It's well known that, compared to other countries, America has a weight problem. This year many areas across the U.S. also have an allergy problem due to their long, unusual winter. New research now indicates the two might be linked, which is not great news for a country that carries a lot of pressure to lead healthy lifestyles.
For many, the allergy season this year has been one of the worst in recent memory due to a condensed pollen season for most species of plants, trees and grasses. "It was so cold, we didn't really have anything start until essentially mid – to late April," said Dr. Mohan Dhillon of Allergy & Asthma Consultants. And the allergy season doesn't appear as if it'll let up anytime soon, especially for areas of the country that could experience a wet July. Rain suppresses pollen, but prolongs the grass season. When the weather dries out, the grass resumes releasing pollen and its season continues.
Along with purchasing allergy-relief equipment, sufferers often take medicines to counteract the symptoms. They work to aid watery eyes, runny noses and sneezing. However, allergy medicines also have a negative side effect: They can cause weight gain.
The reason allergy medicines cause people to gain weight is because they contain antihistamines. Antihistamines increase appetite by blocking something in our body called the H1 histamine receptor. This receptor, thus, does the reverse: it suppresses a person's desire to eat.
Unfortunately, it's difficult to determine which allergy medicines are less likely to cause weight gain. Instead, what researchers are confident in pointing out is that there appears to be a correlation between allergy medicines and weight increases.
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