allergies

Serotonin-Producing Gut Bacteria in Newborns Shields Against Allergies

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Summary: New research highlights the critical role of unique gut bacteria in newborns, producing serotonin to educate immune cells and prevent allergic reactions early in life.

The study reveals that these bacteria encourage the development of T-regulatory cells, crucial for suppressing inappropriate immune responses and preventing autoimmune diseases. This work suggests that before the neonatal gut matures to produce its own neurotransmitters, specific bacteria supply essential serotonin, promoting a balanced immune system.

Such findings underscore the importance of early exposure to beneficial bacteria for preventing allergies and potentially autoimmune diseases later in life.

Key Facts:

  1. Serotonin-Producing Gut Bacteria: Newly born infants’ guts harbor special bacteria that produce serotonin, crucial for developing a healthy immune system by fostering T-regulatory cells.
  2. Prevention of Allergies: This mechanism helps in preventing dangerous allergic reactions to food and beneficial microbes by maintaining a high level of serotonin, which keeps the immune response in check.
  3. Critical Early Development Role: The research emphasizes the significance of the right microbial exposure after birth, suggesting a potential link between reduced diversity in gut bacteria due to modern lifestyles and the rise in food allergies among children in developed countries.

Source: Weill Cornell University

Weill Cornell Medicine investigators discovered that unique bacteria colonize the gut shortly after birth and make the neurotransmitter serotonin to educate gut immune cells. This prevents allergic reactions to food and the bacteria themselves during early development.

The preclinical study, published in Science Immunology on Mar. 15, showed that bacteria abundant in the guts of newborns produce serotonin, which promotes the development of immune cells called T-regulatory cells or Tregs.

These cells suppress inappropriate immune responses to help prevent autoimmune diseases and dangerous allergic reactions to harmless food items or beneficial gut microbes.

This shows a baby in a field of flowers.
The researchers observed that the neonatal mouse gut had much higher levels of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, than the adult gut.

“The gut is now known as the second human brain as it makes over 90 percent of the neurotransmitters in the human body. While neurotransmitters such as serotonin are best known for their roles in brain health, receptors for neurotransmitters are located throughout the human body,” explained the study’s senior author, Dr. Melody Zeng, an assistant professor of immunology in the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children’s Research and the Department of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Gut Bacteria in Babies Provide a Helping Hand

The researchers observed that the neonatal mouse gut had much higher levels of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, than the adult gut.

“So far, almost all studies of gut neurotransmitters were conducted in adult animals or human subjects, where a specific gut cell type called enterochromaffin cells produce neurotransmitters,” said Dr. Zeng.

“However, we discovered that this isn’t the case in the newborn gut where most of the serotonin is made by bacteria that are more abundant in the neonatal gut.”

This was also confirmed in babies through a human infant stool biobank that the Zeng lab has established in collaboration with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the NewYork-Presbyterian Alexandra Cohen Hospital for Women and Newborns. These samples were obtained with parental consent and deidentified.

The study results suggest that before the neonatal gut is mature enough to make its own neurotransmitters, unique gut bacteria may supply neurotransmitters that are needed for critical biological functions during early development.

“We found that gut bacteria in young mice not only directly produce serotonin but also decrease an enzyme called monoamine oxidase that normally breaks down serotonin, thus keeping gut serotonin levels high,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Katherine Sanidad, postdoctoral associate in pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medicine.

The high serotonin levels shift the balance of immune cells by increasing the number of Tregs, which helps prevent the immune system from overreacting and attacking gut bacteria or food antigens. “The neonatal gut needs these serotonin-producing bacteria to keep the immune system in check,” Dr. Sanidad added.

Healthy Immune System Helps Later in Life

Dr. Zeng noted that this work underscores the importance of having the right types of beneficial bacteria soon after birth. Babies in developed countries have better access to antibiotics, less exposure to diverse microbes in their clean environments and potentially unhealthy diets that may significantly impact the abundance of serotonin-producing bacteria in their intestines.

As a result, these babies may have fewer Tregs and develop immune reactions to their own gut bacteria, or allergies to food. This may be one reason food allergies have become increasingly common in children, particularly in developed countries.

“If educated properly, the immune system in babies would recognize that things like peanuts and eggs are okay, and it doesn’t have to attack them,” she said. This may also have an impact on developing autoimmune diseases—when the immune system attacks the body’s own healthy cells—later in life.

The team next plans to look at bacteria in human infant stool samples to measure their production of serotonin, other neurotransmitters and molecules that may help train the immune system to prevent future immune-related diseases, such as allergies, infections and cancer.

“It’s essential to understand how the immune system is trained during early life, but this is understudied in newborns and children. Further studies of these developmental periods may hopefully lead us to mitigation approaches to reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases like food allergies and inflammatory bowel disease later in life,” Dr. Sanidad said.

Funding: Dr. Melody Zeng’s lab is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health grants R01HD110118, R01HL169989, R21CA270998, and K01DK114376; The Starr Cancer Consortium; the Hartwell Foundation; and the Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, the Children’s Health Council, and the Drukier Institute for Children’s Health at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Abstract

Gut bacteria-derived serotonin promotes immune tolerance in early life

The gut microbiota promotes immune system development in early life, but the interactions between the gut metabolome and immune cells in the neonatal gut remain largely undefined.

Here, we demonstrate that the neonatal gut is uniquely enriched with neurotransmitters, including serotonin, and that specific gut bacteria directly produce serotonin while down-regulating monoamine oxidase A to limit serotonin breakdown.

We found that serotonin directly signals to T cells to increase intracellular indole-3-acetaldehdye and inhibit mTOR activation, thereby promoting the differentiation of regulatory T cells, both ex vivo and in vivo in the neonatal intestine.

