# Is It Possible to Develop Walnut Allergy by Eatings Too Much Walnuts Too Often? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415 "2016-11-29T23:19:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![greenpurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@greenpurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenpurple)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/1 "2016-11-29T23:19:54Z")
thanks… ---
**Author:** ![greenpurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@greenpurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenpurple)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/2 "2016-11-30T22:38:00Z")
no one? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/3 "2016-11-30T22:54:18Z")
I have never heard of that specifically, but I know that prolonged and repeated exposure to latex can create a latex sensitivity/allergy. So why not walnuts? although I imagine you’d have to eat a sackful a day mmm ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/4 "2016-11-30T22:56:39Z")
It is _possible_, but then there’s the issue of defining things like “too much walnuts” and “too often”. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/5 "2016-11-30T22:57:31Z")
No…[Food Allergies - ACAAI Public Website](http://acaai.org/resources/connect/ask-allergist/can-i-develop-allergy-eating-too-much-food) ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/6 "2016-11-30T23:21:46Z")
Well, that’s a weird coincidence. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=812492](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=812492) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/7 "2016-12-01T00:01:32Z")
“Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator” So what were you attempting to link to? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/8 "2016-12-01T00:10:53Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > “Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator” > > So what were you attempting to link to? Same thing, re-posted, is my guess. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/9 "2016-12-01T14:36:29Z")
I NEVER had any allergies until I was in my 30’s. Then I had allergies every spring. And I don’t know why I suddenly started having allergies? Age? ---
**Author:** ![misling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@misling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misling)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/10 "2016-12-01T15:39:24Z")
Your immune system just got tired of dealing with all that spring tree-pollen cruft you were breathing in. :dubious:😃 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/11 "2016-12-01T15:45:59Z")
Me: Living with dog 10 years. Living with new dog: 6 months. Last month: ER visit, diagnosis: asthma-allergen causes. Class V (I-VI scale) dog dander allergy. Epipen and steroid puffer forever. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/12 "2016-12-01T19:49:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > “Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator” > > So what were you attempting to link to? A link from fifteen minutes later by a brand new user asking the same question with different language. Cornfield link now, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/13 "2016-12-01T19:52:43Z")
Strictly from personal experience, walnuts are near the death of me … not because I ate too many … rather I’ve been involved in a few too many walnut harvests … ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/14 "2016-12-01T20:02:45Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > “Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator” > > > > So what were you attempting to link to? > > A link from fifteen minutes later by a brand new user asking the same question with different language. Cornfield link now, I guess. That’s obviously spam. No point in linking to it as it’s going to be disappeared quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/15 "2016-12-01T20:19:56Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > That’s obviously spam. No point in linking to it as it’s going to be disappeared quickly. Your input is noted. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-develop-walnut-allergy-by-eatings-too-much-walnuts-too-often/773415/16 "2016-12-01T20:42:37Z")
This is basically a question of sensitization. Not all exposures to allergens cause an immediate, acute response. Each exposure, however, may be creating more immune-response cells that are sensitized to that particular allergen. This means that the allergic reaction becomes more dramatic with each exposure. Depending on how fast those sensitized immune cells build up, you might have many many exposures with almost unnoticeable allergic reaction. Eventually, after sufficient exposure, more severe allergic reactions will occur - rashes, difficult breathing, etc. This is fairly common with food allergies. I actually have an allergy to tree nuts that I did not notice until late in life, when the symptoms developed enough to be noticeable. Even so, it’s still a mild allergic response - achy gums and skin rashes, usually. But if I went on a walnut-eating binge, it’d probably increase in severity fairly quick.