What will you learn in this guide?

1. What is an allergy?

2. Which substances trigger allergies?

3. Why do we get allergies?

4. What can reduce the risk of developing an allergy?

5. What does a treatment look like?

1. What is an allergy?

An allergy is an excessive, pathological defensive reaction of our immune system against normally harmless substances. The substances known as antigens (mostly polypeptides or proteins) can bind to antibodies (protein molecules produced by the immune system to fight pathogens) and certain receptors, thus causing an overreaction of the immune system.

A distinction is made between the immediate type, in which the symptoms appear immediately after contact with the allergen, such as the immediate reaction to pollen. On the other hand, there is the late type, whose symptoms only become noticeable after about 12 hours. The allergic reaction can be triggered by skin contact, inhalation, food intake or an injection. These triggers can cause various symptoms that appear either locally or all over the body.[1] Symptoms include reddened and itchy skin, which can lead to severe rashes. A runny nose, sneezing, swollen eyes, coughing, allergic asthma and swollen mucous membranes can also occur. In rare cases, headaches and fatigue also occur and, in the worst case, anaphylactic shock (a life-threatening condition) can occur.[2] Since each person has an individual form of allergy and reactions of varying severity, allergy sufferers often have an impairment in their everyday life.

2. Which substances trigger allergies?

Basically, any substance can cause an allergic reaction. In extremely rare cases, people can even be allergic to water.[3] In the case of food allergies, however, there are 14 foods that are the most common allergens. These are eggs, peanuts, fish, crustaceans, grains containing gluten, nuts, mollusks, soy, lupins, sesame seeds, mustard, celery, cow's milk, sulfur dioxide and sulfites.[4] Jewelry (nickel), textiles, disinfectants, animals, latex products, medications and many other substances can also cause allergic reactions.[5] In most cases, the allergens mentioned can be avoided. Unfortunately, this is not possible with so-called inhalation allergens, which occur particularly in spring.

These allergens include pollen from trees, grasses and herbs, but also house dust, mold spores and animal hair.[6] In the case of pollen allergy (colloquially known as hay fever), the causes of allergic reactions have not yet been fully researched. Certain proteins are considered to be the main cause. For example, birch pollen contains a protein that protects the pollen from bacteria. This protein is also present in foods such as apples, carrots and nuts.[7] If the body reacts allergically to this (as is the case with 70% of birch pollen allergy sufferers), this is referred to as a cross-allergy. If the antibodies that are defective in their function to defend against endoparasites come into contact with these proteins, an inflammatory reaction is triggered by various substances in the body, such as histamine (tissue hormone and neurotransmitter). This can cause the skin, mucous membranes and respiratory tract to redden, itch, swell and produce increased secretions.

3. Why do we get allergies?

To date, the exact causes of allergies have not been fully investigated. One thing is certain: the current state of the immune system plays a decisive role. This is mainly determined by two factors:

 

 

• On the one hand, genetic predisposition and the environmental influences to which we are exposed from birth have a major influence. Birth itself already has an effect on our immune system. During a natural birth, the newborn's immune system is trained directly in the birth canal by the influence of bacteria.[8] Whether the baby is fed with powdered milk or breast milk in the first few months also has an influence. Breast milk cannot be replaced by powdered milk due to its unique composition!

• Furthermore, various substances such as food additives, antibiotics, pesticides, plasticizers, air pollution and many other factors are suspected of being involved in the development of allergies.

4. What can reduce the risk of developing an allergy?

In order to prevent the development or further development of existing allergies, the toxic load in everyday life should be reduced. To do this, it is recommended to omit substances that have been proven to trigger allergies or are even suspected of triggering them.

