426 | id == 426
426 | category_id == 26
426 | category_order == 23
426 | category_name == Allergies
426 | category_color == #C47AC0
426 | slug == IL4-allergies
426 | title == The Th2 System, Vitamin D Deficiency, and Allergies (IL4)
426 | meta_description == IL4 encodes an inflammatory cytokine that stimulates Th2 cells and may trigger allergies. How does it interact with vitamin D?
426 | summary == <p><strong><em>IL4 </em>encodes an inflammatory cytokine that stimulates Th2 cells and may trigger allergies. How does it interact with vitamin D? Read on to find out.</strong></p>
426 | overall_score_text == Your Allergy Score (based on IL4)
426 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/IL4-Allergies.jpg
426 | author_id == 1
426 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
426 | author_title == BSc, BEd
426 | author_order == 36
426 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
426 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
426 | reviewer == None
426 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
426 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
426 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
426 | publish_date == 2020
426 | publish_date == 10
426 | publish_date == 21
426 | avg_rating == 5.0
426 | tags_id == 97
426 | tags_name == Allergies
426 | tags_id == 96
426 | tags_name == Cytokines
426 | tags_id == 855
426 | tags_name == Food Allergy
426 | tags_id == 782
426 | tags_name == IL4
426 | tags_id == 381
426 | tags_name == IL4 gene
426 | tags_id == 24
426 | tags_name == Inflammation
426 | tags_id == 232
426 | tags_name == Vitamin D
426 | permissions_favorite == False
426 | permissions_rate == False
426 | content_article == <h2><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes interleukin-4, an inflammatory cytokine. One variant of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may play a role in allergies by stimulating the Th2 response and interacting with vitamin D deficiency. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of this variant by reducing Th2 activity and correcting vitamin D deficiency.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>IL4</em></strong><strong> and Allergies</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/il4/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene codes for an immune messenger or cytokine called IL-4 (interleukin 4). IL-4 is mostly anti-inflammatory and is best known for stimulating the Th2 arm of the immune system&nbsp; [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3565"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your genes influence whether a more or less functional IL-4 will be released and how much IL-4 will circulate in your blood. A less active form of IL-4 has been linked with tuberculosis, other infections, and asthma [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441310/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL-4 has been implicated in allergic disease more broadly as well. IL-4 stimulates the development of T helper 2 cells (Th2 cells) and the production of IgE, a type of antibody that triggers an allergic reaction. Some researchers are developing anti-allergy therapies that block or decrease IL-4 signalling [</span><a href="https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(97)70293-8/fulltext"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4532591/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One study found that a well-studied association between </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/35proven-health-benefits-vitamin-d-part-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin D</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and food allergies was altered by variation in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene. Vitamin D deficiency predicted food allergy only in people with the detrimental allele at the rs2243250 variant [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22686937/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oddly, the allele associated with allergies is also associated with reduced IL-4 production. Since IL-4 is a complex signalling molecule, it could be that the detrimental variant blocks the anti-inflammatory function of IL-4. Additional research is needed to fully understand the relationship between IL-4, vitamin D, and allergies [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22686937/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The IL-4 cytokine stimulates Th2 cells and increases production of IgE. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> genetic variants may interact with vitamin D deficiency to increase susceptibility to allergies.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>IL4</em></strong><strong> Results for Allergies</strong></h2> <p>*8994733627497956*</p> <p><strong>IL4 </strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs2243250/"><strong>rs2243250</strong></a></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Associated with allergies in people with vitamin D deficiency</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Not associated with allergies in people with vitamin D deficiency</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may have increased Th2 cell activity and reduced anti-inflammatory IL-4 [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22686937/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p>*9712123891676976*</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations for Preventing Allergies</strong></h2> <p>*2858693926221267*</p> <h3><strong>Sunlight Exposure or Vitamin D</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/35proven-health-benefits-vitamin-d-part-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin D</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> deficiency has been associated with asthma and allergies in children [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2675563/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17919705/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detrimental </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants may make people more susceptible to allergies if they are deficient in vitamin D. As such, it&rsquo;s important to make sure you get some exposure to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">sunlight</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which is the best way to naturally avoid vitamin D deficiency [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22686937/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3897598/#:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20is%20the%20sunshine,turn%20isomerizes%20into%20vitamin%20D3."><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vitamin D is also available in supplemental form, for those who live in colder climates or who are especially sensitive to </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UV</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> exposure.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In people with allergic rhinitis and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/35proven-health-benefits-vitamin-d-part-1/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin D</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> deficiency, supplementation improved the symptoms. This improvement was not significant at 4 weeks, suggesting that symptom improvement might not occur until vitamin D has been adequately replenished [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31332549/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Certain </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">IL4 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">variants may make people with vitamin D deficiencies more susceptible to allergies. It is therefore especially important for people with these variants to get enough vitamin D.</span></span></p>
426 | content_snp_table_8994733627497956_key == 8994733627497956
426 | content_snp_table_8994733627497956_blur == True
426 | content_snp_table_8994733627497956_hidden == False
426 | content_learn_more_9712123891676976_key == 9712123891676976
426 | content_learn_more_9712123891676976_blur == True
426 | content_learn_more_9712123891676976_hidden == False
426 | content_learn_more_9712123891676976_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your IL4 gene is moderately associated with allergies in the presence of vitamin D deficiency. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of allergies; it’s just one gene related to it. Sunlight, a Mediterranean diet, and probiotic supplements may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
426 | content_recommendation_2858693926221267_key == 2858693926221267
426 | content_recommendation_2858693926221267_blur == True
426 | content_recommendation_2858693926221267_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs2243250
rsStatus = rs2243250,IL4,chr5,132673462,C,G,T,,23,1,HET
