# Why Do Geeky People Often Suffer From Allergies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378 "2003-07-23T14:44:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/1 "2003-07-23T14:44:06Z")
Why is it that allergies seem to be so common among ‘geeky’ people? Does being born with allergies make you stay indoors all the time, turning you into a geek?? Or is it possible that non-geeks also have high rates of allergies, but they don’t spend as much time worrying and complaining about them? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/2 "2003-07-23T15:01:38Z")
Most likely, people with allergies tend to stay inside. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/3 "2003-07-23T15:27:04Z")
Woo-hoo! I know this one! Skin tissue and nerve tissue are the same type of cells. That means that smart folks (more-sensitive brains) have allergies (more-sensitive skin). And smart=geek, right? 🙂 Being a smart and allergic sort myself…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/4 "2003-07-23T15:44:07Z")
Two reasons come to mind: 1. What ultrafilter said (you have cause and effect reversed in this case). 2. There is no statistical difference in the number of geeky people with allergies and the number of non-geeks who also have alergies. You just notice the geeky ones more. I’m actually always amazed at how many elite athletes have allergies or asthma or whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/5 "2003-07-23T15:58:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > Two reasons come to mind: > > 1. What ultrafilter said (you have cause and effect reversed in this case). > > 2. There is no statistical difference in the number of geeky people with allergies and the number of non-geeks who also have alergies. **You just notice the geeky ones more**. I’m actually always amazed at how many elite athletes have allergies or asthma or whatnot. How so, if they “stay inside”? But yes, if there is _any_ truth in the OP’s assertion ( **Surreal** , care to provide a cite), one possible cause is that those who suffer from allergies maybe socially excluded and or ostracised. ---
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/6 "2003-07-23T16:03:57Z")
I’ll look for more cites, but I did find this- [http://www.tsowell.com/splateta.html#N07](http://www.tsowell.com/splateta.html#N07) “_Allergies and other immune system disorders are much more common in people with unusual intellectual ability. A survey at a meeting of Mensa, the international society for people with very high IQs, showed that 31 percent of those present reported “severe or multiple allergies.” A Johns Hopkins University study of intellectually precocious youngsters showed that four-fifths of them were either allergic, myopic, or left-handed-- or some combination._” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/7 "2003-07-23T16:32:23Z")
Wow! No wonder I feel so bad. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/8 "2003-07-23T17:02:17Z")
Well, I have allergies and I’m pretty geeky. I agree with the “we stay indoors” theory. I really don’t like being outside during the summer months; ergo, I opt to stay indoors often engaged in hobbies/reading/computering. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/9 "2003-07-23T17:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > \*\*…I’m actually always amazed at how many elite athletes have allergies or asthma or whatnot. \*\* No cite on this, but i remember hearing Seb Coe saying, after retiring from athletics, that although he wasn’t as fit he felt far more healthy. IANA Dr., but it seems that the nearer you push your body to it’s physical limit the more vulnerable you are to viruses etc. I know… I’m off topic again… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/10 "2003-07-23T18:01:35Z")
I’m not sure how useful that is, **Surreal**. What are the corresponding rates for the general population? It seems to me that 30% with allergies is pretty low. For that matter, those Mensa results are self-reported. Is the typical Mensa member’s idea of “serious allergy” the same as for everyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/11 "2003-07-23T18:12:07Z")
I’d say at least fifty percent of the people who come in my emeergency department report an allergy to something. I would suspect that geeky people have rates of allergies similar to the general population. I have no doubt intellectuals are more likely to be myopic, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/12 "2003-07-23T18:14:31Z")
But I guess it’s all in the definition… [http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/allergystat.htm](http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/allergystat.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/13 "2003-07-23T19:37:23Z")
I’ve been geeky for a while, but only recently (past 3-4 years) developed allergies. On the other hand, allergies and sinus trouble run in my family. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/14 "2003-07-23T19:40:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoCoolUserName \* > **Woo-hoo! I know this one!** No you don’t. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/15 "2003-07-24T06:19:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Qadgop the Mercotan \* > \*\*No you don’t. \*\* Hey, that’s what my allergist, also an MD, told me. If he’s wrong, I want my money back. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/16 "2003-07-25T19:50:14Z")
Your allergist must have been a geek. I, on the other hand, was (am?) a nerd. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/17 "2003-07-25T20:22:54Z")
Funny, Qagdop, I was always thought you were a Mercotan… Last I heard, allergies were running about 20% in the population as a whole, of varying severity. A LOT of people have an allergy but don’t whine, complain, or moan about it. I think there’s a significant number of people who DON’T have an allergy but claim to for various reasons - vegetarians claiming to be “allergic” to meat, people claiming to be “allergic” to alcohol, other folks claiming allergies to food they just don’t like to eat… These folks do tend to be loud and geeky. And severe allergies can result in some social isolation. My food allergies, for instance, do pose problems with social forms of eating and make people avoid having me over for dinner at their homes. Severe hayfever may make a person want to spend a lot of time indoors in a controlled climate. As a result, the people with loud hypochondria or genuine severe and limiting allergies are the ones you notice. Both types tend to have geeky characteristics. The large number of quiet, non-geeky but allergic people don’t show up on your radar screen. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/18 "2003-07-25T20:26:31Z")
I’m geeky, and I don’t have allergies. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/19 "2003-07-25T20:42:48Z")
My allergies didn’t start until college, so I guess I eventually learned enough to be considered a geek, and the allergies weren’t afraid to be seen with me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378/20 "2003-07-26T13:23:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Broomstick \* > **…vegetarians claiming to be “allergic” to meat…** As a vegetarian of 20-odd years, I would say I tend to notice the vegetarians around me, and I’ve _never_ heard any of the _many_ vegetarians I’ve met say this. YM(O)V. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-geeky-people-often-suffer-from-allergies/190378.md?page=2)