Therefore, we have three important tips:

Wipe the dust

The house dust present in every living space is an underestimated danger to health. A simple and above all free way to relieve and prevent allergies: dusting. House dust contains, among other things, mites and their droppings. Mite droppings in particular contain allergenic components and can cause allergic symptoms when inhaled or in contact with the skin. Just one teaspoon of bedroom dust contains on average around 1000 mites and 250,000 microscopically small droppings.[9] However, this is not the only danger lurking in the house! Plasticizers from plastics, flame retardants and even wood preservatives that have long been banned can accumulate in house dust.

Many of these substances have been proven to be carcinogenic or are at least strongly suspected of being carcinogenic! Some of these substances can even disrupt our hormonal system. The combination of all of these substances is particularly worrying. If the dust is not removed, it will inevitably be inhaled. Therefore, allergy sufferers in particular should dust regularly.[10][11][12] It therefore makes sense, especially for people who are allergic to dust mites, to use a vacuum cleaner with good dust retention capacity and a so-called HEPA filter.[13]

Avoid aluminum

Another point for allergy prevention is to avoid unnecessary exposure to aluminum. The light metal aluminum is omnipresent in our everyday lives: it occurs naturally as a trace element in the earth's crust, water and food and is needed for various technical applications. This naturally occurring aluminum, like a bicycle with an aluminum frame, is not a threat to people in this form. Unfortunately, aluminum can also be found in modified form in some cosmetic products, such as deodorants. And foods, such as ready-made baking mixes, table salt and baby food, often contain aluminum.

Aluminum compounds are used as E-additives, including as colorant E173 (aluminum), stabilizer E520 (aluminum sulfate) and as release agent E554 (aluminum sodium silicate). Although these substances are declared safe, there is a catch: organic acids that are present in many foods, such as citric acid, lactic acid and the flavor enhancer glutamate, can increase the absorption of aluminum enormously, so that too much enters the body.

And what does all this have to do with allergies? Animal experiments have shown that certain foods combined with aluminum hydroxide can artificially trigger allergies.[14][15][16] It is therefore reasonable to assume that aluminum can also be involved in the development of allergies in humans. For this reason, experts recommend a natural diet without unnecessary additives. A healthy diet with plenty of vegetables and as little isolated sugar and additives as possible also keeps the intestinal flora healthy, which also plays an important role in our immune system!

Reduce excessive hygiene

Personal hygiene and cleaning the kitchen and living room are part of good basic hygiene. However, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing! Excessively frequent cleaning and especially disinfection in your own four walls can create a higher risk of allergies, especially in children. The so-called hygiene hypothesis explains the rapid increase in the frequency of hay fever and asthma in industrialized countries. It is based on various observations, including that children who grew up on farm stoves are significantly less likely to suffer from asthma, hay fever or other allergies than children from cities.

According to the hypothesis, this exposure to germs at an early age is important training for developing a strong immune system. Even though the Robert Koch Institute's Commission for Environmental Medicine does not consider this hypothesis to be sufficiently proven, many doctors still consider it to be plausible.

Therefore, it makes sense to maintain the right level of hygiene and only use disinfectants when it is really necessary.[17][18] Conversely, this does not mean that kitchen sponges, towels, etc. should not be changed regularly! Rather, it should encourage people to use cleaning products sparingly. To remove house dust alone, wiping with water is completely sufficient. Experts also recommend using cleaning products without added fragrances in order not to irritate the respiratory tract unnecessarily.

5. What can you do about an allergy?

Medical treatment in the form of hyposensitization, also known as desensitization or allergy vaccination, can help to get rid of allergies. In this treatment, the patient is repeatedly exposed to a very small amount of the allergen over a long period of time in order to stop the exaggerated immune response from occurring.

This type of treatment is usually carried out over a continuous period of 3 years and, in the case of pollen, offers a success rate of 60-70%.[19] For faster relief, strengthening the immune system and reducing stress can be helpful in addition to drug treatment. Natural dietary supplements also offer the potential for rapid relief without years of treatment!

