ESTROGEN & ALLERGIES

ESTROGEN-TRIGGERED ALLERGIES

Did you know that your hormones could be contributing to you suffering from allergies? Yep! Wild right? When we think of estrogen and progesterone we can think of a long list of “hormonal symptoms,” but I am guessing allergies were not on the list. In this post, I am going to discuss how hormonal imbalances can worsen allergy conditions, what symptoms can be experienced from estrogen triggered allergy responses, and what we can do about it.

How do hormonal imbalances worsen allergies?

In the springtime when you are suffering from goopy eyes, itchy ears, and runny nose, we blame the overproduction of histamine for this uncomfortable response. That is why we often take medications called antihistamines such as Zyrtec, Clarinex, and Allegra. Histamine, released from immune cells called mast cells, causes increased vascular permeability which increases swelling and dilation of vessels making areas feel itchy and swollen. Antihistamines work by blocking this response. 

Research has shown that these mast cells can be influenced by the interplay of estrogen and progesterone, but not so much testosterone, making women much more susceptible to allergy related conditions like asthma, seasonal allergies, and dermatitis. Mast cells have receptors to all three hormones—estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone–but research has not seen testosterone to be connected to mast cell activation like estrogen or like mast cell regulation by progesterone. Research also indicates that exogenous estrogens, or environmental estrogen-like compounds, also can contribute to a heightened mast cell activation through stimulation of the estrogen receptors. It is for this reason that excess estrogen or progesterone deficiency, or the combination of the two, clinically speaking can contribute to the constant battle with allergies. 

Furthermore, there are two other interesting facts about histamine. One, we know that histamine is broken down by DAO (diamine oxidase) and histamine N-methyltransferase. When these enzymes are blocked, say by alcohol or certain foods, we can have a build up of histamine, leading to a condition known as histamine intolerance. Two, there is a connection that histamine also plays a role in the uterine walls. A study from 2002 suggests that histamine can play an important role in the remodeling of the endometrial lining during the menstrual cycle and implantation of a fertile egg, but it also suggests that histamine might pathologically play a role in pre-eclampsia or pre-term birth. It is an area of medicine that will likely require more research to understand the delicate balance of how histamine works with the female reproductive system. 

Estrogen-Triggered Allergy Response:

Symptoms can include:

• Hives 

• Asthma 

• Skin rashes 

• Worsening of menstrual cramps 

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Brain 

• Bloating

• Diarrhea 

Please recognize, like with all types of conditions, that these symptoms can vary from person to person, as well as the intensity. 

How to Support Estrogen Triggered Allergy Responses:

Consider your environmental estrogen exposures: 

A small list includes:

👉 BPA and BPA-derivatives found in ALL plastics

👉 Parabens found in skincare and hair care products 

👉 DDT and DDE found in pesticides 

👉 Dioxins found in poorly controlled animal products and tampons 

👉 Toluene and Benzene found in fragrant candles and home fresheners 

Take action:

• Opt for stainless steel or glass water bottles like Yeti, Hydroflask, Bkr, silicone lunch bags like Stasher, and glass or stainless-steel food containers.

• Use the ewg.org website to seek guidance on clean skincare and cleaning products. 

• Skincare brands that I personally obsess over and have no affiliation to include Josh Rosebrooks, Evan Healy, Eminence, and Andalou.

• Cleaning products that I love and use and again have no affiliation to include Branch Basics, Dr. Bronners, Zuma, and Annie’s Pure and Simple.

• Dedicate your yard to being chemical free. Opt for wildflowers that support the bee and butterfly population.

• Purchase organic foods either from local farmers that are transparent about their growing process or opt for foods that have the USDA certified organic label, check out North Star Bison and US Wellness Meats, or search state by state using https://www.eatwild.com/ 

• Use organic feminine hygiene products like Cora, Lola, or Rael. 

• Opt for all-natural beeswax candles, and skip out on fabreeze, car scent tags, traditional candles labeled with “fragrance.”

  • Note: We have no affiliation with any of the brand recommendations listed above.

Focus in on fiber:

High fiber diets are associated with healthy estrogen levels because of its positive impact on supporting healthy gut microbes and regular bowel movements, both needed for proper clearance of estrogen. An extra love for the brassica rich veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, arugula, radish, swiss char, cabbage, brussels, mustard greens which are high in sulforaphane, DIM, and I3C needed to support the liver metabolism of estrogen into non-toxic forms of estrogens. 

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Legumes

• Nuts and Seeds

Nutrients—Consider B6 and Vitamin C:

B6, pyridoxine, and Vitamin C  have  been shown to have increased DAO activity, the enzyme needed to help clear histamine, the culprit in allergy type symptoms. 

• B6 rich foods include beef liver, salmon, tuna, chickpeas, chicken, and dark leafy greens. 

• Vitamin C rich foods include red and green peppers, kiwi, broccoli, strawberries, brussels, and cantaloupe. 

Need a little extra support? Don’t purchase your supplements where you buy your toilet paper. A NYT 2015 report determined GNC, Target, Walgreens and Walmart were selling fake supplements with little to no herbal medicine and had potentially harmful ingredients. You can find medical grade, third-party tested options, in our medical grade medicinary where we use companies like DFH, Vital Nutrients, and more where they pride themselves in transparency, testing for potency, purity, efficacy, and quality. 

Stinging Nettles Herbal Support: 

Stinging nettles contains a flavonoid compound called quercetin that exerts anti-allergy effects by blocking the release of histamine from mast cells. Find loose leaf stinging nettles tea to drink daily or you can find quercetin within our offered blend which combines the power of quercetin with vitamin C and other nutrients to make an effective natural anti-histamine.

Personalized Support:

Health can be messy and if you are trying to manage annoying allergy related symptoms or what might feel like estrogen excess symptoms combined with allergies, don’t hesitate to reach out. We can do a proper work-up to see how the immune system is responding, as well as dialing in on how your body is doing hormonally, assessing for both production and clearance of estrogens in relationship to progesterone. Learn more about Dr. Danielle and her clinical practice.

References:

• PMID: 30844215

• PMID: 17166400

• PMID: 12369286

• PMID: 94242

• PMID: 28082789

• Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-candles-bad-for-you/

• NYT: https://archive.nytimes.com/well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/new-york-attorney-general-targets-supplements-at-major-retailers/

• ToxyFree for helping identify farms listed in this post.