Low Dose Allergen (LDA) Immunotherapy

Find relief in desensitizing yourself to your allergens

 

We are excited to introduce a new treatment for allergies and sensitivities at the Northern Centre for Integrative Medicine called LDA immunotherapy, short for Ultra Low Dose Enzyme Activated Immunotherapy.

Conventional allergy shots and treatments have proven to be very effective for certain pollen allergies and other specific types of allergy; however, they have little value for patients with allergies to multiple inhalants and have generally been ineffective for patients with autoimmune diseases, or food and chemical intolerances. LDA is an advanced immunotherapy and an effective alternative in the treatment of inhalant intolerances, certain autoimmune diseases, as well as sensitivity caused by foods, pollens, moulds, dust, and chemicals.

What conditions can be treated with LDA?

• Hay fever
• Dust mite, mould & animal dander allergy
• Perennial rhinitis
• Asthma
• Urticaria (“hives”)
• Eczema (dermatitis)
• Angioedema (swelling of the face, lips, etc.)
• Food (or food additive/preservative) allergy or intolerance
• Adverse responses to chemicals (“multiple chemical sensitivity” or “MCS”)
• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

Since LDA addresses the faulty reaction of the immune system, many autoimmune conditions respond well to LDA as well:

• Autism
• Irritable bowel disorders
• Crohn’s Disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Migraine and other headaches
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosis

How does LDA work?

Allergies develop because the immune system falsely identifies normal substances as pathogens. Usually, a specialized set of immune cells (B cells, T-helper cells) identifies and tracks down bacteria, viruses and other pathogens in the body and destroys them before they can cause disease. Another kind of immune cell, the T-suppressor cells, controls the reaction of the B- and T-helper cells and prevents them from attacking human cells or harmless substances. With an allergy however, the B and T-helper cells misidentify normal substances in the body to be allergens and erroneously cause patients to be ill.

LDA is a method of immunotherapy enhanced by a small dose of the enzyme beta-glucuronidase. The beta-glucuronidase activates extremely low amounts of various antigens (extremely small amounts of one or many allergenic substances) and stimulates the production of “T-suppressor cells.” T suppressor cells turn off the “helper cells” that cause the misidentification of normal substances, and thereby T-suppressor cells turn off allergies!

Since T-suppressor cells take a while to mature in the bloodstream, LDA needs to be administered only every two to three months for the first six to eight months; then less often as treatment progresses.

What is the treatment like?

An LDA treatment consists of a small injection on the inner aspect of the forearm with a small amount of the activated antigen (1/20 cc.) given intra-dermally (in the first layer of the skin).  The average patient receives 1-2 allergens in one or two injections per treatment.

The response to LDA does not take long to appear, and certainly over 60% of patients note a significant positive response with their first treatment.  Most all patients respond positively by the third treatment, and if no response is noted by then, we re-evaluate the situation. The overall response rate for all conditions treated with LDA is approximately 65-95%, varying with the condition being treated.

LDA has a few considerations compared to other types of immunotherapy.  For example, most patients must adhere to a restricted diet the day before, the day of, and the day after LDA treatment.  There are also a number of medications (such as antihistamines and aspirin) that may significantly reduce or destroy the effect LDA has if taken in the three weeks after treatment. Before starting the therapy, we will discuss the requirements and prepare you for your treatment.

Please note that LDA should not be used during pregnancy.

How do I start?

LDA should ideally be initiated 3 months to 3 weeks before the allergy season if you have seasonal allergies. If you suffer from food allergies, you may be required to avoid known food allergens for a certain time before treatment. Some prescription medications can interfere with LDA, and it may be necessary to switch to a different medication for a short duration of time.

For specific information or instructions, please book an appointment mentioning LDA – we will discuss any preparation that is required and any question you may have.