Folic Acid Supplements May Fight Allergy Symptoms

With spring sneaking up on us, pollen is in the air and allergy sufferers everywhere are breathing a congested sigh of disdain. Even though outdoor barbeques, marathons, work-related outings, picnics, markets and festivals are planned throughout the summer, people who sneeze, cough, and generally feel miserable when the wind blows are not welcoming this change. Emerging research shows that B9—also known as folic acid—the component that keeps red blood cells healthy and has been shown to reduce birth defects associated with the spine may also help curb such miserable hot-weather symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about 25 million Americans are living with allergies due to their environment and asthma is the biggest portion of a chronic condition that children are afflicted by affecting 7 percent of all age groups throughout the United States.

The study was conducted at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, hoping to keep allergy symptoms (including asthma) at bay. By looking through the records of over 8,000 patients between the ages of 2 and 85, researchers tracked the folic acid levels against people with lung issues and allergy symptoms to find a pattern. Patients with higher blood levels of folic acid had less antibodies that trigger immunity response throughout the body.

The results were recently printed in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and in a press release done by Johns Hopkins which lead researcher and pediatric allergist Dr. Elizabeth Matsui says that this is a breakthrough in allergy response, “Our findings are a clear indication that folic acid may indeed help regulate immune response to allergens, and may reduce allergy and asthma symptoms,” she adds that folic acid on its own won’t be a cure and more studies will eventually be done, “But we still need to figure out the exact mechanism behind it, and to do so, we need studies that follow people receiving treatment with folic acid before we even consider supplementation with folic acid to treat or prevent allergies and asthma.”

Even if popping B9 supplements may not help prevent this year’s allergy season, it is good to know that there is hope for the future. Usually found in leafy, green vegetables (also rich in vitamin K), nuts, beans, grains, and cereal products, healthy men and women are supposed to ingest 400 micrograms per day.

Believed to be the first study of its kind linking folic acid to allergy symptoms, these findings are new and exciting. More specifics of the findings include records like patients with lower folic acid levels in their blood (also known as folate levels) incur a 40 percent higher risk of wheezing than people with higher levels. Other risks involved with low folate levels are a 30 percent higher risk of developing allergies, 31 percent higher risk of allergy symptoms, and 16 percent higher risk of asthma.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the next step to the study is to use a controlled experiment using a placebo group alongside patients with both allergies and asthma.

Scientists decree that folic acid is not a cure-all and will not be ready for use as an allergy preventative for at least a few years. Although a lot of allergies are based on the type of landscape you live around, but if you are prone to allergen sensitivity, you will most likely find something to trigger the effects. Asthma is more tricky but because this is a rising condition among children, it merits research and this discovery seems to be shedding light that may eventually help. If folic acid is not already consciously part of your on your shopping list, it may be helpful to stock up on foods already rich in the nutrient…just in case.