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We will mention research updates on natural allergy treatment when published.
An allergy is a reaction of the immune system in which normal body tissue is injured. The mechanisms by which the immune system defends the body and by which a hypersensitivity reaction can injure it are similar. Thus, antibodies, lymphocytes, and other cells, which are normal protective components of the immune system are involved in allergic reactions as well as in autoimmune disease and organ transplant rejection.
When most people use the term allergy or allergic reaction, they are referring to reactions that involve antibodies of the immunoglobulin E (IgE) class. IgE antibodies bind to special cells, including basophils in the circulation and mast cells in tissues. When IgE antibodies that are bound to those cells encounter antigens, in this case called allergens, the cells are prompted to release chemicals that injure surrounding tissues. An allergen can be almost anything--a dust particle, plant pollen, a drug, or food -- that acts as an antigen to stimulate an immune response.
Natural Allergy treatment options
If you have a mild or moderate allergy condition and you
are looking for natural relief, consider some of the options listed below.
Please realize that research regarding treatment of allergies with natural
herbs and supplements is still in its infancy. What I have tried to do is gather
some of the published research and try to make sense of it. Discuss with
your health care professional regarding the appropriateness of these herbs and
nutrients for your allergy condition, before you start taking them. If your doctor is not familiar
with these natural allergy relief options, refer him or her to this site. I will update this
page as more information is available regarding natural options for asthma.
Eat more cold water fish with high content of fish oils. Fish oils have
anti-inflammatory activity and most people don't get enough fish oils in their
diet. You may consider taking
fish oils supplements.
Reduce hydrogenated and trans fats such as those found in certain baked goods
and margarine.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially organically grown, if possible
and affordable. Have a wide variety of produce, not just the same ones over and
over. Vegetables and fruits contain many flavonoids that have
anti-inflammatory properties. Eating more vegetables could reduce the severity
of hay fever.
Flavonoids supplements may be helpful, including
Quercetin. If you don't
eat enough vegetables, you could consider taking flavonoid supplements.
Flavonoids are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Vitamin C in small
amounts such as 50 to 300 mg seems reasonable.
Acetylcysteine is a
powerful antioxidant and helps support healthy lung tissue.
Mangosteen has
xanthones which have some antihistamine activity. For more
Mangosteen information.
Butterbur has been studied with
mostly good results. See also butterbur
research information web site.
Stinging nettle
Avoid excess alcohol consumption, since alcohol may increase IgE levels and
aggravate allergy symptoms.
Grapeseed extract has not been found helpful in the treatment of fall seasonal
allergic rhinitis.
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Mother's diet
and allergy prevention
Children of women who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables
while pregnant are far less likely to develop asthma or an allergy problem later
in life. A mother's diet can help prevent allergy problems in a child.
Common Types of
Allergic Triggers
To reduce an allergy symptom, avoid or reduce exposure to allergens listed below:
Animal dander - Pet allergy - some people have a
dog allergy or a cat allergy which is quite frustrating if you are attached to
your pet. Children exposed to higher levels of cat allergen in their first 2
years of life may be at greater risk of developing allergy to cats.
Dust mites allergy -- More than 80 percent of homes in America have
detectable levels of house dust mite, the microscopic critter that triggers dust
allergies. People who are allergic to dust mites may be at risk of developing
asthma. Older homes, homes in the Northeast and homes with high bedroom humidity
are most likely to have high concentrations of dust mite allergen, as are homes
with musty or mildew odors. To lower the levels of dust mite allergen, people
should use impermeable mattress covers, wash bedding every week in hot water and
remove all non-washable items from the bed, including stuffed animals.
Food allergy -- A
food allergy is an allergic reaction to a particular
food. A much more common condition, food intolerance,
isn't an allergic reaction but is any other undesirable effect of eating a
particular food. Many people can't tolerate certain foods for various reasons
other than food allergy; for example, they may lack an enzyme necessary for
digesting the food. If a person's digestive system can't tolerate certain foods,
the result can be gastrointestinal distress, gas, nausea, diarrhea, or other
problems. In general, allergic reactions aren't responsible for these symptoms. Wheat, milk
or dairy products, soy, peanuts, tree
nuts, fish,
shellfish, or eggs have allergens that account for an estimated 90 percent of
all food allergies. Peanut allergy and milk allergy are common, so is wheat
gluten allergy.
