Low Dose Immunotherapy

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Low Dose Immunotherapy

_http://www.food-allergy.org/epd.html_ (http://www.food-allergy.org/epd.html)

 

 

 

Low dose immunotherapy is a method of treating food and environmental

allergies. The original form of low dose immunotherapy, enzyme potentiated

desensitization (EPD), was developed in England in the 1960’s. While trying

to

eliminate nasal polyps by injecting them with the enzyme hyaluronidase, Dr. S.

Popper serendipitously discovered that patients’ pollen allergies were

eliminated, although their nasal polyps remained. Further research showed that

an

enzyme which was a contaminant the hyaluronidase, beta-glucuronidase, plus

extremely low doses of allergens, was responsible for the desensitization.

After Dr.

Popper’s untimely death, Dr. Leonard McEwen developed injections of very low

doses of allergens combined with the enzyme beta-glucuronidase (an enzyme

normally present in the human body) and called the shots EPD.

EPD was administered in the United States for several years under an

Investigational Review Board (IRB) study. The IRB study showed that EPD was

extremely safe (safer than “conventional†allergy shots) and effective for

nearly

80% of the people treated for most allergic conditions. When the IRB expired,

application needed to be made with the FDA for Investigational New Drug (IND)

status for EPD. The IND application was not submitted soon enough, so in 2001

the FDA “shut down†EPD. Difficulties plagued the initiation of an IND

trial, so an American-made injection was developed and was called Low Dose

Allergens (LDA). In addition to the common allergens in EPD, LDA contains

uniquely

American antigens which are not present in EPD such as cottonwood, sage,

mountain juniper, some New World evergreens, American perfumes, “new†foods

such

as avocado, etc. In my own personal experience, LDA has been more effective

than EPD, especially for chemical sensitivities such as to perfume, possibly

because it is designed to " fit " the allergic exposures Americans experience

rather than the exposures that the British experience.

Low dose immunotherapy (both EPD and LDA) is effective for inhalant

allergies, food allergies and intolerances, and chemical sensitivities. Because

all

of the patient’s problems are being treated at once, a great improvement in

general health should occur. Some of the conditions that have been successfully

treated with low dose immunotherapy include hay fever, asthma, urticaria

(hives), eczema, angioedema, anaphylaxis, food allergies, preservative

allergies, chemical sensitivities, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder),

autism, Tourette’s syndrome, irritable bowel disorders, Crohn’s disease,

ulcerative colitis, migraine and other headaches, rheumatoid arthritis,

ankylosing

spondylitis, and systemic lupus erythmatosis.{1}

Because low dose immunotherapy “exploits†a natural phenomenon, it can be

diverted by high-dose exposures to allergens at the time of the injection,

medications, etc. Therefore, patients must exercise strict control of their

environmental and dietary exposures to allergens as well as avoiding many

medications at the time of their treatments. For this reason, low dose

immunotherapy

has the reputation of being somewhat of an ordeal to go through. Indeed, it

does involve much participation on the part of the patient. If simple dietary

manipulation is sufficient to restore your health, you may not want to take

low dose immunotherapy. However, since my food allergies progressed to the

point that diet was no longer sufficient help, I opted for low dose

immunotherapy, which I find much less inconvenient than continual poor health.

Low dose immunotherapy injections are usually taken at two month intervals

initially. As the patient progresses, the interval between injections is

gradually extended until they are taken at yearly intervals after several

years.

Some patients may even be able to stop treatment for extended periods of time

without their allergy symptoms returning. Other patients have taken

injections 1 to 4 times a year for up to 20 years. Most patients can either go

a long

time between injections or stop entirely after about 16 to 18 injections.{2}

For severe food allergies, 6 to 12 doses or 1 to 2 years of treatment may be

necessary before good results are achieved. However, the patient should

notice some improvement within the first three doses.{3} If no improvement is

noted, factors which may be interfering should be considered. The most common

problem when low dose immunotherapy does not work is intestinal dysbiosis.{4}

(For more about this problem, _click here)_

(http://www.food-allergy.org/root3.html) . Low dose immunotherapy helps 70-80%

of the people treated, although

some patients may go through a period of feeling worse before they feel better

in the course of their treatment. About 60% of patients have a good response

to the first injection.{5}

If you elect to receive LDA treatment, your doctor should give you a copy of

the Patient Instruction Booklet, commonly called the “pink book,†which

explains all the “rules†about what must be avoided and done at the time of

your injections. Because the low dose immunotherapy diet is quite limited and

the organizational effort of preparing for your first shot may seem

overwhelming, you may also wish to get a copy of _The Low Dose Immunotherapy

Handbook _

(http://www.food-allergy.org/ldihbook.html) to help you.

In my opinion, low dose immunotherapy comes closer to a “cure†for food

allergies than any other treatment, and for some people really is the cure.

However, for those of us with severe food allergies and especially with

dysbiosis, the road to health may not always be smooth and dysbiosis and other

interfering factors may be challenging to correct. For more about my and my

son’s

experiences with low dose immunotherapy, __

(http://www.food-allergy.org/story.html)

Footnotes:

1. Shrader, W. A. Jr., M.D. Enzyme Potentiated Desensitzation: American EPD

Society Patient Instruction Booklet, American EPD Society, 141 Paseo de

Peralta, Suite A, Santa Fe, MN 87501, 1997, p. 3.

2. Ibid, p. 2.

3. Ibid, p. 5.

4. Ibid, p. 7.

5. Ibid, p. 5-6.

 

The information on this page is abridged from

_The Low Dose Immunotherapy Handbook_

(http://www.food-allergy.org/ldihbook.html) ($9.95, eBook $6) © 2003 and_

The Ultimate Food Allergy Cookbook and Survival Guide_

(http://www.food-allergy.org/ufabook.html) ($24.95, eBook $13) © 2007

 

For more information about these books, click on the book's title above.

To order any of the books mentioned on this page, _click here_

(http://www.food-allergy.org/orderbooks.html)

 

 

 

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