PD link allergic rhinitis like “hay-fever” and histamine

[Esperanto]

Allergic forms of rhinitis also appear to be PD-sensitive or possibly even the causative agent of PD for many. On mg search I came across a 2006 study by Dr. James Bower (Mayo Clinic) that at the time already demonstrated the relationship between allergic rhinitis (histamine) and PD. 

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Full text published in the journal Neurology (not free). n.neurology.org/content/67/...

Previous studies had shown him that people who regularly take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, are less likely to develop PD. These results prompted the investigators to look further into the links between diseases characterized by inflammation and Parkinson's. They studied 196 people who developed Parkinson's disease, matched with people of similar age and gender who did not develop Parkinson's. The study was conducted over a 20-year period. For the one in three people who are now thought to suffer from some form of allergy they found a possible link between allergic rhinitis and PD.

One would expect follow-up research to follow immediately at the time on a larger scale, but I couldn't find much about that. I did however, come across a more recent study (2021) on the action of histamine in PD via a (unfortunately Dutch spoken) video by my compatriot Bas Bloem. player.vimeo.com/video/5587...

In his characteristically enthusiastic style, he highlights in understandable language the research Dr. Ling Shan from the research group of renowned brain specialist Prof. Dr. Dick Swaab of the Netherlands Brain Institute in collaboration with Chinese scientists. They discovered that indeed by blocking the substance histamine, the worsening of Parkinson's may be stopped. Histamine acts in the brain as a neurotransmitter. He discovered that this substance plays an important role in inflammation of the brain. This inflammation worsens PD. In his research in rats, they blocked the action of histamine. Thus, more dopamine-producing cells survived and the worsening of PD stopped. This discovery appears to be an important breakthrough and provides entirely new leads to inhibit or prevent Parkinson's. sciencedirect.com/science/a...

An international follow-up study would be set up. I asked Mr. Shan for an update. I will inform you about this.

A hopeful start to the new year and to my new HU friends lots of  🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀

[JCRO]

I’ve been having a preliminary think about the overlap between MCAS (look it up) and PD. I’ve had allergic rhinitis since I was a kid. It really may be a risk factor for PD. I wanted to consult a Dr. Afrin in the states as the leading Mast Cell expert but I’d need to be in person for a week which is tricky.

[Esperanto in reply to JCRO]

Thanks for the possible relationship to the condition MCAS, unknown to me. The PD link is indeed existent: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

There is some writing on HU about PD and mast cells. Plenty of reading material first!

[Boscoejean]

Diphenhydramine may raise your risk of having a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke. This is more likely in people who already have heart disease or in people who use this medicine for a longer time. This medicine may cause bleeding in your stomach. This problem can happen without warning signs.

additional side effect:

Diphenhydramine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

dry mouth, nose, and throat.

drowsiness.

dizziness.

nausea.

vomiting.

loss of appetite.

constipation.

increased chest congestion

Many of these side effects seem like they could be very problematic with Parkinson's like dizziness, drowsiness, constipation, vomiting, nausea well all of them but...

so are there antihistamines that could be used that don't have the potential of serious side effects?

[LAJ12345 in reply to Boscoejean]

one of the articles mentioned using ibuprofen to prevent PD possibly so I wonder if it helps at all once you have it.

[Boscoejean in reply to LAJ12345]

I am not a fan of ibuprofen - I think it also has a lot of problems - I guess I am interested in safer anti-inflammatories

Is ibuprofen a safe anti-inflammatory?

Medications like ibuprofen can irritate your stomach lining and cause problems ranging from mild nausea to ulcers. There are also reports that some NSAIDs may increase your risk of developing heart disease. So while occasional use is fine, continued daily use should only be done under your doctor's supervision.

[LAJ12345 in reply to Boscoejean]

ok thanks.

[jujulini in reply to Boscoejean]

I use Homeopathic Histaminum and Apis Mel. Ive been taking them before bed and occasionally if needed once during the day. No side effects, and very inexpensive.

[Boscoejean]

healthline.com/nutrition/an...

[Boscoejean]

Natural antihistamines may help you control your seasonal allergies. Common ones are vitamin C, quercetin, butterbur, bromelain, and probiotics. Some alternative practices—such as acupuncture, nasal irrigation, and exercise—may also help you manage symptoms. Don’t stop taking antihistamine medications or start using herbal or nutritional supplements without first talking to your healthcare provider.

[Gymsack]

You have a dangerous tiger by the tail. please be very careful .

20 years ago my family doctor was able to get me an appointment with a neuroligist because they were old friends from school. The neurologist was head of cardiolagy and neuroligy at a very large teaching hospital and he was known and respected around the world . His secretary was not happy that I was taking up his time. He diagnosed the Parkinsons and I had the good fortune to meet with him 4 more times before he died of an brain imbolisim .

At that time I smoked , had a few drinks at weekend social functions and used anti- histamines to fight a nasal congestion (rhinitis) and I eventually told him that.

He said that before levadopa that Alcohol and antihistamines and smoking were all used to treat Parkisons but the positive effect wore off quickly and reduced with use and it had been agreed with medical associations around the world that they would no longer be prescribed because the detrimental effects outweighed any positive. That smoking after many years caused allergic reactions that made the PD much worse. Further that Antihistamines were suspected to be causing serious brain damage and other heart and stomach horrors. (which later proved to be true )

He said that I should abstain from all three, (easily said , hard to do.) because he said he thought that there was there was a causal relationship but that if I did not regularly consume alcohol that it would be very useful at a special function such as my daughters wedding to take one small drink 30 minutes before dancing with the bride. (which I did)

Please do not go down this road, without a lot more research . Maybe the the three most distructive things to ever hit humanity , disguised as medicine ,addictive and sold over the counter. Yes they will give you temporary relief . but not with out eventually making the PD and your health in general muchmuch worse .

I will make a prediction: If you have already started using antihistamines or drink or smoke, you will not listen. It is too late.

[Esperanto in reply to Gymsack]

No, rest assured, I have no intention of taking any anti-histamine medication without further scientific confirmation given the possible side effects. Nor am I starting high doses of supplements (yet), although I can imagine when you are distraught and struggling with terrible symptoms you grasp at every bright spot. In this stabilized phase I try to keep the balance and always investigate as much as possible what causes new problems, especially understanding the processes that may require extra attention due to PD and the medication. An example is the severe vitamin B6 deficiency I discovered some time ago and the cause was that a year after the diagnosis of PD I was already on a malfunctioning C/L medication of 115/1000 per day and had major problems with a peripheral neuropathy on my feet. The C/L is currently down to a "normal" level of 50/350 through reasonable dosing with a modified B6 supplementation also taking into account the interaction with the carbidopa. I got the necessary information and experiences in this not from the neurologist, but mainly through HU!

Therefore, a warning like the one you sound here is particularly valuable. Although hay fever-like symptoms have a negative impact on the functioning of my C/L, a do-it-yourself anti-histamine cure can also backfire. This is because histamines are in fact also necessary for many processes in your body and certainly PD because histamine similarly stimulates serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine transmission in the brain. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/258...

However, I am temporarily adjusting my Mediterranean diet with the use of histamine-poor ingredients and have decided to stop the cinnamon cure for the time being due to high histamine levels.

[Gymsack]

Thank you, I will rest better now

[Little_apple]

Quotes from your link:

”People with allergic rhinitis mount an immune response with their allergies, so they may be more likely to mount an immune response in the brain as well, which would produce inflammation," Dr. Bower says. "The inflammation produced may release certain chemicals in the brain and inadvertently kill brain cells, as we see in Parkinson's."

“They found that those with allergic rhinitis were 2.9 times more likely to develop Parkinson's. They did not find a similar association between inflammatory diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, pernicious anemia or vitiligo and 

This is yet another indication that PD is triggered or made worse by autoimmunity.

Allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes symptoms such as sneezing, itchy nose, difficulty breathing and/or runny nose (medical term: increased nasal discharge). It is a reaction to allergy-triggering airborne substances (medical term: aeroallergens) and, depending on the allergen, can cause seasonal or year-round symptoms.

ecarf.org/en/information-po...