Individuals taking medications that
reduce acid secretion or neutralize the acidity within the stomach, may be
setting up a situation where harmless food proteins may become potential
allergens.
Insects (primarily cockroaches)
Mold allergy can occur to spores
Pollen allergy--grasses, trees, weeds (particularly ragweed)
occur usually during seasonal allergy
Pollution-- A road bypass built to ease traffic congestion in one
neighborhood appears to have relieved some residents' nasal congestion as well,
a UK study has found. A year after the bypass opened in an industrial town in
North Wales, "heavy goods" traffic was down by nearly half in neighborhood
streets that had previously been highly congested. And the people who lived
there were reporting fewer episodes of runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery
eyes, according to researchers.
Perfumes can sometimes
cause an allergy.
Hair dyes are a common cause of allergy and itching. Although you can develop an
allergy to many ingredients in hair coloring, the most likely culprit is a
chemical called para-phenylenediamine (PPD). It has been a major component of
most hair-coloring products used in the western world since the 1880s and has
caused problems almost since it was first developed, according to the American
Contact Dermatitis Society--which named para-phenylenediamine its "allergen of
the year" in 2006. Because of its potential to cause an allergic reaction, PPD
was banned in Sweden, France and Germany for most of the last century (it
re-entered the market after the formation of the European Union).
para-phenylenediamine remains popular as a permanent dye because it produces a
natural color that doesn’t fade with shampooing.
Strategies for Reducing
Allergy by Reducing
Exposure to Allergens
Remove carpet from bedroom.
Remove upholstered furniture from the bedroom.
Wash bedding and nightclothes in hot water.
Decrease household humidity to less than 50 percent.
Remove humidifiers and check air conditioning units regularly for mold
contamination.
Encase mattress, box spring and pillow in mite-proof covers.
Minimize dust- and pollen-collecting surfaces (e.g., shelving, stuffed animals,
books).
Minimize use of indoor ceiling fans.
Use blinds or washable curtains with shades and clean them often.
Avoid vacuuming when dust-sensitive patients are home.
Keep pets outside or at least out of bedrooms and off of upholstered furniture.
Give pets their own washable beds and wash the beds often.
Use the air conditioner, rather than opening windows, in the automobile and
home.
Bathe or shower before bedtime to remove pollen from hair and body, this may
provide some allergy relief.
Remove visible mold from walls and floors using a solution of water and chlorine
bleach, or a product that contains chlorine bleach or other fungicides.
To control insects, particularly cockroaches, wash dishes promptly, keep garbage
in tightly closed containers outside of the home, remove or repair sources of
water (e.g., leaking faucets, standing water in basements), wipe up food spills
and keep food in tightly sealed containers.
Keep in mind that hair dyes are a cause of allergies, and they can even cause
anaphylaxis.
Medical Allergy Treatment -
Allergy Medication
Antihistamines are the allergy medicine drugs most commonly used for treating allergies
and providing acute or chronic allergy relief.
Intranasal corticosteroids are effective but long term safety is still not fully
understood.
Allergen immunotherapy (allergy injections) may provide an alternative solution
when an allergen can't be avoided. With immunotherapy, tiny amounts of the
allergen are injected under the skin in gradually increasing doses until a
maintenance level is reached. This treatment stimulates the body to produce
blocking or neutralizing antibodies that may act to prevent an allergic
reaction. Eventually, the blood level of IgE antibodies, which react with the
antigen, also may fall. Although many people undergo allergen immunotherapy, and
studies show that it helps, its cost-effectiveness and risk-to-benefit ratio
aren't always favorable.
Allergy relief for symptoms
Allergic reactions range from mild to
severe. Most allergy symptoms consist of just the annoyance of watery, itchy eyes and
some sneezing. At the other extreme, allergic reactions can be life threatening
if they involve sudden difficulty in breathing, heart malfunction, and very low
blood pressure, leading to shock.
