Iron and Pollen Allergy in Women

There is no state‐of‐the‐art prophylactic treatment for atopy. Once allergy develops, allergens should be avoided, and specific allergen immunotherapy applied. The initial cause of the onset of allergy, namely the immune hyperactive state of the atopic subjects, is not addressed at all. The investigators hypothesize that atopy is defined by a mild functional iron deficiency and that improving the iron status of immune cells will decrease the reactivity of these cells. In this prophylactic dietary intervention study oral supplementation of placebo or chelated and whey protein‐bound iron will be given over the course of six months to allergic and non‐allergic women. Changes in 1) the clinical reactivity 2) the iron status and 3) the microflora will be assessed. The study will be the first systematic approach in humans to assess the contribution of iron deficiency to allergy and will be pivotal in supporting the implementation of prophylactic and therapeutic recommendations.