Natural Supplements For Allergies: Vitamin C

Perhaps the simplest way to relieve allergy and sensitivity symptoms is by taking nutritional supplements. Dietary supplements are readily available in health food and vitamin stores and also in supermarkets, as more and more people are realizing that the typical American diet is sorely deficient in many necessary vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Supplements come in powder, tablet, capsule, and liquid forms; be sure to read labels to avoid buying products with fillers, such as cornstarch and gelatin, to which you may be allergic or sensitive.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, vitamin C has been shown to improve and block asthma attacks and allergic rhinitis symptoms. Researchers have found that asthmatics tend to have up to 50% lower concentrations of vitamin C than non-asthmatics.

A 1992 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that taking 2,000 mg of vitamin C per day may reduce blood histamine levels by up to 38%, thus blocking inflammation. Infusions of vitamin C have also been shown to promote the production of cortisol, an adrenal hormone that suspends allergic reactions. High doses of vitamin C (2,000 mg or more) have been shown to quickly arrest bronchial symptoms in asthma and allergic rhinitis, and even prevent symptoms from occurring in the first place.

A 1997 study examined the effects of vitamin C on 20 asthma (exercise-induced) patients between the ages of 7 and 28 years. These subjects had at least a 15% reduction in their forced expiratory volume after a standard exercise test on a treadmill. As part of the study, patients stopped taking their regular asthma medications or using bronchodilators 12 hours before the test. Half of the patients were randomly assigned to receive 2 g of oral vitamin C one hour before a a seven-minute exercise session on the treadmill; the rest were given a placebo. Vitamin C prevented airway restriction in five of the treated patients. These five patients continued taking oral vitamin C (500 mg per day) for two weeks; four of them experienced remission of their asthma during this time. In another study, 2,000 mg of oral vitamin C given to 16 patients with allergic rhinitis for two consecutive days proved to be significantly more effective than a placebo in reducing bronchial reactivity.

Vitamin C is also an important factor in helping remove environmental toxins from the body. Vitamin C is also necessary in the formation of collagen, and can help rebuild joint tissue damaged as a result of allergy-induced arthritis. Take vitamin C with bioflavonoids for maximum absorption.

Food sources: most fruits and vegetables, especially oranges, grapefruits, kiwis, lemons avocados, and parsley. Supplements: the most cost-effective form of vitamin C is ascorbic acid, which is extracted from rosehips or acerola. There is also a new form of vitamin C called ester-C, which is purported to stay in the body longer, thereby increasing absorption. RDA: 60 mg; therapeutic dose: 500-5000 mg (to bowel tolerance); in patients with exercise-induced asthma, take vitamin C approximately 30 minutes to one hour before exercise for maximum protection.

Possible side effects: essentially nontoxic in oral doses. However, excessive ingestion may cause abdominal bloating, gas, flatulence, and diarrhea. Many alternative medicine practitioners recommend taking vitamin C to "bowel tolerance" (amount tolerated before diarrhea occurs). Acid-sensitive individuals should take the buffered ascorbate form of vitamin C supplement.



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