Oral gavage of serotonin into neonatal mice resulted in long-term T cell–mediated antigen-specific immune tolerance toward both dietary antigens and commensal bacteria.

Together, our study has uncovered an important role for specific gut bacteria to increase serotonin availability in the neonatal gut and identified a function of gut serotonin in shaping T cell response to dietary antigens and commensal bacteria to promote immune tolerance in early life.

Can You Develop Allergies Later in Life?

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woman smelling flowers

Allergies happen when your body detects some kind of foreign substance, such as a pollen grain or pet dander, and activates an immune system response to fight it off.

How allergies develop

Allergens develop in two phases.

Phase 1

First, your immune system mistakes a harmless substance (antigen) that you inhale, ingest, or absorb through your skin, as dangerous and creates antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE). This part is called sensitization.

Depending on what kind of allergy you have, such as pollen or food, these antibodies are localized in your airways — including your nose, mouth, throat, windpipe, and lungs — your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and your skin.

Phase 2

If you’re exposed to that allergen again, your body releases inflammatory substances, including the chemical histamine. This causes blood vessels to dilate, mucus to form, skin to itch, and airway tissues to swell up.

This allergic reaction is meant to stop allergens from getting in and to fight off any irritation or infection that might be caused by the allergens that do get in. Essentially, you can think of allergies as an overreaction to those allergens.

From then on, your body responds similarly when it’s exposed to that allergen in the future. For mild airborne allergies, you might experience symptoms of puffy eyes, stuffy nose, and itchy throat. And for severe allergies, you may have trouble breathing, rapid heart rate, hives, vomiting, and diarrhea.

When allergies typically develop

Most people remember first getting allergy symptoms at a young age — about 1 in 5 kidsTrusted Source have some kind of allergy or asthma.

Many people outgrow their allergies by their 20s and 30s, as they become tolerant to their allergens, especially food allergens such as milk, eggs, and grains.

But it’s possible to develop an allergy at any point in your life. You may even become allergic to something that you had no allergy to before.

It isn’t clear why some allergies develop in adulthood, especially in one’s 20s or 30s.

Let’s get into how and why you can develop an allergy later in life, how you can treat a new allergy, and whether you can expect a new allergy or an existing one to go away with time.

Common adult allergies

Seasonal allergies

The most commonly developed adult-onset allergies are seasonal. Pollen, ragweed, and other plant allergens spike at certain times of the year, usually the spring or fall.

Pet allergies

Have a feline or canine friend? Being constantly exposed to their dander, or skin flakes that slough off and become airborne, and chemicals from urine and saliva that get on dander can cause you to develop an allergy.

Food allergies

Nearly 11 percent of adultsTrusted Source in the United States have some type of food allergy, and nearly half of them report first noticing symptoms during adulthood, especially to certain kinds of fishTrusted Source.

Other common food allergens in adults are peanuts and tree nuts and fruit and vegetable pollen.

Many children develop food allergies and often have less and less severe symptoms as they get older.

Why does this happen?

It isn’t exactly clear why allergies might develop in adulthood.

Researchers believe that a severe allergic reaction during childhoodTrusted Source, even a single episode of symptoms, can increase your likelihood of developing allergies as an adult when you’re re-exposed to that allergen at higher levels.

In some cases, these links are easy to see and represent what is known as the allergic march. Children who have food allergies or skin conditions like eczema may develop symptoms of seasonal allergies, like sneezing, itching, and sore throats, as they get older.

Then, symptoms fade for a while. They may return in your 20s, 30s, and 40s when you’re exposed to an allergy trigger. Possible adult allergy triggers can include:

  • Allergen exposure when your immune system function is reduced. This happens when you’re sick, pregnant, or have a condition that compromises your immune system.
  • Having little exposure to an allergen as a child. You may not have been exposed to high enough levels to trigger a reaction until adulthood.
  • Relocating to a new home or workplace with new allergens. This could include plants and trees that you weren’t exposed to before.
  • Having a pet for the first time. Research suggests this can also happen after a long period of having no pets.

Other possible causesTrusted Source of adult-onset allergies include:

  • genetic factors
  • changes in immune function as you get older
  • having certain health conditions
  • medications

Can allergies go away with time? 

The short answer is yes.

Even if you develop allergies as an adult, you may notice they start to fade again when you reach your 50s and beyond.

This is because your immune function is reduced as you get older, so the immune response to allergens also becomes less severe.

Some allergies you have as a child may also go away when you’re a teen and well into your adulthood, perhaps making only a few appearances throughout your life until they disappear permanently.

Treatments

Here are some possible treatments for allergies, whether you have a mild seasonal allergy or a severe food or contact allergy:

  • Take antihistamines. Take a nonsedating antihistamine, such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra) before you’re exposed to an allergen to prevent symptoms. You can take diphenhydramine (Benadryl) as soon as possible after developing symptoms to reduce their severity and duration.
  • Get a skin-prick test. This test can help you see what specific allergens trigger your reactions. Once you know what you’re allergic to, you can try to avoid that allergen or reduce your exposure as much as possible.
  • Consider getting allergy shots (immunotherapy). The shots can gradually build up your immunity to your allergy triggers within a few years of regular shots.
  • Keep an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) nearby. Having an EpiPen is important in case you’re accidentally exposed to an allergy trigger, which can result in low blood pressure and throat swelling/airway constriction that makes it hard or impossible to breathe (anaphylaxis).
  • Tell the people around you about your allergies. If your symptoms can be severe or life threatening, they’ll know how to treat you if you have an allergic reaction.

When to see a doctor

Some allergy symptoms are mild and can be treated with reduced exposure to the allergen or by taking medication.

