Evidence
of estrogen and progesterone hormone allergy has been
discovered by Texas researchers
AUSTIN,
Texas
Wome
women with menstrual cycle disorders like asthma and migraine
headaches may be experiencing allergies to their own estrogen
and progesterone hormones, Texas researchers have discovered.
Russell Roby, M.D., director of the Roby Institute, Dr. Dick
Richardson, professor at The University of Texas at Austin,
and Dr. Aristo Vojdani, of Immunosciences Lab, Inc. in California,
found that female patients who experienced health changes
during their menstrual cycle had higher levels of IgE antibodies
against progesterone and estrogen than control subjects. An
increase in IgE antibodies is typically associated with allergic
response.
The researchers published their findings in the March 27 issue
of the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology.
"
This is going to explain a lot of unexplained illnesses," says
Roby, alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin. "The
primary disorders are premenstrual asthma, menstrual migraines,
interstitial cystitis and fibromyalgia. We have no idea what
causes these things, but they are definitely linked to hormonal
cycles."
The researchers studied blood samples from healthy women and
women who experienced symptoms associated with their menstrual
cycles, like asthma, migraines and joint pain. A significant
number of patients in the latter group showed high levels
of IgG, IgM and IgE antibodies against estrogen and progesterone.
Antibodies play a critical role in immune response and are
produced by the body in response to antigens, molecules the
body recognizes as foreign.
Hormones haven't been implicated in allergic response in the
past, because it was thought that hormone molecules were too
small to create an allergic response. The researchers found
that estrogen and progesterone combine with other proteins
and that the hormone part of the molecular complex is recognized
as the antigen.
"
We have shown that IgE antibodies, Type 1-immediate allergy
antibodies, are produced against estrogen and progesterone," says
Roby. "This opens a whole new area of treatment possibilities."
Roby says that in the process of the clinical study, it was
found that symptoms could be diminished by very low concentrations
of progesterone, which served both as a diagnostic feature
and for symptomatic relief when needed.
Contact: Russell R. Roby, M.D.
512-372-8905
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