Dietary Probiotic Supplementation for Allergic Rhinitis

Alternative medicine is gaining popularity, according to an article on Msnbc.com, because of dissatisfaction with conventional care or concerns about side effects that accompany mainstream medicines. Because they are natural and cause few side effects, probiotics fit the definition of alternative medicine. However, even doctors recommend using probiotics alongside conventional medication for certain conditions.

Definitions

• Allergic rhinitis occurs, according to USA Today's Health Scout, when you breathe in something you're allergic to, such as pollen, causing itchy or runny nose, sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and other symptoms similar to those of a bad cold.

  According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), probiotics are dietary supplements that contain "good" bacteria, which outweigh the "bad" bacteria and make your body stronger. Though probiotics are usually used to reduce inflammation, prevent diarrhea, improve immune function, and lower cholesterol and blood pressure, new studies show that they can also reduce symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Studies

• If you use probiotics to treat allergy symptoms, there are studies to back you up. One, in the April 2007 issue of the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, found that use of probiotics delayed the allergic reactions caused by rhinitis. Another study, listed in Pub Med, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, found that probiotics helped reduce nasal allergy symptoms. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology cites a literature search (February 2009) in which nine out of 12 randomized, controlled clinical trials found improvement in seasonal and year-round allergic rhinitis with the use of probiotics.

Types

• You can take probiotics in different forms. You do not need a prescription to obtain probiotics; ask at your pharmacy or look in the refrigerated section of your health food store. Most yogurts naturally contain probiotics called Lactobacillus acidophilus, which literally means "acid-loving milk bacterium." Probiotics are also available in pill form, which offers high doses. Bifidobacterium lactis is a bacteria naturally found in our intestines, but is added to pills for an extra boost in digestive help. Saccharomyces boulardii is a form of yeast, found in tropical fruits, that is also made into probiotic pills that fight inflammation and weak immnune systems.

  Because allergic rhinitis causes inflammation to occur in the nose or mucous membranes, all of these forms of probiotics should assist in decreasing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis. However, most studies have tested and proven that Lactobacillus acidophilus, found in yogurt, does decrease symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Ask your doctor which type would be best for you.