Supplement with vitamin C (1000-2000mg daily)

What to Do

Take 1000-2000mg of vitamin C daily in divided doses throughout allergy season. Chronic supplementation is required — single doses are ineffective.

Why It Works

Vitamin C degrades histamine in the bloodstream rather than blocking receptors. One study found 2g/day for 2 weeks reduced blood histamine levels by 38%. Allergy sufferers have been found to have lower baseline vitamin C levels than non-allergic individuals.

Tips

• Split doses throughout the day for better absorption
• Do not exceed 2000mg/day (tolerable upper limit)
• Doses above 1g/day may increase kidney stone risk by 41% in susceptible individuals
• Reasonable as a supplement, not as a primary allergy treatment