Seasonal Allergies, Vitamin Deficiencies, & Stress

Part Six in Our Seasonal Allergy Blog Series

When you’re deficient in certain micronutrients, several things can happen. For one, you might experience persistent fatigue, hair loss, brain fog, anxiety, and other troublesome symptoms despite eating a healthy diet and taking your medications and supplements as recommended by your medical provider.

Secondly, nutrient deficiencies in vitamin D, thiamine, selenium, magnesium, zinc, B12, and ferritin are associated with autoimmune thyroid disease and other complex chronic conditions. Certain vitamin deficiencies also increase your risk of seasonal allergies and other allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and asthma. Who would’ve thought?

So how do these vitamin deficiencies occur in the first place? Stress — particularly chronic stress — is one common cause! And chronic psychological stress isn’t just bad for your health and immunity; it also worsens the allergic response and exacerbates allergy and asthma symptoms.

The sixth and final installment in our Seasonal Allergy Blog Series takes a closer look at the link between seasonal allergies, nutrient deficiencies, and stress. Read on to learn about this link and discover a few of the vitamins and minerals associated with allergic diseases.

Stress & Vitamin Deficiencies

Before diving into the topic of seasonal allergies and nutrient deficiencies, let’s take a moment to explore the link between chronic stress and micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Research shows that physical and psychological stress depletes zinc and magnesium levels in the body and alters serum concentrations of iron and calcium, increasing one’s risk of nutrient deficiency. Other research suggests that stress may deplete the body of vitamin C and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as well.

What’s more, chronic stress often affects eating habits which further depletes the body of essential micronutrients. Our bodies require more energy, oxygen, and nutrients when we’re chronically stressed, which causes us to use and excrete vitamins and minerals at a much quicker rate. If we aren’t eating nutrient-rich foods (which is often the case during times of extreme stress), the risk of vitamin deficiency increases!

Vitamin Deficiencies & Seasonal Allergies

Now that we’ve explored chronic stress as a potential root cause of vitamin deficiencies, let’s look at how micronutrients such as zinc; magnesium; and vitamins A, C, D, and E affect how our bodies respond to allergens. We’ll start with vitamin D, a mighty micronutrient an estimated one billion individuals are deficient in!

Vitamin D

Also known as ergocalciferol (vitamin D3) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), vitamin D plays a role in the development and severity of allergic diseases such as nasal allergies (allergic rhinitis), eczema, asthma, and food allergies. One study conducted in Indonesia concluded that 63 percent of participants with allergic rhinitis were also severely deficient in vitamin D, while another study found that supplementing with vitamin D reduced the severity of asthma attacks among children and adults with mild to moderate asthma.

Sufficient vitamin D levels might even be most important during early life, as research has also linked D vitamin deficiencies in childhood with increased asthma and allergies at 14 years of age. Additionally, low levels of vitamin D at birth are associated with an increased risk of developing atopic dermatitis (AD). More reasons to get to the root of your seasonal allergy symptoms so you can head outdoors for some much-needed sunshine (without the sniffles).

Vitamin C & Other Essential Vitamins

Though in many parts of the world it’s rare to have insufficient vitamin C levels, it isn’t unheard of when we’re busy leading fast-paced lives (and remember, chronic stress depletes vitamin C levels in the body). As such, increasing your ascorbic acid intake can help to reduce allergy symptoms even when you’re not necessarily deficient. This is because vitamin C reduces histamine production; you may remember from my histamine intolerance post that histamine overload is a common cause of seasonal allergies!

According to two separate studies, two-gram doses of vitamin C can help with histamine detoxification, while 7.5 grams of intravenous vitamin C decreases histamine levels in those with allergic diseases. Two additional studies conducted in Japan found that high dietary intakes of vitamins C and E were associated with a reduced risk of asthma in children, and low vitamin A intake in childhood is associated with an increased risk of asthma. The bottom line? Eat lots of nutrient-rich foods!

Cruciferous vegetables are abundant sources of these vitamins and other important nutrients that support detoxification. Animal products like beef liver, fish, and eggs are high in vitamin A, though many plant foods also contain vitamin A (including sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and romaine lettuce). Most fruits and veggies contain vitamins C and E.

Zinc & Magnesium

Like vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc and magnesium are associated with allergic conditions. For instance, research suggests low levels of zinc contribute to not only atopic dermatitis (AD) but also worsened asthma symptoms in children. The latter study, however, showed that taking 30 milligrams of zinc daily reduced the severity of asthma symptoms in children when used as an adjunct therapy. Low intracellular magnesium levels were also associated with acute childhood asthma in a 2006 study published in the Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Are Vitamin Deficiencies a Root Cause of Your Seasonal Allergies?

Though there are many potential root causes of seasonal allergies, chronic stress and nutrient deficiencies are two you’ll definitely want to consider! Both are completely treatable with dietary and lifestyle changes (including stress management techniques and vitamin supplementation when necessary).

Functional medicine health coaching is a great place to start when your goals are to reduce stress, identify potential vitamin deficiencies, and get to the root cause of your symptoms. As root-cause practitioners, Dr. Fox and I collaborate on each case to provide our clients with the best possible quality of care. Schedule your free 15-minute Discovery Call today!

To explore five other potential root causes of seasonal allergies, check out these posts in our Seasonal Allergy Blog Series:

Ready to get to the root cause of your seasonal allergy symptoms, vitamin deficiencies, and other health concerns? Schedule a Vital You Consult, book a call for the Vital Basics Method™, or visit our website to learn more about working together as you heal from complex chronic illness.

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