Do probiotics help against hay fever?

Hanna Helder studied German language and literature at the Albert Ludwig University in Freiburg. In addition to her studies, she has gained a lot of experience in radio and print journalism through internships and freelance work. She has been at the Burda School of Journalism since October 2018 and writes, among other things, as a trainee for

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A study by the European Center for Allergy Research supports the belief that probiotics can relieve allergy symptoms.

Most of them look forward to blooming meadows in summer, but that does not apply to allergy sufferers - for them it means a real torture. Doctors describe hypersensitivity of the immune system to the proteins of various plant pollen as hay fever (pollen allergy, seasonal allergic rhinitis).

This affects around 15 percent of people in Germany. A stuffy, runny and itchy nose and red, itchy eyes are the main symptoms of hay fever. Find out more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of hay fever.

Probiotics can relieve symptoms

A current study by the European Center for Allergy Research (ECARF) in Berlin with the probiotic pollagen confirms the assumption that probiotics - living bacteria - can help alleviate allergic symptoms. The study results were presented at the EAACI Congress (European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology).

As part of this study, thirty birch pollen allergy sufferers diagnosed with hay fever were exposed to a certain amount of pollen in a so-called pollen provocation chamber and the allergic symptoms were recorded. After four months of taking the probiotic Pollagen, the whole thing was repeated identically.

Probiotic improves symptoms

The result: taking the probiotic improved nasal and eye symptoms as well as bronchial complaints.

Probiotics target the intestinal flora, also called the microbiome. "Among other things, a changed composition of the microbiome can be related to an allergy risk," explains Dr. med. Sonja Guethoff, Medical Director at Bencard Allergie."A balanced microbiome, on the other hand, can have a beneficial effect on the immune system." Pollagen is suitable for adults and children from 1 year of age and is available from pharmacies. (hh)

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