Antihistamines and Food Allergies?

If I take a benadryl prior to eating a food I am mildy allergic to will it prevent the diarrhea associated with the allergy?

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

A good question but, if you are truly allergic to a given food, it is highly unlikely that taking Benadryl would prevent a reaction to that food.  In addition, there is no guarantee that your allergic reaction will continue to be “mild” indefinitely.  After a series of mild reactions, you could suddenly without warning, have a more severe reaction.  Thus, if you are allergic to a specific food or class of foods, ideal management of that allergy should include avoidance of that food.