Tips for hay fever season
May2320119 a.m.
Hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis, is thought to affect around 25% of the UK population. Symptoms of hay can include sneezing, watering and itchy eyes, a runny nose, headaches and skin rashes. These symptoms occur when membranes lining the nose and eyes become aggravated and inflamed by airborne pollen. The pollen triggers a type of immune cell, called a mast cell, to release the chemical histamine in those membranes. The histamine then stimulates an inflammatory reaction in the body which produces the characteristic symptoms. Conventional treatment for hay fever is based on antihistamine pills, anti-inflammatory medication such as steroid nasal sprays, and decongestants such as ephedrine. There are also a number of natural strategies that can offer very real relief from the symptoms of hay fever. I have previously written a lot about these strategies here.
In a two part (part I & part II) blog on hay fever I mention how Nettle, Bromelain, Butterbur, Vitamin C and the long chain omega 3 fatty acids may be useful to hay fever sufferers. I have also written about how probiotics (good bacteria) may also be useful during hay fever season.
Vitamin D has been heavily researched over the last 3 years and it is thought that many people in the UK do not get enough of this vital nutrient
Recently (1,2) it has been suggested that vitamin D may play a role in the prevention of hay fever/allergic rhinitis and/or the easing of symptoms. As readers of the blog will know vitamin D has been heavily researched over the last 3 years and it is thought that many people here in the UK (and all over the world) do not get enough of this vital nutrient. Vitamin D plays a role in the immune system and it seems as though having good vitamin D status can help to reduce inflammation in the body which would be helpful to hay fever sufferers where inflammation is implicated. There is laboratory evidence which supports links between vitamin D deficiency and allergic diseases. Evidence is emerging that vitamin D may potentially be used to help augment the immune response that occurs in certain conditions such as hay fever. However, more evidence is needed before any conclusions can be drawn or advice given on vitamin D supplementation specifically for hay fever. It is possible to have a blood test from your doctor to evaluate your vitamin D status. It is always advisable to check with a medical doctor prior to undertaking any new supplement regimen, especially if you intend to use a vitamin D supplement containing more that 2000iu daily dose.
As mentioned at the start of this post there is evidence to suggest that probiotics may be useful in the treatment and management of hay fever. Recently (3,4,5,6) further research has been published which shows that specific probiotics may become valuable tools in the prevention and management of a whole host allergic diseases including hay fever. It is also interesting to note that antibiotic use in children in their first 2 years of life has been associated with anincreased risk of hay fever. As well as destroying the bacteria that cause illness in the body antibiotics also kill the healthy bacteria that live in the digestive system. Friendly probiotic bacteria have been shown to positively impact the immune system, which is responsible for allergic and inflammatory responses in the body, so a prebiotic and probiotic supplement may be useful to anyone who has been recently exposed to antibiotics or as an immune boosting aid. The problem is that there are so many probiotics on the market and they vary in their quality, further research is needed to clarify which strains of bacteria are of most use.
In order to get the best advice on which probiotic supplements to use and help in dealing with hay fever you may wish to get in touch with a registered nutritionist or nutritional therapist. You can search for registered professionals in your area via the following links:
Registered Nutritionists
Registered Nutritional Therapists
(1)Akbar NA & Zacharek MA. 2011. Vitamin D: immunomodulation of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and chronic rhinosinusitis. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Apr 15. [Epub ahead of print]
(2) Searing DA & Leung DY. 2010. Vitamin D in atopic dermatitis, asthma and allergic diseases. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 30(3):397-409.
(3)Kalliomäki M et al. 2010. Guidance for substantiating the evidence for beneficial effects of probiotics: prevention and management of allergic diseases by probiotics. J Nutr. 140(3):713S-21S
(4)Nagata Y et al. 2010. Improvements in seasonal allergic disease with Lactobacillus plantarum No. 14. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 74(9):1869-77.
(5)Koyama T et al. 2010. Development and pilot evaluation of a novel probiotic mixture for the management of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Can J Microbiol. 56(9):730-8.
(6)Wassenberg J et al 2011. Effect of Lactobacillus paracasei ST11 on a nasal provocation test with grass pollen in allergic rhinitis. Clin Exp Allergy. 41(4):565-73.
Written by Ani Richardson
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