Hay Fever Hope--daily dose of probiotic can change the immune status of people with hay fever.

[Celebration]

http://www.physorg.com/news131699440.html

In this study, volunteers with a history of seasonal hay fever drank a daily milk drink with or without live bacteria over 5 months. The study was double-blinded and placebo controlled, so neither the volunteers nor the scientists knew who had been assigned the probiotic drinks. The probiotic drinks contained Lactobacillus casei, a bacterial species that has been widely studied for its health promoting properties.

Blood samples were taken before the grass pollen season, then again when it was at its peak (June), and 4 weeks after the end of season. There were no significant differences in levels of IgE in the blood between the two groups at the start of the study, but IgE levels were lower in the probiotic group both at the peak season and afterwards.

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The changes observed may also reduce the severity of symptoms, but clinical symptoms were not measured in this study. That is one aim of further research.

"These are really interesting results", says Dr Linda Thomas, head of science at Yakult UK, who provided the drinks and some of the funding. "We are delighted that independent scientists found evidence of this biological activity. The project was part of ongoing research into the benefits of our probiotic strain. The Institute of Food Research is well positioned to do this kind of fundamental research, as it is unique in having the right combination of expertise in microbiology, immunology, flow cytometry and human nutrition research."

[shraby]

1. There is a product at Walgreens called

EmergenC and also an equivalent Walgreen brand called Energy Booster that my daughter told me about so I got it for my husband. It's an orange flavored powder that you mix in water. When he starts sneezing he drinks one and doesn't sneeze again. Also any swelling in his nasal passages goes away. It seems to last him all day if not more because he doesn't have to drink it every day.
It's a good dose of vitamin C and other vitamins.

[Celebration]

2. Interesting

I love EmergenC for avoiding colds. Anecdotally, my stuffy noses are helped by taking quercetin/bromelain enzymes between meals. I keep buying probiotics but forget to take them.