Atopic disease
Sometimes the term atopic disease
is used to describe a group of often inherited IgE-mediated diseases, such as
allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma. Atopic diseases are noted by their
tendency to produce IgE antibodies to harmless inhalants, such as pollens,
molds, animal danders, and dust mites.
Allergy and Asthma
It is common to have both asthma and an allergy problem. Allergy induced
asthma is the most common type of asthma in the United States. Up to 60% of
people with asthma have an allergy that makes the asthma worse. An allergy can
trigger or induce asthma. For people with allergic asthma, breathing in
substances such as pollen, mold, dust mites and animal dander triggers the
inflammation and swelling of the airways, leading to symptoms of asthma.
An allergy is caused by the production of an antibody called IgE.
The IgE antibodies cause a cascade of reactions in the body, including itchy
skin or scratchy eyes or, for some, tightening of the airways. For more details, see asthma.
Anxiety, Depression, and
Allergy
Women with major depression are more likely than women who are not
depressed to have allergies, and allergies also appear to be more common in men
with nervous, anxious personalities.
Allergy Relief Research Update
The last two decades have
seen an increase in the prevalence of asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis in
developed countries. This increase has been paralleled by a reduction in the
consumption of animal fat and an increase in the use of margarine and vegetable
oils containing omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as linoleic acid. There is also evidence for a
decrease in the consumption of oily fish which contain omega-3
fish oils, such as EPA. Linoleic acid, a type of
omega-6 oil found in oils such as as corn, safflower, and sunflower, is a
precursor of arachidonic acid, which can be converted to prostaglandin E2
(PGE2), a form inflammatory type prostaglandin that causes the immune system to
release a protein that triggers allergic reactions,
whereas fish oils inhibit the
formation of PGE2.
Mangosteen for
allergy relief?
Inhibitions of
histamine release and
prostaglandin E2 synthesis by mangosteen, a Thai medicinal plant.
Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 Sep;25(9):1137-41.
The fruit hull of mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana L. has been used as a
Thai indigenous medicine for many years. However, the mechanism of action
of mangosteen as a medicine has not been elucidated. The present study was undertaken to
examine the effects of mangosteen extracts (100% ethanol, 70% ethanol, 40%
ethanol and water) on histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis. We
found that the 40% ethanol extract of mangosteen inhibited IgE-mediated
histamine release from RBL-2H3 cells with greater potency than the water
extract of Rubus suavissimus that has been used as an anti-allergy crude
drug in Japan. All extracts of mangosteen potently inhibited
A23187-induced prostaglandin E2 synthesis in C6 rat glioma cells, while
the water extract of Rubus suavissimus had no effect. The 40% ethanol
extract of mangosteen inhibited the prostaglandin E2 synthesis in a
concentration-dependent manner with relatively lower concentrations than
the histamine release. In addition, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA)
reactions in rats were significantly inhibited by this ethanol extract as
well as by the water extract of Rubus suavissimus. These results suggest
that the 40% ethanol extract of mangosteen has potent inhibitory
activities of both histamine release and prostaglandin E2 synthesis.
Latex and chickpea (Cicer
arietinum) allergy: first description of a new association.
Allerg Immunol (Paris). 2004 Dec;36(10):366-71.
In this paper we describe the existence of cross-reactivity between allergens
from latex and chickpea, a food from the Leguminosae family, which is common in
the Mediterranean diet. We present the case report of a spina bifida boy with a
clinical relevant food allergy to chickpea (oral syndrome + dysphonia),
developing after the appearance of latex allergy symptoms (lip angioedema +
intraoperative anaphylaxis). Specific IgE to latex and chickpea was demonstrated
by skin prick tests, measurement of patient's serum specific IgE and
IgE-immunoblotting. As far as we know, this is the first report of
cross-reactivity allergy between latex and chickpea, a food which should
therefore be added to the extensive list of latex cross-reactive foods.
