Low Folate Levels May Be Linked To Allergies

Spring and allergies seem to go hand in hand however a new study is exploring the reason behind our allergies and the link that low folate levels may have to both spring allergies and asthma. 

Whilst more studies are required to confirm the association, this early research suggests that there is a postive link between allergies and asthma and low folate levels. 

The researchers at John Hopkins Centre examined the blood folate levels of more than 8,000 people with and without asthma and allergies who were enrolled in a national health registry. 

What they found was that those with the lowest serum folate levels were 31% more likely to have test-verified allergy and 40% more likely to have wheeze than people with the highest levels. 

The researchers believe that the relationship appeared to be dose-dependent, meaning that the people with the highest blood folate levels had the lowest incidence of wheeze and allergies and the people with the lowest folate levels had the highest incidence. 

Whilst its too early to recommend folic acid supplements for spring allergies it does provide a future for research. Allergist Cascya Charlot, MD, tells WebMD that the findings are intriguing enough to justify interventional studies that could determine if folic acid supplementation really does protect against asthma and allergies. 

Folate is abundant in nature particularly in leafy green vegetables like spinach, citrus fruits, dried beans amongst many others. 

The study is among the first to suggest that folic acid may protect against allergy and asthma, but several other studies -- also preliminary -- suggest that supplementation may promote allergic disease in some populations. 

Last October, Duke University researchers reported that mice exposed to high levels of folate prior to birth had an increased risk for allergic disease early in life. 

The researchers suggested that the dramatic increase in asthma over the last two decades may be at least partly related to efforts to increase supplementation among pregnant women. 

Charlot says the seemingly conflicting findings highlight the need for more research. 

Folate has been found to be essential in pregnancies, now a mandatory addition to bread to prevent babies being born with spina bifida. In Australia, approximately 300 to 350 pregnancies are affected each year by a neutral tube defect like spina bifida. Studies have found that a good source of folate can prevent a huge 70% of spina bifida cases each year. 

So there are good and potentially bad points for folate, just highlighting the need for future research.

A Bald Patch? It Could Be A Hidden Tooth Infection

There is a close relationship between gum disease and alopecia, a type of hair loss which has an unknown origin. Alopecia starts with bald patches on the scalp and sometimes in other areas of the body.

Research by professors Jose Antonio Gil Montoya and Antonio Cutando Soriano of the University of Granada advises that when patients notice a localised hair loss occurring, they visit their dentist for a full oral check up.

With Alopecia, hair grows back in most patients after several months. However, for some the condition can recur.

Until the research at the UGR, establishing for the first time a link between alopecia and dental disease, origins for Alopecia were not well known. The affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by the immune system. Some of the factors that cause alopecia are genetics, non-specific immune reactions and emotional stress.

"We have found that bald patches caused by tooth infection are not always in the same place. They normally appear on a line projected from the dental infection and can thus can be located on the face at the level of the maxillary teeth, above a line through the lip-angle to the scalp, beard, or even to the eyebrow. Nevertheless, they can also be located far from infection outbreak," explained Gil Montoya and Cutando Soriano.

Intriguing research has suggested that supplementation with saw palmetto may prove useful in managing hair loss. One study sought to examine saw palmetto's affect in treating androgenic alopecia. 19 participants were given 200mg of saw palmetto twice a day for 4.6 months. The participants were then asked to evaluate changes with respect to current satisfaction with their hair. 60% of study subjects werre rated as improved at their final visit.

So if you notice a little hair loss maybe visit the dentist to see if you may have a hidden tooth problem! 

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Granada.