Low Dose Allergen, or LDA therapy, is a safe and effective immunotherapy used to treat food allergies and environmental allergies as well as autoimmune conditions. Injections are typically used for adults, with a sublingual option for children.
LDA treatment involves very low dose combinations of allergens along with an enzyme, beta-glucuronidase. The key component of this enzyme is that it attracts specific white blood cells (T-regulator cells) that are involved in the immune response and makes them pay attention to the allergens included with the enzyme. This causes a down-regulation or calming of the immune response. In other words, LDA works to shut off the adverse or allergenic response and has a positive effect on the immune system. This is also the reason why it works well for most autoimmune conditions where the body is attacking itself.
Dr. Tipu Sultan is on a short list of practitioners trained in LDA in the United States and able to order from the only lab who compounds LDA.
How Does LDA therapy Differ from Conventional Allergy Treatments?
Conventional allergy medications work on blocking the histamine response, helping only when taken (and requiring patients to take medication indefinitely). Allergy shots and allergy drops work with the immune system to gradually build tolerance to specific allergens. Not only does LDA treat multiple (over 300) foods or inhalant allergies in a single treatment, but it also works to reset the immune system's response, rather than just working to build up tolerance. It also can be used for more than just allergies because of how it works to reset the immune system. LDA is less expensive and requires much less treatment - once every two months versus weekly allergy shots or daily allergy drops.
Please Note:
You must have appropriate evaluation (history, physical exam, and appropriate testing) to see if it is inhalant allergy, food sensitivity or chemical sensitivity. Then, the next step is to learn how to treat them with environmental changes, lifestyle changes, dietary changes, and appropriate immunotherapy etc. It is in the later stages that Dr. Sultan may consider LDA as one of the options in treatment because of a severity of allergies or hard time managing with the above strategies.
LDA Benefits Compared to Conventional Allergy Treatments:
- Quick results (most patients see improvements within 1-3 treatments)
- Long-lasting effects for a wide range of allergens
- Less frequent treatments (once every 2 months initially, then less frequent)
- Less expensive than conventional allergy therapy
Frequently Treated Conditions with LDA therapy:
- Autoimmune Diseases: Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Lupus (SLE), Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Environmental Allergies, Asthma, Sinusitis
- Food Allergies & Sensitivities
- Severe Chemical Sensitivities
- GI Issues: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis
- Lyme Disease
- Skin Conditions: Dermatitis, Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea