactose exposure could actually train the gut to handle dairy better. One recent viral video shows a woman claiming to have completely overcome her dairy issues after following that very approach—by “spamming skim milk” for two weeks.

Girl resolves lactose intolerance symptoms by spamming skimmed milk for two weeks after finding a 90s paper suggesting it's a "skill issue." pic.twitter.com/v33mgfEzRp

— curious side of 𝕏 (@curioXities) November 21, 2024

Together, these stories reveal a heartening truth: the body’s ability to adapt might be more powerful than we think. And for people like Chris, that adaptability is nothing short of life-changing.