4 Safe And Natural Supplements For Seasonal Allergies

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Lifestyle Supplements

Evidence-Based
10 min Read

The longer days of spring bring warmer weather and budding flowers. But they can also bring annoying allergies. If the spring air, thick with pollen, sends your senses reeling, you may already be dreading sniffly outdoor events and a season of itching, sneezing, and sinus pain. But relief is in sight.

Instead of turning to toxic over-the-counter allergy medicines, you can apply an evidence-backed approach that supports your bone health. Today we’ll look at four supplements shown to reduce the effects of seasonal allergies so you’ll enjoy spring allergy-free, without compromising your bones.

The Biology Behind Seasonal Allergies

Allergies are a reaction of the immune system to harmless foreign materials. Somebody who isn’t allergic to ragweed, for instance, can breathe air that’s teeming with ragweed pollen and be just fine. Their body correctly assesses that it poses no threat.

An allergy sufferer’s immune system mistakes the ragweed for a dangerous invader and attempts to expel or neutralize the perceived threat. This immune response releases a protein called histamine that causes most of the symptoms associated with allergies.1

Allergies get their start when a susceptible person contacts a particular allergen and their body produces an antibody called an immunoglobulin (IgE) specific to that allergen. At a later exposure, these antibodies all spring into action, triggering constriction of the bronchial tubes, mucus secretion, and increased vascular permeability.

If the exposure to the allergen continues through this initial response, the results grow more severe, potentially including:

  • Fatigue
  • Nasal drip
  • Nausea
  • Asthma
  • Runny nose
  • Itchy eyes
  • Congestion
  • Eczema
  • Anaphylaxis

The inflammatory immune response that causes these problems most often fades as exposure to the allergen decreases. But if you are exposed to an allergen too intensely over a long period, a chronic allergic response can develop, in which the affected organs begin to function abnormally and a low-grade inflammation becomes persistent.1

General inflammation damages bones, and is well documented as increasing the risk of fracture.2

How To Prevent An Allergic Inflammatory Response

You can block the histamine that wreaks havoc on your system during an allergic reaction. That’s what antihistamine drugs do, but at the cost of taxing your liver, and other possible side-effects.

Fortunately, there are natural substances proven to have a similar effect on histamine production. They help you ward off seasonal allergies, avoid developing a chronic allergic response, and protect your bones.

Zinc

Zinc is a critical trace element. We can’t survive without it, yet deficiencies are widespread. Zinc stores histamine, preventing it from causing allergy symptoms. If you’re deficient in zinc, then you have more available histamine in your body, leading to stronger allergic reactions.

Zinc’s other health benefits make it an important supplement for everyone to take. They include:

  • Maintaining immune function 3
  • Improving thyroid health 4
  • Preventing hair loss 5
  • Improving intestinal health 5
  • Preventing acne and rashes 6
  • Improving brain function 7
  • Slowing oxidative processes 8
  • Maintaining bone density 9

Zinc is a Foundation Supplement since it forms part of the hydroxyapatite mineral crystals in bone, and because it regulates bone turnover. It’s also necessary for the function of bone alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme that plays a role in bone mineralization. Studies have linked osteoporosis to a zinc deficiency.10

The recommended daily dosage of Zinc is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men, but at the Save Institute, we suggest taking 25 mg per day.

Quercetin

Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoid with a robust antihistamine effect. It strengthens the cellular membranes of mast cells and basophils, which normally release histamines in response to allergens. Studies have shown that the more quercetin you have in your system, the lower your histamine response.11

One study showed that supplementation with quercetin lessened the respiratory impact of allergies in rats by reducing inflammatory response in their airways.12

Quercetin positively impacts your health many additional ways, including:

  • Balancing blood pressure 13
  • Improved cardiovascular health 14
  • Improved respiratory health 15
  • Suppresses cortisol, protecting bones 16

That last one is particularly important for Savers. By reducing oxidation, reducing inflammation and suppressing cortisol, quercetin is a boon to your bone health.

For allergy sufferers, the Save Institute recommends a dosage of 500mg, twice daily.

Bromelain

Bromelain is an enzyme most notably found in pineapples. Studies have shown that it targets the underlying cause of allergies– an overactive immune system. It does this by suppressing CD11c (+) dendritic cells and DC44 antigen-presenting cells, both part of the immune response that causes allergy symptoms.17

The benefits of bromelain don’t stop there. Below are morer health-boosting qualities of this compound:

  • Prevents or alleviates sinus infections 18
  • Helps prevent cancer 19
  • Helps treat digestive disorders 20
  • Decreases joint pain 21
  • Supports weight loss 22
  • Supports speedy recovery from surgery or injury 23

You can get the baseline benefits of bromelain through supplementing with 500-800mg per day. For those using this enzyme to fight allergies, up to 1000 mg a day is advisable. Please note that bromelain has a slight blood-thinning effect, so consult with your health practitioner if you’re taking anticoagulant medication.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is not only a powerful antioxidant found in numerous fruits and vegetables, but it’s also a natural antihistamine. By blocking histamine, it prevents the allergy symptoms that can make a beautiful spring day unbearable. Vitamin C is abundantly found in fruits and vegetables– from tangerines to leafy greens.

Other benefits of Vitamin C are:

  • Improved adrenal gland function 24
  • Immune boost 25
  • Increased collagen production 26
  • Improved cardiovascular health 27
  • Strengthening of cartilage and bone 26
  • Preventing cell damage caused by free radicals 28

Vitamin C’s critical role in the production of collagen makes it essential to the production of bone matrix. That’s why it’s a Foundation Supplement. The Save Institute suggests taking at least 500 mg per day, bearing in mind that 2000 mg per day is our ideal dosage recommendation.

Valuable Alternatives To Allergy Drugs

It is critical to the health of your bones to maintain a balanced pH. OTC and prescription allergy drugs throw that balance off by acidifying your system. Your body pulls alkalizing minerals out of your bones to restore balance, literally weakening them. So choose natural alternatives: use diet and supplementation to safely improve your health and quality of life.

In the modern world, we are surrounded by acidifying toxins: in the air, in the products we use, and in processed foods. That’s why the Save Institute developed the Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse. It’s a seven-day program that detoxifies your body and accelerates the bone-building process. It’s a great way to give your body a break from toxins and ward off allergies through natural supplementation.

Accelerated Bone Remodeling In Just 7 Days!

Discover how the Osteoporosis Fresh Start Cleanse can flush osteoporosis drugs and other bone-damaging toxins from your system – in just seven days.

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Till next time,

References:

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2Barbour KE, Boudreau R, Danielson ME, et al. “Inflammatory markers and the risk of hip fracture: the Women’s Health Initiative.” J Bone Miner Res. 2012;27:1167-1176. Web. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22392817

3Marianna K. Baum Gail Shor-Posner Adriana Campa “Zinc Status in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.” The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 130, Issue 5, 1 May 2000, Pages 1421S–1423S. Web. https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/130/5/1421S/4686400

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