Additional Good Bacteria May Help Relieve Allergy Symptoms

Reprint with Permission from Renew Life

New research out of the University of Florida is nothing to sneeze at. That’s because researchers believe providing additional good bacteria during peak seasons may help alleviate symptoms in people suffering from mild allergies.

Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli are among the most abundant beneficial bacteria in the human digestive tract, and studies have shown that a balanced gut promotes optimal digestion and immune function. While scientists are still exploring exactly how probiotics support health, many believe it has to do with a positive immune response—which is where this new research comes in.
Allergies happen as the result of the immune system overreacting to things such as pollen or dust, which are otherwise harmless to the body but which become “allergens” when they trigger an abnormal immune response. Knowing this, UF researchers recruited nearly 200 adults with allergies and divided them into two groups, one of which received a Bifido-Lacto probiotic combination while the others received a placebo.

After two months, survey responses and physical data showed that individuals in the probiotic group had fewer nasal allergy symptoms and reported better overall quality of life when compared to those in the placebo group. Based on their findings, study authors believe providing additional good bacteria during peak seasons may help relieve mild allergy symptoms and offer an alternative to common allergy medications.

Sources:
http://news.ufl.edu/articles/2017/03/allergies-probiotic-combination-may-curb-your-symptoms-new-study-finds.php
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2017/03/01/Study-finds-probiotic-combination-may-help-allergy-symptoms/7431488394376/
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/105/3/758