Allerieva

Allergic rhinitis is a common upper respiratory problem seen routinely in clinical practice. This problem occurs when inhaled allergens come in contact with IgE antibodies on the surface of the airway triggering numerous acute symptoms: nasal congestion, sneezing, a watery ocular discharge, rhinnorea, and a pruritic palate along with sinus and eustachian tube congestion.1 According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States, 17.9 million adults and 7.1 million children were diagnosed with hay fever in the year 2010.2 While numerous prescription and over the counter (OTC) antihistamines can benefit by relieving symptoms, they are often fraught with side effects including dry mouth, sleepiness and restlessness. As such, natural health products such as Allerevia, represent an alternative to OTC antihistamines that are safe for both short and long term use. A recent controlled study concluded that 2000 mg per day of the blue green algae spirulina significantly reduced the symptoms of allergic rhinitis including nasal discharge, sneezing, nasal congestion and itching after three weeks of use.3 In humans, spirulina acts on hay fever symptoms by significantly reducing the secretion of an inflammatory cytokine IL-4 by 32%.