Alfalfa for Allergies?
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Marcelo
Posted on: October 09, 2006

I have from allergies (I believe they are airborne and not food related).Congested paranasal area all the time. Back drip, scratchy throat, and lately a lot of wheezing specially when I got to sleep.

Someone at a health food store suggested Alfalfa pills. I believe 650mg 2 pills 3 times a day. I have been taking them for 4 days now and the whizzing is now minimal and the rest of the symptoms appear to be better.

Is this a placebo effect or are there studies in your area that prove this to be true? And also are there other benefits of taking alfalfa pills as well as secondary effects that I should be careful about?

Alfalfa leaves are highly nutritious. They are high in the enzymes required for digestion, and in vitamins, minerals and chlorophyll. I don’t know of any studies that have been done to show that they are helpful in allergies, but it does make sense that the nutrition provided by alfalfa helps to bring the body back into balance.

Alfalfa herb (the leaves) can be taken as a tea, or in the freshly powdered form as a natural supplement. Alfalfa may be recommended for improved immunity or for improvement of arthritic pain. The usual recommended dosage of an alfalfa supplement is 250mg to 1 gram daily, for short term use. For long term use, I would recommend taking it no more than 3 times a week. Alfalfa may antagonize vitamin E, and it can promote blood thinning.

Alfalfa seeds and sprouts contain the non essential amino acid canavanine, which interferes with the metabolism. They can cause skin problems, anemia, and exacerbate lupus and other autoimmune conditions.

For more information, please see the Q&A section of our website www.richters.com. Choose Q&A from the main menu, then enter "sinusitis" for the search. The item "Chronic Sinusitis with Thick Post Nasal Drip and Swollen Sinuses, Throat & Uvula" may be of particular use to you.

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