Think about your typical allergy symptoms. This might look like:

• sneezing
• scratching
• tearing/watery eyes

And in more severe cases (such as anaphalaxis)

• diarrhea
• vomiting
• drop in blood pressure

These array of allergy symptoms closely align with immune responses triggered by exposure to toxic substances- thus providing a supporting basis to the toxin hypothsis.

However, this hypothesis has been rather overlooked due to Margie Profet’s other controversial hypotheses and her lack of credentials. 2 years after proposing the toxin hypothesis, in the same journal, Profet published Menstruation as a defense against pathogens transported by sperm. In the years to follow, Profet published 2 best selling books –Protecting Your Baby-To-Be: Preventing Birth Defects in the First Trimester and a 1997 follow up, Pregnancy Sickness: Using Your Body’s Natural Defenses to Protect Your Baby-To-Be– both sparking controversy.

Despite being an evolutionary biologist, Profet did not receive training in biology. Profet received 2 bachelor degrees in political philosophy(Harvard 1980) and physics(UC Berkeley 1985) but did not complete any doctoral training