But some symptoms are severe enough to disrupt your life, or even life threatening.

Seek emergency medical help, or have someone around you get help if you notice any of the following symptoms:

The bottom line

You can develop allergies at any time during your life.

Some may be mild and depend on seasonal variations in how much of that allergen is in the air. Others may be severe or life threatening.

See your doctor if you start to notice new allergy symptoms so that you can learn what treatment options, medications, or lifestyle changes may help reduce your symptoms or keep them under control.

Intralymphatic immunotherapy: a breakthrough approach for allergies

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Are you or a loved one constantly battling the frustrating symptoms of seasonal or year-round allergies? You are not alone; millions around the globe are affected by sneezing, itchy, watery red eyes, stuffy, runny noses, and headaches. Avoidance of triggers and medications may provide temporary relief, but for those seeking a longer-lasting or more natural solution, immunotherapy (IT) can be life-changing. IT provides sustained benefits of decreased symptoms and medication use for years after treatment completion. Additionally, a full course of IT may prevent the development of future allergies and asthma. Despite these compelling benefits, most patients choose to use medications, even though studies have shown superior effects and cost savings from IT.

The reality is that traditional allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy, or SCIT) are not a practical solution for many patients. A course of SCIT requires dozens of office visits (and injections) over 3 to 5 years. Alternatively, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) can be administered daily at home. When I first began offering this in my clinical practice around seven years ago, I thought that this would be the perfect fit for patients who lived far from the clinic or had needle phobias. Perhaps it’s not terribly surprising to learn that most people have a really hard time taking a daily allergy treatment. Studies have demonstrated similarly poor long-term adherence for both SCIT and SLIT. For years, allergists have been searching for the holy grail of treatments. Ideally, this option would be quick, easy, relatively painless, low risk, sustainable, and effective. We may finally be on the horizon with intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT).

Intralymphatic immunotherapy represents a significant advancement in allergy treatment. Unlike traditional allergy shots given under the skin, ILIT involves injecting small doses of allergens directly into the lymph nodes under ultrasound guidance. This approach aims to retrain the immune system more efficiently, reducing the allergic response in the long term. By targeting the lymph nodes, where a significant part of the immune response is coordinated, ILIT delivers allergens directly to the heart of the immune system. This direct approach leads to a fast and effective desensitization using small doses of the relevant allergens.

One of the most exciting aspects of ILIT is its potential benefits:

The initial studies investigating ILIT began nearly 20 years ago in Europe, and since that time, we have seen a slow but growing body of clinical trial data supporting safety, tolerability, and effectiveness. The clinical adoption of ILIT has been slowed due to a number of factors within the insurance-driven U.S. health care system. That said, ILIT is beginning to become available outside research protocols for aeroallergies, including those to trees, grasses, weeds, molds, dust mites, and pets. When it comes to venom and food allergies, ILIT remains a promising treatment modality under investigation. Current studies are exploring its efficacy and safety, and while initial results are encouraging, more extensive clinical trials are needed. The future of ILIT could revolutionize how we approach allergy treatments.

9 Surprising Things You Could Be Allergic To

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Kissing

Kissing

1/9

Though an 8-year-old will tell you that kissing gives you cooties, the smooch itself isn’t the problem. Even after your face-smacking partner brushes their teeth, their  saliva might still have traces of something they ate or a medicine they took earlier in the day. When you have a life-threatening allergy, get your sweetie to swear off the stuff, too. Or you can brush, rinse, and then avoid locking lips for 24 hours.

Sunlight

Sunlight

2/9

Some people break out in hives after just a few minutes outdoors. After they step inside, the rash usually goes away within a few hours. This condition, called solar urticaria, isn’t usually dangerous, but it can be itchy, uncomfortable, and a real roadblock to enjoying life. Sometimes it can be treated with desensitization therapy: You’re exposed to more and more UV light in a medical office until your body becomes used to it.

A Juicy Burger

A Juicy Burger

3/9

Researchers at Vanderbilt University noticed that thousands of people in the Southeastern U.S. were having severe allergic reactions to meat, including rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, and trouble breathing. The bite of a lone star tick seemed to kick-start it. With this allergy, you’ll need to think like a vegetarian: Avoid red meat and possibly dairy. Carry an emergency epinephrine pen, too, just in case.

Money

Money

4/9

A handful of change can leave you with an itchy rash. Body piercing is another common trigger. Nickel (a metal found in coins, jewelry, keys, and other everyday objects) is one of the leading causes of allergic dermatitis. A quick test in your allergist’s office can often tell whether that’s the problem. You can treat breakouts with a prescription corticosteroid cream.

A Light Scratch

A Light Scratch

5/9

Someone with dermatographia (literally, “skin writing”) can get raised red welts on their skin minutes after it’s pressed or stroked. Clapping your hands, irritation from your clothes or bed sheets — even sitting — can cause hives. It’s a condition related to the allergies to sunlight and cold. Worry and warm temperatures may make it worse. Antihistamines can often ease the symptoms.

Working Up a Sweat

Working Up a Sweat

6/9

No, really! It’s a rare condition, but a trip to the gym can lead to hives and vomiting when you have exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Your heart might even stop pumping correctly, and you could die. Jogging is the most common cause, but even lower-impact activity such as yard work can bring it on. Some people’s symptoms are triggered by eating certain foods before exercise.

Balloons

Balloons

7/9

A child’s party favor could cause a reaction from a rash to anaphylactic shock. Latex, a stretchy rubber material, is also found in some disposable gloves, rubber bands, toys, and pacifiers. The allergy is more common with people who work in health care, have had many surgeries, or have spina bifida. If you’re affected, wear a medical alert bracelet to give health care workers the heads-up to use alternative gloves when they treat you.

