Many of the hallmark symptoms of seasonal allergies, like sneezing, itching, & nasal congestion are the result of a histamine response to allergens in the air. When allergens from the environment make it into your blood stream, immune cells called Mast Cells respond by producing histamine.
Quercetin & Bromelain are natural compounds that can provide non-drowsy relief for these symptoms.
A 2022 Randomized Controlled Trial found that daily Quercetin Phytosome supplementation resulted in “significant improvement” of allergic symptoms like eye itching, sneezing, nasal discharge, & disordered sleep (1). Quercetin stabilizes mast cells, inhibits the signaling pathways that trigger allergic inflammation, & suppresses histamine release. Another Systematic Review from 2022 reviewed the results of 15 different studies (including 990 participants in total) on the effectiveness of bioflavonoids like Quercetin on seasonal allergy symptoms (2). They found that 80% of the studies reported bioflavonoids as being beneficial to participants with allergy symptoms.
Bromelain is an enzyme naturally found in pineapples that’s commonly paired with Quercetin. Bromelain reduces sinus inflammation & breaks down the protein structure of mucus (aka mucolytic), making it thinner and easier to expel (3,4). A 2024 scientific article published in Nutrients, summarized Bromelain’s immune benefits saying “It promotes the activity of immune cells such as macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and lymphocytes, thereby enhancing immune surveillance and defense mechanisms against pathogens” (5).
Quercetin & bromelain make a great team for naturally reducing histamine, itchy eyes, sneezing, and nasal congestion.
Sources:
1) European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences
2) Journal of Immunology Research
3) Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica
4) Life (Basel)
5) Nutrients