The Sneezin' Season

(Page 5 of 7)

March/April 2001
By Linda B. White, M.D. 
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Last year, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the decongestant phenylpropanolamine (PPA), an ingredient in many over-the-counter cold remedies, had been linked to an increased risk of stroke.


Supportive supplements

Two commonly available supplements may be worth a shot for seasonal allergies.

  • Vitamin C. This vitamin blocks histamine release. People with higher intake and blood levels of vitamin C have lower levels of histamine. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant and enhances immune function. Some, but not all, studies suggest that vitamin C supplements can improve asthma and allergies. In one, a vitamin C solution sprayed into the nose three times daily for two weeks decreased allergy symptoms in 74 percent of sixty patients. All fresh plants contain vitamin C. Particularly good sources include acerola, peppers, guavas, dark green leafy vegetables, red cabbage, citrus fruits, and rose hips. Exposure to air and heat quickly destroys vitamin C, so the fresher your food is, the better. In addition to eating food sources of this vitamin, naturopath Deborah Wiancek’s allergy patients take 3 g a day of vitamin C, increasing to 6 to 10 g a day, if needed. This much vitamin C can cause diarrhea, which would be a sign to reduce your dosage.
  • Spirulina. This type of blue-green algae is rich in protein, several vitamins, and essential fatty acids. Two test-tube studies suggest that spirulina may inhibit the release of histamine from mast cells, but no studies have investigated the effectiveness of spirulina in people with allergic conditions. Manufacturers’ recommended dosages usually range from 2 to 3g throughout the day.

Sniffle-stopping fungus

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) has been used for thousands of years in Oriental medicine to treat respiratory disorders, including asthma. It contains triterpenes, which are anti-inflammatory and have been shown to inhibit histamine release from human mast cells. Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., author of Medicinal Mushrooms (Botanica, 1995), says that, in his clinic, he finds reishi useful for reducing symptoms of respiratory allergies. This mushroom also has antiviral and immune-enhancing effects—beneficial in discouraging cold and flu viruses from taking hold in boggy nasal linings.


Hobbs recommends taking reishi as a tea, in a dose of 1 cup morning and evening, or as a powdered, encapsulated extract in a dose of 2 to 3 “00” capsules or 2 to 3 tablets, morning and evening with meals.

Hobbs also recommends combinations of Chinese herbs for help in combatting allergies. He includes gentian, astragalus, codonopsis, magnolia bud, and small amounts of red ginseng in formulas that he blends for patients. Wiancek often uses a Chinese patent remedy for hay fever and allergies called Bi Yan Pian, a blend of xanthium fruit, magnolia flower, licorice root, phellodendron bark, platycodon root, schisandra fruit, and other herbs. She recommends 3 to 4 pills three times daily.

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