Sex

Sex

8/9

A latex allergy when you’re using latex condoms can make things very uncomfortable in bed. Try ones made out of polyurethane instead.

If getting hot and bothered still gives you hives, you might be allergic to your partner’s semen. A condom can protect you. Or an allergist can expose you to the substance a little bit at a time, so you build up tolerance.

Your Period

Your Period

9/9

A very small group of women who have autoimmune progesterone dermatitis are actually allergic to their own hormone. They get hives, mouth sores, or a body rash when their progesterone peaks once a month. Mild cases can be treated with antihistamines and skin creams. For more severe cases, hormone therapy or removing your ovaries can fix the problem.

12 Natural Ways to Defeat Allergies

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1. Shut Out Breezes

It’s a gorgeous day. But if the pollen count is high, keep the windows and doors closed to protect your indoor air. You can also install a HEPA filter on your air-conditioning system and a flat or panel filter on your furnace.

2. Consider Alternative Treatments

Butterbur is one of the most promising and well-researched. Some studies suggest that a butterbur extract called Ze 339 may work as well as antihistamine medicines. Other studies show that plant-based Phleum pratense and pycnogenol may be helpful, too.

3. Wash Up

Each time you walk into your home, you bring small pieces of the outside world with you. After being outdoors, your clothes, shoes, hair, and skin are covered with tiny particles from everywhere you’ve been. Take a shower and change your clothes to wash away any allergens. Leave your shoes at the door, too.

4. Wear a Mask

It’ll keep allergens from getting into your airways when you can’t avoid certain allergy triggers, like when you work in your yard or vacuum. An N95 respirator mask, available at most drugstores and medical supply stores, will block 95% of small particles, such as pollen and other allergens.

5. Eat Healthy

In one study, children who ate lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts — particularly grapes, apples, oranges, and tomatoes — had fewer allergy symptoms. Researchers are still trying to figure out the link. But there’s no doubt that a healthy diet is good for your whole body. Add at least one fresh fruit and veggie to every meal.  

6. Rinse It Out

A nasal rinse cleans mucus from your nose and can ease allergy symptoms there. It also can whisk away bacteriaand thin mucus and cut down on postnasal drip. Buy a rinse kit or make one using a neti pot or a nasal bulb. Mix 3 teaspoons of iodide-free salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Store this in an airtight container. To use, put 1 teaspoon of the mixture into 8 ounces of distilled or boiled then cooled water. Lean over a sink and gently flush one nostril at a time.

7. Drink More

If you feel stuffy or have postnasal drip from your allergies, sip more water, juice, or other nonalcoholic drinks. The extra liquid can thin the mucus in your nasal passages and give you some relief. Warm fluids like teas, broth, or soup have an added benefit: steam.

8. Go Natural

Keep your home clean. It’s one of the best ways to avoid indoor allergens. But harsh chemicals can irritate your nasal passages and aggravate your symptoms. So make natural cleaners with everyday ingredients like vinegar or baking soda. Use a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter to trap allergens. If you have severe allergies, ask someone else to tidy up.

9. Get Steamy

Inhale some steam. This simple trick can ease a stuffy nose and help you breathe easier. Hold your head over a warm (but not too hot) bowl or sink full of water, and place a towel over your head to trap the steam. Or sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running.

10. Avoid Cigarette Smoke

It can worsen your runny, itchy, stuffy nose and watery eyes. Choose smoke-free restaurants, nightclubs, and hotel rooms. Avoid other fumes that can make your symptoms worse, too, like aerosol sprays and smoke from wood-burning fireplaces.

11. Consider Acupuncture

This ancient practice may bring some relief. The way acupuncture affects nasal allergies is still unclear. But a few studies show that it may help. Ask your doctor if it would be good to try.

12. Know Your Triggers

You may think you know what the problem is. But are you sure? Make an appointment with an allergist for an allergy skin test to pinpoint your triggers. Then you can make a plan to avoid them.

Maternal diet during pregnancy may impact development of asthma, allergies in offspring

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A maternal diet with plenty of vegetables and limited fried, low-fiber and sugary foods may prevent asthma and allergies in offspring, according to a speaker at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting.

Carina Venter, PhD, RD, associate professor of pediatrics in the section of allergy/immunology at Children’s Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, provided the latest data on the role the maternal diet during pregnancy may have on the infant microbiome and subsequent development of allergies and asthma, including research she has led on the topic.

Pregnant women eating healthy
Source: Adobe Stock

Currently, it is recommended that a prenatal supplement with vitamin D be taken to reduce the risk for asthma and wheeze in offspring, Venter told Healio. Also, all allergy and pediatric medical societies recommend against avoiding food allergens during pregnancy to prevent food allergies in offspring, Venter said, although she added that the impact of maternal diet on other allergic diseases has so far been less conclusive.

Carina Venter, PhD, RD

Carina Venter

In a study published last year in Allergy, Venter and colleagues developed a maternal diet index during pregnancy — which included weighted measures of increased intake of vegetables and yogurt, and reduced intake of fried potatoes, rice/grains, red meats, pure fruit juice and cold cereals — to better assess the impact of maternal diet on offspring allergy outcomes.

Overall, greater intake of vegetables and yogurt appeared protective against development of offspring allergic disease, whereas the other food items were associated with greater risk in offspring.

Using these findings to inform the maternal diet index, researchers found that a one-unit increase in the index significantly reduced the likelihood of offspring allergic rhinitis (OR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.72-0.94), atopic dermatitis (OR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.69-0.86), asthma (OR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.74-0.96) and wheeze (OR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.71-0.9), but not food allergy (0.84; 85% CI, 0.66-1.08).

