A new research has concluded that Yoghurt can cure hayfever. The breakthrough would end the misery of the seasonal complaint for at least 15 million Britons who face discomfort and cold-like symptoms every summer. Experts have already established that probiotic yoghurt drinks have immunity-boosting properties in previous studies. But researchers at the University of East Anglia and Norwich Research Park are recruiting volunteers to test how yoghurt might be used to cure the devastating condition.
Apart from bringing relief, the year-long study could save people hundreds of pounds spent on a mixture of homeopathic and drug treatments in a bid to ease the symptoms.
The team of scientists has completed a pilot study on a small group of sufferers which found that yoghurt drinks containing the bacteria Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) helped the immune system in responding to pollen.
Lindsey McManus of the charity Allergy UK said: There have been previous studies carried out into the effect of probiotics but none have specifically looked at their effect on hayfever. This is extremely early in the process but we would be very interested to see the outcome once the new study has been completed.
Dr Andrew Wilson, an allergy expert at the university, said the work could provide proof that probiotics cure hayfever. Previous research has found that these drinks actually change the immune system, he said. We are most interested in getting a scientific basis as to why this is happening. The research results may be available before next summer if enough volunteers come forward to take part.
It could mean the end to itchy eyes, streaming noses and constant sneezing before the next hayfever season. It affects 600 million worldwide and more people in East Anglia suffer than anywhere else in the UK. Health chiefs estimate that last year up to 150,000 in Norfolk and 57,500 in Great Yarmouth and Waveney were affected by the condition, which can lead to asthma and affects concentration.
Although it was relatively unheard of 200 years ago, hayfever now affects a quarter of the population. Dr Wilson said: Previous studies in this area have been inconclusive, but our pilot is the first to identify that probiotic substances such as in these drinks can regulate the immune system.
Being a hayfever sufferer myself I know how much it can disrupt peoples lives. In East Anglia, around 10 per cent of adults and up to 30 per cent of adolescents suffer hay fever.It often comes on around exam times and causes havoc for students. The benefits of a reasonably cheap and self-administered non-drug treatment are clear.
Experts estimate UK businesses will lose £324 million this year alone through days off work because of hayfever. And Britons spend more than £80 million a year on pills, sprays and eye drops to ward off the symptoms. The NHS also offers immunotherapy for severe and persistent cases of hay fever, which increases exposure to pollen while monitoring the bodys response.
