Can you develop hayfever later in life? How can CBD help to treat hayfever?

A few weeks ago, my partner started sneezing like crazy. We weren't sure whether my partner was struck by a cold or a sudden development of seasonal allergies. Once I started coughing as well, we concluded it must have been a cold.

Which made us wonder: can you develop hayfever at an older age?
Apart from trying to solve this question, we will discuss supplements which may help to suppress symptoms, among which versatile cannabis.

Spring has sprung – have your allergies sprung too?

Many of us are excited to have springtime in full-swing and the weather steadily heating up. But with new grass and budding flowers just around the corner, there comes a dreaded time for approximately 10-30 percent of the population. That’s right, spring is the start of allergy season as well.

Seasonal allergies (medical term: allergic rhinitis) affect millions of people each year, and many will dash to the pharmacy in search of antihistamine medication so they don’t drip, itch and sneeze their way through spring time. While the viral load at the start of spring can still be high depending upon the region, the differences between allergy symptoms and cold symptoms generally are as follows:

• no fever or muscle aches
• mucous secretions are typically clear and runny
• sneezing is common in rapid, multiple sequences
• your ears, nose and throat (especially palate in back of throat) are itchy
• your symptoms last longer than the typical duration of a cold (i.e. 7-10 days)

Can you develop hay fever later in life?

Whilst many of us assume that hay fever is something that develops in childhood, about one in five people with this condition develop hay fever symptoms for the first time when they're over 20. So what might cause us to develop hay fever and how can we manage our symptoms?

The likelihood of our developing allergies is written into our genes and around a third of adults in the western world are thought to be potentially susceptible to developing an allergy. However, it's important to remember that this is only a susceptibility - many people born with these tendencies will never go on to develop active symptoms.

Most people only carry antibodies to viruses and bacteria, but a third of people also carry antibodies to common things such as pollen or peanuts. However, of this number, only half will go on to develop real-life symptoms.

We may know that some people are susceptible to allergies such as hay fever in later life, but unfortunately, the mechanisms that lead us to develop an active allergy are not yet fully understood.

Hypotheses about what might shake up your immune system include suffering a severe infection like pneumonia, being exposed to pollution or going through hormonal changes. However, even if we identified the people who were susceptible, it wouldn't give us any warning about who will end up being allergic and who wouldn't. In fact, if you were positive to a certain allergen, you might avoid it, but in fact, exposing yourself might keep you tolerant!

Clearly, this is completely different to people with a proven allergy, especially severe ones such as anaphylaxis, where total avoidance of any exposure to the allergen is recommended. Therefore, the important thing is to remember that an allergy like hay fever may develop at any time.

Over the counter natural therapies to fight against seasonal allergies

Interestingly, the worst cities for allergies typically tend to be larger urban environments. So especially for you city slickers, here are some natural therapies to possibly aid in your fight against seasonal allergies.

Butterbur (Petasites): in short, Butterbur has clinical trials showing its effectiveness against some over the counter antihistamine medications. This is impressive as not too many other natural remedies have this sort of data to draw upon.

Quercetin: Although Quercetin does not have the scientific research that Butterbur does, it does have lots of anecdotal and clinical experience being used for seasonal allergies or allergic rhinitis. Its main purpose for being on this list is due to the fact it has been shown in vitro to prevent the release of histamine which is implicated in allergic symptoms such as sneezing and itching.

EGCG (Green Tea extract): surprisingly, Green Tea Extract jumps the list ahead of another staple allergy remedy in Vitamin C. Green Tea Extract has been shown to block the production of IgE and histamine (in vitro). What makes this potential mechanism unique and intriguing is that, in order for a cell to release histamine it needs this immunoglobulin (IgE) to bind the cell to signal to the cell to release histamine. If Green Tea Extract can work on blocking the signal before the cell knows to release histamine, it actually works one step before Quercetin or Vitamin C in helping with allergies.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is thought to work similarly to Quercetin in terms of preventing mast cells from secreting histamine and ‘stabilizing’ them. It also is thought to help breakdown histamine once it has been secreted from a cell and cause allergic symptoms. According to the Journal “American College of Nutrition” – high-dose vitamin C therapy (1-2g/day) may help asthma and allergies, however, it takes a few days of supplementation before Vitamin C starts to lower histamine levels.