The researchers called their study the first to show a relationship between a maternal diet index and prevention of multiple allergic diseases in offspring but cautioned that more research is needed.

“Our data show that a diet with increased intake of vegetables and reduced intake of fried, low fiber and sugary foods is associated with reduced asthma, wheeze, allergic rhinitis and eczema by 4 years, and all allergies by 2 years of age,” Venter told Healio. “This needs to be confirmed in other cohorts and in randomized controlled trials.”

The researchers acknowledged that many of the foods in the index are known to impact the diversity and function of the gut microbiome, but how that affects the offspring microbiome, which in turn affects their allergy risk, remains to be elucidated.

“We have some preliminary data on how the maternal diet may affect the child’s microbiome and epigenetic profile, but many more studies are needed,” Venter said.

Despite these unknowns, maternal diet “is likely to play a role,” she added.

“Recent data indicate that the maternal diet can manipulate the maternal microbiome and subsequently the infant microbiome, but the exact effect in relation to allergy is still unclear,” she said.

Specifically, a study by Selma-Royo and colleagues, published in 2020 in European Journal of Nutrition, showed that maternal intake of saturated fats and monosaturated fatty acids appeared linked to intestinal markers and therefore likely indicates microbial transmission to the neonate.

Despite these data, a generalized diet that mothers can assume to reduce their offspring risk remains elusive.

It is clear that a diet filled with a variety of allergens in the infant’s first year of life has been shown to reduce their risk for later development of food allergies.

But pairing individual pregnant mothers with their optimal dietary intervention to prevent offspring allergic diseases remains a lofty goal.

“This statement is a ‘blue sky’ view of where we would like to be in the future, but more research data are required and we are not anywhere near clinical implementation yet,” Venter told Healio.

References:

The Worst Laundry Detergent Brands with Ingredients Linked to Allergies and Cancer

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Laundry detergent can be a lot like a rich, decadent dessert. You can smell it from down the street and it’s baked to absolute perfection. But, deep down inside, you know that those refined ingredients and cups of sugar can have both short-and-long-term effects on your health. In the same way, just because laundry detergent can smell lemony fresh and make your clothes snow-white clean, does not mean they are necessarily safe.

People – yourself included – want safe, effective, cost-efficient ways to clean their clothes. Yet the very laundry detergent brands that promise all those things are the same ones that pose both environmental and health risks. Chemicals in laundry detergent can affect you directly, causing skin reactions like contact dermatitis, or indirectly through drinking water and chemicals that aren’t quick to degrade.

The Worst Ingredients Found in Laundry Detergent

In the past, we have said that if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t buy the product. Well, these are some of those ingredients. By no means is this an exhaustive list, however, if you see any of these chemicals staring back at you from the laundry detergent label, you may want to stay away from it after reading this…Advertisement

1) Nonylphenols and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates

Also referred to as NE/NPEs, manufacturers use these detergent-like chemicals in latex paints and lawn care and automotive products. What’s worse, nonylphenols and nonylphenol ethoxylates also exist in personal hygiene products and consumer laundry detergents. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), there is evidence that NPEs are linked to cancer, DNA damage, skin allergies and irritation, asthma and respiratory problems, and hormone disruption. (1,2)

“NP has been detected in human breast milk, blood, and urine and is associated with reproductive and developmental effects in rodents,” says the Environmental Protection Agency. (1)

2) 1,4-Dioxane

This toxin is a known (possible human) carcinogen, yet it remains one of the most widespread chemicals in personal hygiene products and laundry detergent. 1,4-dioxane is actually created in a process – ironically – that is supposed to reduce skin irritation risk in petroleum-based ingredients. Although the EWG describes its cause for concern about cancer as moderate, high concerns include skin, eye, or lung irritation and non-reproductive organ toxicity. (3)

“Though 1,4-dioxane can easily be removed from products before they are sold, its widespread presence in products indicates that many manufacturers fail to take this simple step.”

In addition to hiding in laundry detergent and dishwashing soap, EWG found the carcinogen in the drinking water supplies of almost 90 million Americans’ in September 2017. (4) This helps put into perspective just how widespread 1,4-dioxane is and that it’s not just in store-bought products, but the water we use every day.

3) Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

You can find one or both of these ingredients in numerous shampoos and dishwashing soaps, and many laundry detergent brands. Manufacturers mainly use it as a bubbling or foaming agent, but also as a detergent. Depending on the manufacturing processes, sodium laureth sulfate can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and another human carcinogen called ethylene oxide. (5)

When these chemicals are washed down the drains and run through pipes, they do not easily degrade and thus pose an environmental risk that affects both animals and humans. The longer these chemicals remain, the more likely people are to have an increased risk of skin, eye, or respiratory irritation and nervous system problems. (5,6)

4) Artificial Fragrances

Laundry detergent is not the only thing in which you’ll find fragrances. As we mentioned above, fragrance is present in countless household cleaners, personal care products, and cosmetics. Technically, it’s not even a single ingredient and can contain hundreds or thousands of chemicals that are mixed to create a given fragrance. In fact, according to the International Fragrance Association, “3,999 materials have been reported as used in fragrance compounds.” (7)Advertisement

Studies have revealed that exposure to fragrances can have negative side effects, according to EWG. Described as a moderately high hazard, the health concerns of fragrance can include respiratory distress, dermatitis, and red, itchy, or watery eyes, as well as potential effects on the reproductive system. (8,15)

