LDA Therapy an environmental medicine therapy invented by W. A. Shrader, MD. LDA is also known as low dose allergen therapy or ultra low dose enzyme activated immunotherapy. It is an immunotherapy enhanced by a small dose of the enzyme beta glucuronidase. The enzyme activates extremely miniscule doses of various allergens and stimulates the production of T Regulatory cells. These cells “switch off” helper cells that are erroneously causing patients to be ill by misidentifying normal substances in the body to be allergens. T-cells may remain active for long periods of time in the bloodstream, so LDA will need to be administered only every 2 months at first, and then less often as time passes.

LDA is used to treat all types of allergy, sensitivity and intolerance to inhalants, foods and chemicals. It is used to treat such conditions as hay fever, asthma, all types of food allergy and many other problems listed on Dr. Shrader’s website.

LDA Hisory

LDA is patterned after the Enzyme Potentiated Desensitization (EPD) immunotherapy method. The EPD method involves desensitization with combinations of a wide variety of extremely low dose allergens (1 part in 10 million to as low as 1 part in 1 quadrillion). These allergens are given with beta-glucuronidase. The beta-glucuronidase acts as a lymphokine, a substance that potentiates the immunizing ability of the allergens. The EPD method appears to induce the production of activated T-regulator cells, which can live in circulation for many years.

The use of LDA is limited by necessity in the USA because it is available only by prescription for specific physicians’ patients and is not available as a retail product.

LDA Compared to Conventional Allergy Immunotherapy

With conventional “escalating dose” immunotherapy, the dose is started “low” (generally 1 to 10,000, and then increases over time to as high as 1 to 10, 1 to 20 or 1 to 100). Conventional allergy therapy is practiced primarily to treat IgE mediated allergic reactions. This type of immunotherapy works by causing the patient to produce blocking IgG antibody, which inhibits histamine-releasing ability (the allergy symptoms).

To produce adequate levels of blocking antibody, very high doses of allergen are given. This can be dangerous because of the risk of severe reactions. Deaths from conventional escalating dose immunotherapy are generally a result of anaphylaxis. LDA immunotherapy, however, is cell-mediated and extremely low dose. The very highest dose of LDA is at least a million times less than the standard dose for conventional immunotherapy. Life-threatening reactions to EPD or LDA have never been reported.

Conventional escalating dose immunotherapy is generally administered twice weekly for the first four to six months of treatment. Once the very high maintenance dose is reached, the treatment interval may be extended to once every two weeks or monthly, but rarely less often without return of symptoms. Conventional escalating dose immunotherapy cannot usually be stopped without the return of symptoms within 3 to 12 months of cessation.

LDA is administered every other month for the first year. After the initial 12-month period, the treatment interval may generally be extended to three months or longer. Most adults with significant problems require 16 to18 treatments at two-month intervals, at which time treatment often may be discontinued. Of the approximately 50% of patients who are unable to discontinue LDA after 16-18 treatments without return of some symptoms, the majority will continue treatment longer at intervals of 6 months to a year. While LDA is effective with children, our office does not treat children. Dr. Shrader’s office does treat children.

LDA Treatment

A majority of LDA patients (over 60%) note a significant positive response to LDA with their first treatment. Most other patients respond positively by the third treatment. A small percentage of patients do not have strongly positive results until they have had 6 treatments. The overall failure rate (no improvement) is about 9%.

Available LDA mixtures include 1) inhalants (inhaled pollens, animal danders, dust and mites, insects, fungi, and yeast, including candida species, and molds), 2) foods and food additives, 3) chemicals (containing most common chemicals and scents, formaldehyde and detergents, except for pesticides and herbicides), 4) woods (a mixture of over 90 common and exotic woods), used for the treatment of contact skin sensitivity in woodworkers, and 5) recently added Lyme.

Other specific LDA mixtures are available to treat several specific autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, scleroderma and others. These mixtures work by a mechanism called molecular mimicry.

There are some disadvantages to doing LDA. For example, the day before, the day of, and the day after LDA treatment most patients must adhere to a very restricted diet. There are also medications (such as antihistamines and aspirin) that may significantly reduce or destroy the effectiveness of LDA if taken in the three weeks after treatment. An LDA booklet is provided to patients to ease compliance.

LDA is dramatically effective for the treatment of eczema. Likewise, immediate food allergy, which can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis, has no effective treatment except for emergency drug treatment and avoidance of the offending food. LDA practitioners report that LDA appears to work well for this condition.

Overall, LDA immunotherapy is considered an extremely beneficial treatment by thousands of patients across the US and Canada who rely on it for treatment of a myriad of problems.

Note: LDA is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Source: http://www.drshrader.com/

See also: www.nwhealthcare.net/index.php?id=69