The natural treatment

Quercetin

Quercetin is a naturally occurring secondary plant substance from the group of flavonoids. It helps plants protect themselves from environmental conditions, for example to withstand predators, damage from UV radiation and other influences. This promising nutrient with antioxidant effects is also gaining increasing attention for the treatment of allergies. Many doctors see quercetin as a promising nutrient to offer a natural alternative for the relief of allergy symptoms in the future.

 

Study proves effectiveness

 

In another Japanese study, quercetin significantly inhibited antigen-stimulated histamine release. The effect of quercetin was almost twice as strong as that of sodium cromoglicate (a conventional anti-hay fever drug) at the same concentration.

Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that people who suffer from swollen mucous membranes can benefit from quercetin.[21]

However, further research is needed to prove that quercetin can completely relieve allergies. One thing is certain: according to various studies, quercetin has a positive effect on stabilizing the defense cells that are responsible for the release of histamine. Histamine plays a central role in allergic reactions. The release of substances responsible for allergic reactions is reduced and both the symptoms and the allergic reaction itself are weaker. To achieve the best effect, preventive use of quercetin is recommended two weeks before the start of allergy season. The plant substance can then be continued to be taken until the end of the season.[22][23]

Vitamin C

We have known for a long time that a sufficient supply of vitamin C is necessary for a normally functioning immune system.[24] Therefore, we should not allow a deficiency to occur in the first place. In particular, when we are under physical and mental stress or when the immune system is under increased strain, we often use up significantly more vitamin C than usual. In addition, it has been shown that an extra portion can also make a valuable contribution to allergy sufferers.

Researchers found that when blood plasma C levels are low, the histamine concentration in the blood increases exponentially. A balanced C supply is usually 0.5 to 1.5 mg per 100 ml.[25] However, if the ascorbic acid level falls below 0.7 mg per 100 ml, there is a highly significant increase in blood histamine levels, which promotes allergies.[26]

A study by the University of Erlangen has also shown that the C supply has a significant influence on the serum histamine concentration. In the study, patients suffering from allergies as well as infectious diseases were given a high dose of vitamin C intravenously and a significant reduction in histamine concentration was subsequently observed. In patients with allergic diseases, this reduction was even greater than in patients with infectious diseases.[28]

Vitamin D – The sunshine vitamin

In order for the immune system to function properly, a sufficient supply of vitamin D3 and zinc in the body is also essential. Our human immune cells (B cells, T cells and antigen-presenting cells) all have vitamin D3 receptors. It is therefore not without reason that vitamin D can influence the innate adaptation of our immune response.

A lack of vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity and increased susceptibility to infections.[29][30] Although opinions differ between official bodies and doctors, it is clear [31] that UV-B radiation in winter is too low for the organism to produce the vitamin sufficiently on its own.

People with chronic diseases such as liver, kidney and gastrointestinal diseases are at a particularly high risk of vitamin D deficiency. People who spend little time in the sun, cover or conceal their skin or have darker skin types also have an increased risk of deficiency. Experts therefore recommend maintaining constant D stores or replenishing them quickly and effectively if there is a deficiency.

The trace element zinc

Furthermore, the immune system is influenced by the essential trace element zinc . The relationship between zinc and the immune system is complex, as there are various types of influences. On the one hand, zinc acts as an important cofactor in more than 300 enzymes that influence various organ functions, including the immune system.

A zinc deficiency can therefore severely impair the resistance of the immune system. Even a slight deficiency can already have an impact on the immune system, which is why an increased zinc intake is recommended in the case of a deficiency.[32][33][34][35] The composition of the diet, the prevailing age and the health status influence the zinc absorption, which is why it is not possible to say in general whether a deficiency exists. Brittle nails with white spots and grooves, for example, are a strong indication of a deficiency.[36] Nevertheless, if a deficiency is suspected, a doctor should be consulted beforehand.

[1] https://www.ratgeber-allergie.com/was-ist-eine-allergie.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm9bc95GK8AIVhv93Ch2fmQsKEAAYASAAEgL4JPD_BwE#s-2-1