Butterbur for allergy relief
Butterbur Ze339 for the treatment of intermittent allergic rhinitis:
dose-dependent efficacy in a prospective, randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled study.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2004 Dec;130(12):1381-6.
o investigate whether the efficacy and safety of Butterbur extract Ze339 are
related to dosage when administered to patients with intermittent allergy
rhinitis. One hundred eighty-six patients were randomized (Butterbur Ze339 high
dose, 60; low dose, 65; and placebo, 61 patients). Established diagnostic
criteria for intermittent allergic rhinitis were confirmed by skin allergy tests
in all patients. INTERVENTIONS: High-dose group, 1 tablet 3 times daily;
low-dose group, 1 tablet twice daily; or matching placebo. All groups were
treated for 2 consecutive weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main efficacy
variable was change in allergy symptoms from baseline to end point during the
daytime. The secondary efficacy variables were Clinical Global Impression score,
change in symptoms from baseline to treatment day 7, and responder rates.
CONCLUSIONS: Butterbur Ze339 is an effective treatment for intermittent allergic
rhinitis symptoms and is well tolerated for allergy relief. The effects of this
herbal medicine are clear to allergy patients and physicians in a double-blind
evaluation against placebo.
Couples who live together are also likely to sneeze together, according to new research suggesting that hay fever may be "transmissible." The study of nearly 4,300 German adults found that those whose partners had hay fever were at greater risk of developing such allergies themselves. And the longer couples lived together, the higher the hay fever risk climbed. The authors of the study published in the journal Allergy say the findings point to the importance of environment and lifestyle in the risk of developing allergies, since cohabitating couples have many of these factors in common.
Fish Oil Supplementation in
Pregnancy Modifies Neonatal Progenitors at Birth in Infants at Risk of Atopy or
allergy.
Pediatr Res. 2004 Dec 7;
Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may represent a mode of
allergy prevention. Cord blood (CB) CD34(+) hemopoietic progenitors are altered
in infants at risk of atopy. We therefore studied the effects of dietary n-3
PUFA supplementation during pregnancy on numbers and function of progenitors in
neonates at high risk of allergy or atopy. In a double-blind study, atopic,
pregnant women (n = 83) were randomized to receive fish oil capsules (n = 40) or
placebo (n = 43) from 20 wk gestation until delivery. Conclusion: Dietary n-3
PUFA supplementation during pregnancy in atopic mothers alters infant cord blood
hemopoietic progenitor phenotype. This may have an impact on development of
allergy and atopic disease.
Flavonoids such as
luteolin, fisetin and
apigenin are inhibitors
of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 production by activated human basophils.
Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2004 Jun;134(2):135-40.
We have previously shown that fisetin, a flavonol, inhibits IL-4
and IL-13 synthesis by allergen- or anti-IgE-antibody-stimulated basophils. This
time, we investigated the inhibition of IL-4 and IL-13 production by basophils
by other flavonoids and attempted to determine the fundamental structure of
flavonoids related to inhibition. We additionally investigated whether
flavonoids suppress leukotriene C4 synthesis by basophils and IL-4 synthesis by
T cells in response to anti-CD3 antibody. Highly purified peripheral basophils were stimulated for 12 h with anti-IgE antibody alone or anti-IgE
antibody plus IL-3 in the presence of various concentrations of 18 different
kinds of flavones and flavonols. RESULTS: Luteolin, fisetin and apigenin were found to be the
strongest inhibitors of both IL-4 and IL-13 production by basophils but did not
affect leukotriene C4 synthesis. At higher concentrations, these flavonoids
suppressed IL-4 production by T cells. Based on a hierarchy of inhibitory
activity, the basic structure for IL-4 inhibition by basophils was determined.
CONCLUSIONS: Due to the inhibitory activity of flavonoids on IL-4 and IL-13
synthesis, it can be expected that the intake of flavonoids, depending on the
quantity and quality, may ameliorate allergic symptoms or prevent the onset of
allergic diseases.
People with allergies may face an increased risk of panic attacks. A household survey of more than 3,000 US adults conducted from 1995 to 1996 found that those who reported having hay fever were nearly twice as likely to say they also have experienced panic attacks. allergy relief allergy asthma wheat allergy mold allergy allergy medication allergy medicine skin allergy allergy treatment gluten allergy
See natural antihistamine for more information. See Anaphylaxis for more information.
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