Low Dose Allergen Therapy
Background Information
Low dose allergen therapy, or LDA, is a method of allergy treatment that was first developed in England by Dr. Leonard McEwen in the 1960s. Originally referred to as enzyme potentiated desensitization, or EPD, Dr. McEwen attempted to eliminate patients’ allergies by injecting minute doses of numerous allergens in combination with an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. The patient initially required treatment about once every 60 days, and the treatment reportedly was successful with a wide range of allergens, as well as a range of immune disorders such as Crohn’s Disease, Hashimoto’s, and others.
EPD was a legal allergy treatment available in the United States for several years, and it was shown to be highly successful for a vast variety of allergic illnesses. Unfortunately, the Food and Drug Administration discontinued the legality of EPD in the U.S. as of April, 2001. The abrupt discontinuance of EPD in the U.S. left thousands of allergy patients without appropriate medical assistance, since those patients were receiving EPD because there were no other treatments that effectively provided them with allergy relief. That was until Dr. William Shrader entered the EPD arena.
About Low Dose Allergen TherapyDr. Shrader began offering his version of EPD, low dose allergen therapy, in 2002. Like EPD, Dr. Shrader’s LDA therapy involves injections of minute doses of various allergens in combination with the enzyme, beta glucuronidase. By stimulating T-suppressor cells, the beta glucuronidase seems to disarm part of the immune system, the part which has mistakenly attacked normal food particles and body cells, thereby causing patients to become ill. Like EPD, Dr. Shrader’s LDA is administered to patients about once every sixty days at first, then less often as the patient’s treatment progresses.
The low dose allergen solution is not sold the way a manufactured drug is sold. Interestingly, the LDA solution is prepared by compounding pharmacies in the U.S. This came about because the U.S. Supreme Court explained to the FDA that it cannot impose its regulations on compounding pharmacies the way it imposes its will on drug manufacturers. Compounding pharmacies are therefore free to prepare the special compounds that doctors prescribe, and this includes Dr. Shrader’s LDA. There are a few caveats, however. Aside from the fact that LDA cannot be purchased on a retail basis, the pharmacies that prepare the LDA are not permitted to advertise LDA, so chances are you will never hear about it unless a doctor tells you about it (or if you are reading this article).
LDA and the Immune SystemPerhaps the most interesting feature of low dose allergen therapy is its positive affect on the immune system. Rather then temporarily eliminating allergy symptoms or temporarily reducing the body’s histamine level, LDA seems to teach the immune system, or the white blood cells, to stop attacking normal substances that the body encounters. As you might imagine, as the immune systems learns to recognize “innocent” substances and body components, over time patients might experience profound allergy relief. This is exactly what is being demonstrated with patients. LDA therapy has a cumulative effect on allergies, so patients require less injections as time goes on. In fact, many patients have demonstrated that they no longer require treatment after a given number of injections.
Safety of Low Dose Allergen TherapyLow dose allergen therapy uses extremely minute doses of allergens in its formulations. This is a vast improvement over traditional immunotherapy, where a significant concern has been the possibility that patients might experience anaphylactic reactions after their weekly injections. Moreover, LDA utilizes the enzyme beta glucuronidase, which is a natural substance that is manufactured by the human body. The beta glucuronidase simply increases the effectiveness of the tiny amount of allergens contained in the LDA formulation. Therefore, you have safe, miniscule amounts of allergens with a maximum potential benefit. As far as our research can ascertain, there have been no side effects associated with low dose allergen therapy. Where to Obtain Low Dose Allergen TherapyThere are LDA physicians in Alaska, California, Canada, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Washington state. Dr. Shrader’s mailing address is: 141 Paseo de Peralta Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87501 |
