Can You Build Tolerance by Regularly Eating Food You’re Allergic To?

Cravings often make us bend the rules — whether it’s pausing a strict diet or indulging in a comfort meal. But for some, the desire to enjoy certain foods goes as far as eating something they’re allergic to, hoping repeated exposure will train their body to adjust.

While this may seem like a part of a normal cheat day, this practice could lead to more severe health reactions and long-term complications instead of building endurance.

 Why does this belief exist?

There is a medical procedure known as oral immunotherapy (OIT), where patients are slowly introduced to tiny, carefully measured doses of an allergen under strict medical supervision to help desensitize their immune response. Over time, this can reduce the severity of allergic reactions or in some cases, even allow the patient to tolerate the food.

However, many people mistake OIT for something they can casually try at home. They assume they can slowly reintroduce allergenic foods into their diet without consequences, not realizing that without proper monitoring, this can lead to serious health risks.

The risks of unsupervised exposure

Eating foods you’re allergic to in a repeated manner can have harmful effects. Reactions can range from mild to life-threatening and may include the following:

• Hives, rashes, or swelling
• Stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
• Difficulty breathing
• Anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction

The more often you expose yourself to these triggers without knowing the severity of your allergy, the more unpredictable your reactions can become. 

Safer alternatives through meal planning and allergy testing

Instead of risking harmful effects, the safer and smarter option is to plan your meals around safe alternatives. Meanwhile, for those already experiencing discomfort or symptoms after eating, but are unsure of what the trigger is, getting an allergy test can help identify hidden allergens and guide better food decisions.

With Shinagawa Diagnostic & Preventive Care, you can take advantage of our Nutrition & Dietetics services, which offer expert guidance on healthy eating, personalized meal planning, and safe food alternatives. Plus, we also provide blood allergy testing, which is a faster, simpler, and less invasive option compared to traditional skin-prick tests.

Whether you’re managing existing allergies or trying to understand new symptoms, we’re here to help you eat smarter, feel better, and live healthier.