Micah Stanley
Allergies are a problem for many people, especially in spring, when hay fever is in season. It leads to severe itching, a runny nose, watery eyes, and often a general feeling of illness. According to some studies, probiotics can relieve hay fever and thus significantly improve the quality of life of those affected.
Probiotics for hay fever
The number of people affected by hay fever is increasing every year. As many as 30 percent of the population in industrialized countries are said to suffer from one or more allergic diseases, e.g. B. hay fever, asthma, or allergic skin problems. However, current conventional medical therapies are anything but satisfactory. In addition, they often bring side effects, e.g. B. Dry mouth and drowsiness.
Helpful therapies are therefore urgently needed. Various studies have shown in recent years that probiotics can provide significant relief from hay fever.
The main symptoms of hay fever
As with all allergic reactions, hay fever is the result of an overreaction of the immune system to actually harmless substances – in this case, pollen. It comes to an allergic-related inflammation of the nasal mucosa and the eyes. Hence the typical allergic reactions.
In addition, pollen allergies lead to sleep disorders, since those affected are not spared the symptoms even at night. The result is less restful sleep, which is noticeable in the morning through listlessness and reduced performance. Sneezing fits and watery eyes in public or at work also repeatedly put those affected in unpleasant situations and put them under additional stress.
Stress makes hay fever worse
Stress, in turn, not only has a negative effect on the psyche, but also on the intestines. No other organ reacts as quickly to psychological stress as the intestine and no other organ can be thrown out of balance so quickly.
Long-term stress ultimately leads to irritation of the sensitive intestinal mucosa and changes the composition of the bacteria living in the intestine. Since the intestines of an allergy sufferer are already under a lot of strain – because otherwise, they would not react to actually harmless pollen or other substances – stressful situations are particularly unfavorable for an allergy sufferer. In the worst case, the body’s susceptibility to allergies can also spread to other areas, so hay fever is joined by other allergies.
A promising alternative therapy with probiotics
In 2013, Chinese scientists published the findings of a review in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences. Accordingly, the use of probiotics for hay fever seems to be very promising, because the probiotic bacteria interact directly with the immune system of the person concerned. They regulate its activity and in this way reduce the permanent overreactions of the immune system. However, it very much depends on which probiotic bacterial strains are used.
Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria reduce the symptoms of hay fever
Researchers at the University of Florida (UF) explained in March 2017 that not all probiotics are effective for allergies. Study author and graduate student Jennifer Dennis from the Department of Nutrition Sciences wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that we already know how well the combination of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria helps with digestive problems. However, these probiotic bacteria also showed a positive effect on the immune system.
It is now believed that the reason why they have such a beneficial impact on human health is that these bacteria can also increase the number of a certain group of immune cells. These so-called regulatory T-cells in turn increase tolerance for allergens and in this way reduce the typical hay fever symptoms.
Probiotics increase the quality of life for those affected by hay fever
For a related study by the University of Florida, 173 adults who suffered from hay fever but were otherwise healthy were divided into two groups. One group received said probiotics, the other a placebo preparation.
The study took place in the spring, which is the peak hay fever season, and was carried out over a period of eight weeks.
During the course of the study, the test persons were asked about their respective symptoms and stool samples were taken from them regularly, with which DNA analyzes of the intestinal flora were carried out.
In the probiotics group, a positive change in the composition of the intestinal flora was quickly observed. dr Bobbi Langkamp-Henken, professor of food science and human nutrition, explained that the probiotic group could be identified from their stool samples alone.
At the end of the eight weeks, the participants in the probiotics group suffered from significantly fewer allergic symptoms – in contrast to the placebo group. Since the inflammation of the nasal mucosa had reduced considerably, the runny nose, sneezing, and itching in particular had greatly reduced. Therefore, these subjects spoke of a clearly improved quality of life.
The endurance test in the pollen provocation chamber
In a study by the European Center for Allergy Research from 2020, a test was carried out in a so-called pollen challenge chamber for the first time. For this purpose, 30 birch pollen allergy sufferers were specifically exposed to pollen and the symptoms were recorded. After taking a probiotic for four months, the experiment was repeated. The nose and eye symptoms had improved significantly.
What probiotics should you use for hay fever?
A mixture of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria was used in both of the studies described: In the 2017 study, it was Lactobacillus gasseri, Bifibobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium longum. In the 2020 trial, the probiotic contained Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis.
When purchasing probiotics for the treatment of hay fever, care should therefore be taken to ensure that the probiotic of your choice contains a combination of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. If you want to be on the safe side, choose one that contains the bacterial strains mentioned above.
Tip: An eight-week probiotics cure should be started before the beginning of spring if possible.