Almost All Laundry Detergent Brands Are a Cause for Concern

High-efficiency (HE) laundry detergent refers to products that boast their stain-removing or fabric-softening capabilities. Many people use HE detergents because they can be cost-efficient but, unfortunately, that doesn’t mean they are safe. EWG reviewed 269 high-efficiency laundry detergents and found that over 60 percent couldn’t score above a D. Believe it or not, 36 percent of them received a failing F. (9)

How about general-purpose (GP) laundry detergents? When EWG reviewed 434 GP laundry detergents, more than 65 percent of scored a D or worse, with 37.6 percent getting an F. (10) It’s important to recognize that this “laundry list” is not exhaustive, but still emphasizes how poor and arguably unsafe many of these popular laundry detergents are. That said, there are brands that have multiple products, some of which received A-grades while others received poorer ones. So, don’t write off a brand right away – make sure you check the grades of their individual laundry detergents because you could have one of the safe ones.Advertisement

A Brief List of Laundry Detergent Brands That Scored ‘F’

  • Ajax
  • All
  • Arm & Hammer
  • Boulder Clean
  • Cheer
  • Dreft
  • Era
  • Fab Ultra
  • Gain
  • Kirkland
  • Persil
  • Tide

Don’t be fooled by some “natural” and “organic” brands either. Even Babyganics, Green Works, and Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday laundry detergent were on that failing list. (11) To be extra safe when cleaning your clothes, you might always want to skip the fabric softeners as well. In addition to even more fragrances, they can also contain quats (or “quaternary ammonium compounds”) as well as artificial colors and preservatives that have been linked to skin allergies, difficulty breathing, reproductive problems, and even cancer. (12)

If you didn’t see your laundry detergent brand in the list above, visit EWG’s website for a full list of reviewed products and their grades. (13)

The Dirty Truth About Cleaning Your Clothes

Now that you’re well aware of all the toxic chemicals in laundry detergent and the accompanying health concerns, we hope you seek out truly safe products that aren’t likely to harm you or your loved ones.

Some of these A-grade laundry detergent brands include Attitute, Better Life, biokleen, Dr. Bronner’s, Fit Organic, GrabGreen, Green Shield, Lion Bear Naked Soap Co., Meliora Cleaning Products, Nature Clean, and Seventh Generation. (14)

Source: https://theheartysoul.com

Spring Fever — How to Treat Allergies

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Story at-a-glance

  • Nearly 50 million people in America suffer from seasonal allergies, often triggered by pollen from trees, grasses and weeds; many spring allergies are activated by tree pollen, the worst offender of which is the oak tree
  • While over-the-counter decongestants and antihistamines immediately address symptoms, they also increase your risk of side effects
  • Reducing your exposure to pollen can reduce your symptoms, including keeping your windows closed during the heaviest pollen days, wearing a filter mask while gardening, keeping your hands from your face and showering after coming indoors from exercising or gardening outdoors
  • A neti pot helps reduce the amount of pollen embedded in your nasal mucosa; taking quercetin, bromelain and MSM supplementation and supporting your gut health help support your immune system and reduce symptoms

By Dr. Mercola

Pollen is one of the most common allergens in America. Nearly 50 million people in the U.S. suffer from nasal allergies and as many as 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children are affected. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S.1

The AAFA released a list of the worst cities to live in when you suffer from spring allergies.2 The report uses pollen scores, allergy medication use and the number of board-certified allergists who practice in the area as some of the criteria to develop the list. The top five cities are:

  • Jackson, Mississippi
  • Memphis, Tennessee
  • Syracuse, New York
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • McAllen, Texas

Worst Spring Allergy Offender — The Oak Tree

Allergies to pollen are extremely common. Pollen is an airborne allergen carried by the wind and released from a variety of trees, grasses and weeds. Many of the allergens in the spring are the result of tree pollen, the biggest offender of which is the oak tree. According to Dr. Martha White at the Institute for Asthma and Allergy in Wheaton, Maryland:3

“People suffering this time of year are allergic to tree pollen. The biggest offender during the tree pollen season is the oak tree … Oak goes on for about six weeks, sometimes eight weeks, whereas the rest of the trees pollinate over a one- to two-week period and then they’re gone.”

Spring allergies or seasonal allergies are often referred to as hay fever and trigger symptoms irritating your sinuses, skin and eyes. Worldwide, seasonal allergies affect between 10 percent and 30 percent of the population.4 While most turn to antihistamines, nasal sprays, decongestants or allergy shots to address symptoms, these drugs offer only short-term relief as they suppress symptoms and sometimes have significant side effects.

Thus, they don’t address the underlying cause of your allergies. By taking a proactive approach and addressing the causes, you have a higher likelihood of getting through allergy season without resorting to medication.

Why Do You Experience Seasonal Allergies?

In this short video you’ll see a visual demonstration of reactions occurring in your body as you are exposed to pollen and other protein allergens. Seasonal allergies cause a number of symptoms, including sneezing, stuffy or runny nose, watery and itchy eyes and itching in your nose, mouth or throat. These are your body’s reactions to foreign particles (allergens). The first time your body is exposed to an allergen, your plasma cells release immunoglobulin (IGE), an antibody design specific to an allergen.

The IGE attaches to the surface of mast cells found in surface tissue, such as your skin and nasal mucosa. Mast cells release a number of important cell mediators, one of which is histamine helping to mediate an inflammatory response.

The second time you encounter a particular allergen, your mast cells are activated and release a powerful combination of histamines, leukotrienes and prostaglandins, triggering a cascade of symptoms you associate with allergies. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) explains:5

“One of the marvels of the human body is that it can defend itself against harmful invaders such as viruses or bacteria. In some people, the body reacts to harmless substances such as dust, mold or pollen by producing an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE).

When patients with one of the allergic diseases (such as rhinitis or asthma) are exposed to these substances, the immune system then rallies its defenses, launching a host of complex chemical weapons to attack and destroy the supposed enemy.

