Hay Fever Diet & Nutrition Discussion

Discussion

Food Allergies

People with inhalant allergies are likely to also have food allergies.1 2 A hypoallergenic diet has been reported to help some people with asthma and allergic rhinitis,3 but the effect of such a diet on hay fever symptoms has not been studied. Hay fever sufferers interested in exploring the possible effects of a food allergy avoidance program should talk with a doctor. Discovering and eliminating offending food allergens, should they exist, is likely to improve overall health even if such an approach has no effect on hay fever symptoms.

Honey

See detailed instructions for treatment with local honey.

Vitamin C

Although vitamin C has antihistamine activity, and supplementation, in preliminary research,4 5 has been reported to help people with hay fever, 2,000 mg of vitamin C per day did not reduce hay fever symptoms in a placebo controlled trial.6 Thus, while some doctors recommend that hay fever sufferers take 1,000-3,000 mg of vitamin C per day, supportive evidence remains weak.

Quercetin

Quercetin is an increasingly popular treatment for hay fever even though only limited preliminary clinical research has suggested that it is beneficial to hay fever sufferers.7

Thymus Extract

The oral administration of a thymus extract known as Thymomodulin® has been shown in preliminary studies and double-blind trials to improve the symptoms of hay fever and allergic rhinitis.8 9 10 Presumably this clinical improvement is the result of restoration of proper control over immune function.

Tylophora

Tylophora is an herb used by Ayurvedic doctors in India to treat people with allergies. It contains compounds that have been reported to interfere with the action of mast cells, which are key components in the process of inflammation responsible for most hay fever symptoms.11 Mast cells are found in airways of the lungs (among other parts of the body). When mast cells are activated by pollen or other allergens, they release the chemical histamine, which in turn leads to a wide number of symptoms familiar to hay fever sufferers - itchy eyes, runny nose, and chest tightness.

Ayurvedic doctors sometimes recommend 200-400 mg of the dried herb daily or 1-2 ml of the tincture per day for up to two weeks.

Nettle

In an isolated double-blind trial, nettle leaf led to a slight reduction in symptoms of hay fever - including sneezing and itchy eyes.12 However, no other research has investigated this relationship. Despite the lack of adequate scientific support, some doctors suggest taking 450 mg of nettle leaf capsules or tablets BID-TID, or a 2-4 ml tincture TID for people suffering from hay fever.

Sho-Seiryu-To

The Japanese herbal formula known as sho-seiryu-to has been shown to reduce symptom, such as sneezing, for people with hay fever.15 Sho-seiryu-to contains licorice, cassia bark, schisandra, ma huang, ginger, peony root, pinellia, and asiasarum root.

Related Health Conditions: Hay Fever, Allergies & Sensitivities.

Studies

See footnote references for research on hay fever.