If pollen season hits your household harder than a toddler meltdown, you’re in good company. What if I told you that Vitamin D—yes, the sunshine vitamin, the thing doctors tell you to take but you forget about while reheating your coffee for the third time—could actually help tame those allergies? I know, I know. We’re already juggling too much. But stick with me, because this could make allergy season a little less miserable for everyone in the family.
Learn more natural solutions and remedies for allergy season here.
Seasonal Allergies: Like a Toddler Tantrum, But in Your Sinuses
Seasonal allergies happen when your immune system sees something harmless (like pollen) and loses its mind like a toddler who got the wrong color sippy cup. This overreaction triggers a histamine explosion, which is basically your body’s way of throwing a tantrum—runny nose, itchy eyes, and congestion.
Now, your body has a natural way to clean up histamine with an enzyme called diamine oxidase (DAO). But if DAO levels are low? Histamine stays put like a child who refuses to leave the playground, making allergy symptoms worse. This is where Vitamin D comes in.
Vitamin D: Your Immune System’s Best Friend During Allergy Season
Vitamin D is mostly famous for keeping bones strong, but it’s actually a friend for your immune system. It keeps inflammation in check and makes sure your immune system doesn’t go full-on helicopter parent when faced with allergens (Aranow, 2011).
Why We Need Vitamin D (More Than Just for Bones!)
Vitamin D doesn’t just build strong bones—it’s actually essential for calming inflammation. It helps your body produce Interleukin-10 (IL-10), a powerful anti-inflammatory protein that keeps your immune system from overreacting (Biggs et al., 2010). Think of IL-10 as the peacekeeper protein, stepping in before your immune system throws a full-blown tantrum.
Vitamin D also helps stabilize mast cells—those tiny immune cells that burst open and release histamine, causing allergy symptoms (Temple & Temple, 2022). With adequate vitamin D, these cells are less likely to burst at every little irritant, meaning fewer sniffles and sneezes (Biggs et al., 2010).
Here’s why vitamin D matters beyond strong bones:
- Low vitamin D levels are strongly linked to allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies) (Allen et al., 2018).
- Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher inflammation levels, and more inflammation means worse allergy symptoms (Bener et al., 2013).
- Vitamin D supports DAO enzyme activity and gut health—both critical for controlling histamine, a primary driver behind allergy symptoms (Temple & Temple, 2022).
So, while vitamin D might be famous for building strong bones, it’s also your immune system’s secret ally against allergies—making it the sunshine hero your family didn’t know you needed.
How to Get More Vitamin D
Since most of us don’t spend our days lounging in the sun with no responsibilities, we have to be intentional about getting enough vitamin D. Here’s how:
1. Sunlight: Nature’s Free Supplement
Your skin is basically a solar panel—it makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Aim for 10–30 minutes of sun exposure on bare skin a few times a week (Holick, 2007). If your kid is outside building dirt pies or running around pretending to be Spider-Man, they’re probably getting some good sun time.
2. Eat Your Vitamin D
Want to boost vitamin D naturally? Add these to your meal plan.
- Fatty Fish – Salmon, sardines, and mackerel
- Fortified Foods – Milk and orange juice
- Egg Yolks – Skip the egg white trend and eat the whole thing
3. Take a Vitamin D Supplement
Most kids (and adults) don’t get enough vitamin D from diet and sun alone. This is why Vitamin D supplementation can be a game-changer for seasonal allergies.
That’s exactly why we created our two allergy bundles – one for kids, and one for adults —because if you’re dealing with seasonal sniffles, getting your vitamin D levels up could be one of the easiest ways to help your immune system chill out.
Quick note: Many vitamin D supplements (including ours!) also contain vitamin K2. This is because vitamin K2 ensures that calcium is absorbed easily and reaches the bones, instead of allowing calcium to settle in your arteries. Vitamin D with vitamin K2 keeps your heart and bones healthy.
Our recommendation is to take a vitamin D supplement paired with vitamin K2 for best results. Check out our USDA organic Vitamin D supplement with Vitamin K2 that’s included in our Allergy Support Bundles.
Final Thoughts
Seasonal allergies are annoying, but they don’t have to take over your life (or your kid’s). Vitamin D is a simple, science-backed way to help reduce allergy symptoms and support immune balance.
So, if you’re ready to tackle allergies from the inside out, check out our Allergy Bundle for kids and our Allergy Bundle for adults —your immune system (and your sanity) will thank you.
References
Allen, K. J., Koplin, J. J., Ponsonby, A. L., Gurrin, L. C., Wake, M., Vuillermin, P., Martin, P., Matheson, M., Lowe, A., Robinson, M., & Dharmage, S. C. (2018). Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with reduced regulatory T cell frequency in allergic rhinitis. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 48(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/cea.13077
Aranow, C. (2011). Vitamin D and the immune system. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 59(6). https://doi.org/10.2310/JIM.0b013e31821b8755
Bener, A., Ehlayel, M. S., Bener, H. Z., & Hamid, Q. (2013). Vitamin D deficiency as a strong predictor of asthma in children. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 160(2). https://doi.org/10.1159/000343446
Biggs, L., Yu, C., Fedoric, B., Lopez, A. F., Galli, S. J., & Grimbaldeston, M. A. (2010). Evidence that Vitamin D(3) promotes mast cell-dependent reduction of chronic UVB-induced skin pathology in mice. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 207(3). https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20091725
Temple, A.-M., & Temple, J. (2022). Ending the eczema epidemic: Surprising solutions to transform your child’s skin from within [Kindle edition].