In the process, some unpleasant and, in extreme cases, life-threatening symptoms may be experienced … An allergic reaction may occur anywhere in the body, but usually appears in the skin, eyes, lining of the stomach, nose, sinuses, throat and lungs — places where special immune system cells are stationed to fight off invaders that are inhaled, swallowed or come in contact with the skin.”

Using a Multipronged Approach May Further Reduce Your Symptoms

Allergies affect several systems in your body and you need a multifaceted approach to address symptoms and reduce reactions. If you’re tired of suffering through what should be one of the most pleasant times of the year, it may be time to address more than what occurs in your eyes nose and throat. While I discuss other options to reduce your allergy symptoms below, I believe it’s important to begin with a healthy gut and optimized vitamin D levels.

An estimated 80 percent of your immune system is located in your gut, so supporting digestive health is essential as it’s a primary defense against all diseases, including allergies. Allergic reactions begin in your immune system when a relatively harmless protein is encountered and your immune system overreacts, producing antibodies to attack the allergen.6

Your diet, gut health and vitamin D status are important components to optimize your immune function. One common reason for an overactive immune system is “leaky gut” syndrome.

When gaps develop between the cells lining your intestinal tract, substances may pass that should be confined to your digestive tract, including undigested proteins. These proteins contribute to allergic reactions and are a contributing factor to seasonal allergies. Once compromised, toxic substances continue to flow into your bloodstream, increasing inflammation and placing an increased workload on your immune system. The foods you eat play a major role in the protection of your intestinal lining and the development of leaky gut.

Several important nutritional factors affect your gut, including grains, sugar, glyphosate and genetically engineered foods. Grains contain antinutrients changing your gut, metabolizing into sugar and often are highly contaminated with glyphosate, which has been shown to trigger intestinal problems by damaging gut flora.

Genetically modified foods tend to be more allergenic than conventional foods. The key to “healing and sealing” your gut is to introduce healthier foods, eliminate inflammation and support a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

Traditionally fermented foods is one essential component, helping to reseed your gut microbiome and providing essential nutrients for beneficial bacteria. Optimizing your vitamin D level is also crucial as it helps to upregulate your immune system.7 Ideally, you’ll get vitamin D from sensible sun exposure.

However, if you live in climates where it is difficult to get enough sun exposure, consider using an oral vitamin D3 supplement. If you opt for a vitamin D3 supplement, you’ll also need to boost your vitamin K2 and magnesium levels. For more information see my previous articles, “What You Need to Know About Vitamin K2, D and Calcium,” and “Without Magnesium, Vitamin D Supplementation May Backfire.”

Reduce Your Exposure to Allergens

Of course, another strategy that will help reduce symptoms is to reduce exposure to triggers. The ACAAI suggests you may reduce your exposure by:8

  • Avoiding clothing made of synthetic fabrics, as they can produce an electric charge when rubbed, attracting pollen and making it stick. Better options include natural fibers like cotton.
  • When exercising outdoors make it either before dawn, in the late afternoon and/or early evening, as pollen counts are at the lowest during these times. Intense exercise may make you inhale more pollen and so should be done indoors.
  • Wear gloves and a mask when gardening. To filter pollen, wear a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-rated 95 filter mask. Also avoid touching your eyes and, when done, be sure to take a shower and wash your clothes.
  • Reduce your exposure to indoor allergens by regularly vacuuming your home, including furniture, ideally with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner; leave shoes by the door to avoid trekking dirt through the house and use a dehumidifier and/or a HEPA filter air purifier.

Another way of physically removing pollen is using a neti pot, which is a small pot with a spout. The pot is filled with distilled water and salt and administered through one nostril. The liquid flows through the nasal passages and out the other nostril.9 Do not use tap water in your neti pot as it will burn and in rare cases could trigger a deadly brain infection from an amoeba commonly found in lakes, rivers and hot springs.10

Although your stomach acid kills the amoeba quickly, it may live and reproduce in your nasal passages, traveling through your sinuses to your brain. The salt solution loosens mucus in your nasal passages that may have pollen embedded.

The treatment is an easy and cheap means of removing pollen you’ve acquired during the day and may help reduce your symptoms. It is effective as a standalone treatment and when it is used alongside other options.11 Consider trying the neti pot to determine how effective it may be for your individual situation.

Helpful Herbs and Supplements

Nature provides a number of compounds offering allergy relief by supporting your immune system and blocking allergic symptoms, including the following:

Quercetin is a strong antioxidant with demonstrated antiviral12 and anti-allergy13 properties. This flavonoid, found in several plants, including onions, apples, green tea and grapes14 stabilizes the mast cell membrane and prevents release of inflammatory agents and histamine. The effectiveness of the flavonoid is enhanced by the presence of vitamin C, which is why some supplements are sold with a combination of quercetin and vitamin C.

