Low Dose Immunotherapy
_http://www.food-allergy.org/epd.html_ (http://www.food-allergy.org/epd.html)



Low dose immunotherapy is a method of treating food and environmental
allergies. The original form of low dose immunotherapy, enzyme potentiated
desensitization (EPD), was developed in England in the 1960’s. While trying
to
eliminate nasal polyps by injecting them with the enzyme hyaluronidase, Dr. S.
Popper serendipitously discovered that patients’ pollen allergies were
eliminated, although their nasal polyps remained. Further research showed that
an
enzyme which was a contaminant the hyaluronidase, beta-glucuronidase, plus
extremely low doses of allergens, was responsible for the desensitization.
After Dr.
Popper’s untimely death, Dr. Leonard McEwen developed injections of very low
doses of allergens combined with the enzyme beta-glucuronidase (an enzyme
normally present in the human body) and called the shots EPD.
EPD was administered in the United States for several years under an
Investigational Review Board (IRB) study. The IRB study showed that EPD was
extremely safe (safer than “conventional” allergy shots) and effective for
nearly
80% of the people treated for most allergic conditions. When the IRB expired,
application needed to be made with the FDA for Investigational New Drug (IND)
status for EPD. The IND application was not submitted soon enough, so in 2001
the FDA “shut down” EPD. Difficulties plagued the initiation of an IND
trial, so an American-made injection was developed and was called Low Dose
Allergens (LDA). In addition to the common allergens in EPD, LDA contains
uniquely
American antigens which are not present in EPD such as cottonwood, sage,
mountain juniper, some New World evergreens, American perfumes, “new” foods
such
as avocado, etc. In my own personal experience, LDA has been more effective
than EPD, especially for chemical sensitivities such as to perfume, possibly
because it is designed to "fit" the allergic exposures Americans experience
rather than the exposures that the British experience.
Low dose immunotherapy (both EPD and LDA) is effective for inhalant
allergies, food allergies and intolerances, and chemical sensitivities. Because
all
of the patient’s problems are being treated at once, a great improvement in
general health should occur. Some of the conditions that have been successfully
treated with low dose immunotherapy include hay fever, asthma, urticaria
(hives), eczema, angioedema, anaphylaxis, food allergies, preservative
allergies, chemical sensitivities, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder),
autism, Tourette’s syndrome, irritable bowel disorders, Crohn’s disease,
ulcerative colitis, migraine and other headaches, rheumatoid arthritis,
ankylosing
spondylitis, and systemic lupus erythmatosis.{1}
Because low dose immunotherapy “exploits” a natural phenomenon, it can be
diverted by high-dose exposures to allergens at the time of the injection,
medications, etc. Therefore, patients must exercise strict control of their
environmental and dietary exposures to allergens as well as avoiding many
medications at the time of their treatments. For this reason, low dose
immunotherapy
has the reputation of being somewhat of an ordeal to go through. Indeed, it
does involve much participation on the part of the patient. If simple dietary
manipulation is sufficient to restore your health, you may not want to take
low dose immunotherapy. However, since my food allergies progressed to the
point that diet was no longer sufficient help, I opted for low dose
immunotherapy, which I find much less inconvenient than continual poor health.
Low dose immunotherapy injections are usually taken at two month intervals
initially. As the patient progresses, the interval between injections is
gradually extended until they are taken at yearly intervals after several
years.
Some patients may even be able to stop treatment for extended periods of time
without their allergy symptoms returning. Other patients have taken
injections 1 to 4 times a year for up to 20 years. Most patients can either go
a long
time between injections or stop entirely after about 16 to 18 injections.{2}
For severe food allergies, 6 to 12 doses or 1 to 2 years of treatment may be
necessary before good results are achieved. However, the patient should
notice some improvement within the first three doses.{3} If no improvement is
noted, factors which may be interfering should be considered. The most common
problem when low dose immunotherapy does not work is intestinal dysbiosis.{4}
(For more about this problem, _click here)_
(http://www.food-allergy.org/root3.html) . Low dose immunotherapy helps 70-80%
of the people treated, although
some patients may go through a period of feeling worse before they feel better
in the course of their treatment. About 60% of patients have a good response
to the first injection.{5}
If you elect to receive LDA treatment, your doctor should give you a copy of
the Patient Instruction Booklet, commonly called the “pink book,” which
explains all the “rules” about what must be avoided and done at the time of
your injections. Because the low dose immunotherapy diet is quite limited and
the organizational effort of preparing for your first shot may seem
overwhelming, you may also wish to get a copy of _The Low Dose Immunotherapy
Handbook _
(http://www.food-allergy.org/ldihbook.html) to help you.
In my opinion, low dose immunotherapy comes closer to a “cure” for food
allergies than any other treatment, and for some people really is the cure.
However, for those of us with severe food allergies and especially with
dysbiosis, the road to health may not always be smooth and dysbiosis and other
interfering factors may be challenging to correct. For more about my and my
son’s
experiences with low dose immunotherapy, _click here._
(http://www.food-allergy.org/story.html)
Footnotes:
1. Shrader, W. A. Jr., M.D. Enzyme Potentiated Desensitzation: American EPD
Society Patient Instruction Booklet, American EPD Society, 141 Paseo de
Peralta, Suite A, Santa Fe, MN 87501, 1997, p. 3.
2. Ibid, p. 2.
3. Ibid, p. 5.
4. Ibid, p. 7.
5. Ibid, p. 5-6.

The information on this page is abridged from
_The Low Dose Immunotherapy Handbook_
(http://www.food-allergy.org/ldihbook.html) ($9.95, eBook $6) © 2003 and_
The Ultimate Food Allergy Cookbook and Survival Guide_
(http://www.food-allergy.org/ufabook.html) ($24.95, eBook $13) © 2007

For more information about these books, click on the book's title above.
To order any of the books mentioned on this page, _click here_
(http://www.food-allergy.org/orderbooks.html)



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