Are Nitrogen Fertilizers Exacerbating Pollen Allergies?

By Janet Gulland, Contributing Writer

Compared with non-fertilized grassland areas, nitrogen-fertilized fields produce 6 times more pollen, and that pollen has greater potential to activate human basophils, say Belgian researchers. (Image: krstrbrt/Shutterstock)

Nitrogen fertilizers, widely used in agriculture, not only boost the quantity of pollen produced by grasses, they also raise the allergenicity of the pollen. That’s bad news for allergy sufferers.

Researchers at Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium, compared pollen production from fertilizer-treated versus untreated Belgian grasslands and found a six-fold increase in pollen loads from the fertilized grasses.

Moreover, when they tested pollen for its ability to activate basophils from seasonal allergic rhinitis patients, they found a 5-fold increase associated with the nitrogen-fertilized pollen. Pollen specific IgE titers showed a 1.3-fold elevation of in response to the pollen from fertilized fields.

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Featured Articles

The Melatonin-ification of Childhood Bedtimes

Written by Michael Schulson, Contributing Writer

(This article was originally published on April 8, 2025 by www.undark.org) Two years ago, at a Stop & Shop in Rhode Island, the Danish neuroscientist and physician Henriette Edemann-Callesen visited an aisle stocked with sleep aids containing melatonin. She looked around in amazement. Then she took out her phone and snapped a photo to send […]

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In Memoriam: Col. Richard Niemtzow, Medical Acupuncture Trailblazer

Written by Erik Goldman

A few decades ago, acupuncture was not a modality one expected US military healthcare to embrace. For most non-Asian Americans, it was more the stuff of myth than a reality of medical practice. Colonel Richard Charles Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH, did much to change that. Over his long and admirable career, he worked tirelessly to […]

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HPC Video

Webinar: Latent Infection and Chronic Stress: Drivers of Autoimmunity

Written by Erik Goldman

For many patients, the origins of autoimmunity aren’t just rooted in genetics or environmental triggers. Latent infections and chronic stress can silently shape immune responses for years before a formal diagnosis is made. And when left unaddressed, these invisible drivers may sabotage even your best interventions.

Join Dr. Corey Schuler for this free webinar, offering a clinically rich, thought-provoking exploration that connects the dots between stealth pathogens, the stress response, and immune system chaos.

This webinar explores how latent infections and chronic stress contribute to the development and progression of autoimmune diseases. Dr. Schuler will discuss the physiological and clinical intersections between stress, infections, and immune dysregulation, along with practical strategies to support patients with autoimmunity.

The session will also cover hormone dynamics, key lab assessments, foundational treatment approaches, and a case study of a patient with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Learning objectives:

  • Understand the interplay between latent infections and chronic stress in autoimmune pathogenesis
  • Identify biomarkers and diagnostic strategies
  • Integrate holistic treatment approaches
  • Enhance patient-centered care for autoimmune disorders

SPONSORED BY ALLERGY RESEARCH GROUP

Corey Schuler, PhD, FNP, CNS has dedicated his career to advancing the science and clinical art of integrative medicine. He currently serves as director of medical affairs for Allergy Research Group. He is a family nurse practitioner and practices holistic primary care at Synergy Family Physicians in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

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