The ability of quercetin to strengthen mast cell membranes is not immediate and it may take up to six weeks to notice the antihistamine effect. It is most effective when taken preventively before allergy season and maintained throughout the season.
Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapples, is also most effective when used preventively. The enzyme helps reduce nasal swelling and thins mucus, making it easier to breathe. Proven mucolytic properties15 support normal tissue function and enhances the absorption of quercetin.16

The supplement may be split into two doses between meals on an empty stomach to maximize absorption. Bromelain is also marketed as a natural anti-inflammatory for health conditions like arthritis,17 and may be more easily absorbed when taken with both vitamin C and quercetin.18
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is the first oxidized metabolite of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)19 and a naturally occurring sulfur compound found in all vertebrates. When you have insufficient MSM your cells become hard and stiff, which doesn’t allow for adequate flushing of foreign particles and free radicals.20

Sulfur (sulfonyl) in MSM is one of the more prominent compounds in your body and is as safe and important as vitamin C — unlike bad sulfurs, such as sulfas, sulfates, sulfites and sulfides.21

Commonly found in cow’s milk, meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables, it is thought to work by contributing sulfonyl and work by blocking the receptivity of histamine in tissues of your nasal passages, thus reducing symptoms. As a supplement, most tolerate up to 4 grams daily with few known and mild side effects.22
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus). A natural antihistamine, butterbur was used to treat coughs and asthma as far back as the 17th century. Researchers have since identified compounds in butterbur helping to reduce symptoms in asthma by inhibiting leukotrienes and histamines, which are responsible for symptom aggravation in asthma.23

A word of caution however, as butterbur is a member of the ragweed family, so if you are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy or chrysanthemum, you should not use butterbur. Also, the raw herb should not be used because it contains a substance called pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which is toxic to your liver and kidneys and may cause cancer. Commercial butterbur products have had a lot of these alkaloids removed
Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) may be helpful for seasonal allergies. Laboratory studies suggest berberine, the active ingredient in goldenseal, has antibacterial and immune-enhancing properties.24
Eucalyptus oil. The pure essential oil may have healing properties for your mucus membranes. Add a drop of the oil to a cotton ball and sniff it several times daily; add a few drops to water for a steam treatment or add a few drops to your bathwater.
Vitamin C. A natural antihistamine found in fruits and vegetables, it can also be found in supplemental form.25 Many people will get loose stools with conventional oral vitamin C at high doses, but liposomal vitamin C doesn’t have this side effect and provides blood levels similar to intravenous vitamin C without the expense or inconvenience.

Naturopathic doctor Dr. Doni Wilson told the Huffington Post,26 “ … [Y]ou need to take 500 to 1,000 mg, three times a day to reduce symptoms.”
Green Tea has demonstrated the ability to strongly inhibit mast cell activation and the release of histamine, reducing symptoms of allergies to cedar pollen.

Asthma, allergies in children may be linked to heart problems

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Children with bad allergies and asthma have a much higher risk of developing cardiovascular problems at a young age, according to research published Tuesday in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Allergies and asthma have already been tied to obesity and other metabolic disorders in adults. The new research suggests the conditions might be more of a public health problem than previously realized.

Researchers looked at data on 13,275 children between birth and age 17 in the US and found that asthma and allergies in young children were associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. In addition, eczema, a condition that causes itchy, inflamed skin, was associated with a higher risk of obesity.

But researchers aren’t sure why the link exists.

Read more: Pediatricians urge tough rules on e-cigarettes

“If there’s smoke in all these different places, you’ve gotta believe there’s a fire somewhere,” said Dr. Gailen Marshall, an allergy and immunology researcher from the University of Mississippi who was not affiliated with the study. “It’s just a matter of figuring out where the fire’s coming from, and that’s the stage of research we’re in now.”

One possible factor: Children with severe asthma often find it difficult to participate in sports or other physical activity. Kids with severe eczema face a similar problem, because sweat exacerbates their skin condition.

These issues can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, and that, in turn, can lead to cardiovascular problems. And there’s no good research on how to keep kids moving when exercise leads to serious side effects like asthma attacks, said Dr. Jonathan Silverberg, a dermatologist at Northwestern University and the lead author of the study.

Read more: Unvaccinated babies not always welcome in doctors’ offices

Another factor: Children with the most severe cases of asthma and allergies are often treated with steroids. Asthma patients, for example, are often prescribed a drug that falls into the family of beta-agonists, which relax constricted airways and ease breathing. But while they relieve symptoms of asthma, Marshall said, they also can raise blood pressure.

“This finding really underscores why we need safer and better long-term medications to treat these disorders,” Silverberg said.

Experts said doctors and parents need to be more attuned to cardiovascular problems that crop up in children with asthma and allergies, including checking their cholesterol levels periodically. But they said not enough physicians are doing so.

“It hasn’t yet risen to the conscious level of providers that deal with this on a regular basis,” Marshall said, “and that’s alarming.”

Don’t Stifle That Sneeze! You Could Get Hurt .

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The next time you get the urge to stifle a window-rattling sneeze, you might want to reconsider. It could be harmful to your health.

Clamping your nostrils and mouth shut might avoid disturbing others. But it could damage your eardrums or sinuses or cause an ear infection.

Sneezes are surprisingly forceful. The sudden, powerful expulsion of air can propel mucous droplets at rates of up to 100 miles per hour.

Some people are starting to sneeze because of the arrival of warm weather and allergies. A hallmark of allergy-related sneezes is sneezing two to three times in a row.

Allergist Rachel Szekely MD says to let those serial ah-choos roll.

“Occasionally, people will cause some damage to their eardrums or their sinuses if they stifle a very violent sneeze,” says Dr. Szekely, an immunologist in the Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.

Some people sneeze because of colds. Colds may produce a yellowish nasal discharge that signals an infection.

It’s best for that discharge to move out of the body. Stifling a sneeze only keeps it in the body — and could move it further inside.

“By stifling a sneeze, you could push infected mucus through the eustachian tube and back into the middle ear,” Dr. Szekely says. “You can get middle ear infections because of that.”

Sneezing is a protective reflex. It means an irritant has gotten into your nose that your body wants to keep from getting to your sinuses or lungs. When you sneeze, your body is trying to rid itself of the intruder.

Some myths have grown up around stifling a violent sneeze. It won’t cause a stroke or blow out a kidney.

All the same, Dr. Szekely says, let your body do its thing and sneeze. Just cover your mouth and nose.