Vitamin D: Since this list is more about controlling allergies once they have started, vitamin D falls lower on the list. If the list was for preventing or preparing for allergy season, Vitamin D, probiotics and Omega-3s would have been high on the list.
Vitamin D makes the list as studies have shown it is important in terms of the development of immune tolerance and has been shown higher Vitamin D intake by pregnant mothers reduces the asthma risk as much as 40% in children aged three to five. These studies have shown results as well in allergic disease development.

Since CBD Oil and cannabis have only recently become more readily available to the general public, they were not yet included in the list above, which was written in 2014. Since then , we've come a long way. Sadly butterbur is no longer available, but fortunately, CBD is easy to come by nowadays!

CBD for allergies

People with allergies may consider CBD (cannabidiol) to help relieve their symptoms. While research into the effects of CBD on allergies is limited, there is evidence that the compound can help relieve pain and inflammation, and mitigate some of the body’s immune responses to allergens.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a role in many of the body’s systems and processes, including metabolism, immunity, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. The body produces cannabinoids that are received by cannabinoid receptors to keep the body functioning normally.

Cannabinoids help regulate the immune system by lowering inflammation in the body. When the body’s cannabinoid system is not working properly, inflammatory and immune-related disorders, such as allergies, can occur.

Because it’s a cannabinoid, CBD may be helpful in relieving allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes, congestion, and runny nose.

While you may seek CBD or hemp to treat your allergies, be aware it’s possible to develop an allergy to cannabis itself. Hemp allergy is similar to other allergies, like pollen allergies. Symptoms can range from skin irritations, like rashes or hives, to respiratory afflictions such as asthma, congestion, and runny nose.

Though more research needs to be done, smoking marijuana or hemp may increase the likelihood of developing asthma and other allergic diseases. If you have allergic asthma, you may want to avoid smoking the compound.

While research into the effects of CBD on allergies has been limited mainly to small studies and animal studies, there is promise that CBD can help mitigate or eliminate allergic symptoms and reactions.

CBD is known to work on one of the pathways of the ECS that produces histamine-activating cells in the body. There is some evidence that CBD could greatly reduce the amount of histamine produced in an allergic reaction, which would reduce congestion.

The ECS helps regulate and control immune function in the body, and more recent research suggests that the ECS also plays a role in maintaining skin health.

Some studies suggest that CBD applied directly to the skin can help with rashes and other inflammatory conditions of the skin, such as eczema, but further research is still needed.

What are the side effects of CBD?

Studies have shown that CBD is relatively safe to consume, however these studies are limited.
Further research is needed to determine the effects of CBD on the entire body and its effects over long-term consumption.

The most common side effects of CBD are:

• drowsiness or lethargy
• mood changes and irritability
• lower appetite and weight loss
• diarrhea

Best CBD for allergies

The most common methods for consuming CBD for allergies and inflammation are topical treatments, herbal extracts, and edibles. Choosing a method depends on the type of allergy symptom being treated.

For rashes and skin inflammation, a topical cream or ointment may be best. For hay fever and other full-body symptoms, an herbal extract, edible, or nasal spray might work best. A nasal CBD spray may be beneficial, as the lining of the nose is thin, and CBD can pass directly into the blood, which produces faster effects.

The other factor to consider is the type of CBD: full-spectrum, broad-spectrum, or an isolate.

• full-spectrum CBD uses all extracts of the cannabis plant, which includes CBD, terpenes, flavonoids, essential oils, and other cannabinoids. The THC concentration in full-spectrum is 0.3% or less.
• broad-spectrum CBD contains CBD and other cannabinoids, but it has no THC.
• a CBD isolate is pure CBD with no other parts of the cannabis plant.

The “Entourage Effect: some evidence suggests that broad- or full-spectrum CBD produces better benefits, due to the synergistic effects of the other compounds within the spectrum, including THC. This is known as the “entourage effect.”

Dosage

CBD dosage will depend on the delivery method chosen and what symptom is being treated.

Doses ranging from 300 mg to 600 mg have been shown to help treat anxiety disorders.
Another study showed that a dosage of 25 mg helped improve poor sleep.
There is very little regulation on the dosing of CBD, so you may need to experiment until you find the right dose for your body and symptoms. You can also talk to your healthcare provider about appropriate dosing.

While much research still needs to be done on CBD and its effects, there is promise that it could be useful for treating allergy symptoms.