Science Friday Climate Change Has Made Allergy Season Worse. How Do We Cope?
4 snips
Apr 8, 2025 Dr. Neeta Ogden, a leading allergist and director at the Allergy, Asthma, and Sinus Center in New Jersey, dives into the increasing severity of seasonal allergies due to climate change. She highlights that allergies are starting earlier and becoming more intense, affecting 25% of U.S. adults. The discussion covers the gut microbiome's role in allergies, effective treatments like immunotherapy, and the intriguing hygiene hypothesis, which links environmental exposure to a lower incidence of allergic reactions. Tune in for insights that could help you manage your allergy season!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Rising Allergies
- Allergies are increasing, likely due to climate change's impact on plant growth.
- Warmer temperatures, higher CO2, and moisture create ideal conditions for pollen production.
Seasonal Allergens
- Different plants cause allergies in different seasons: trees in early spring, grass in late spring, and ragweed in late summer/early fall.
- Getting tested by an allergist can identify specific tree pollen allergies.
Listener's Allergy Experience
- A caller, Lucy, shared her experience with a severe grass allergy confirmed by a scratch test.
- She manages it with quercetin, a natural supplement, and successfully used immunotherapy drops for her pet.