It would be nice if all the nutritional needs created by allergies could be met by diet alone. A few calculations, however, quickly show that you would have to eat over a dozen oranges to acquire enough vitamin C needed to break an Allergic Reaction.

And you’d have to eat about seven cups of Brussels sprouts to get enough vitamin C to shield you against an asthma spell. And you’d need to consume over two cups of grapefruit sections to get the amount of bioflavonoids recommended to relieve hay fever. Obviously, supplements are convenient alternative. ”I believe in supplementation,” says clinical nutritionist Dart. ”We use it widely to treat people with allergies.”

Natural or Synthetic

Brewer’s yeast, wheat and soy are often the basis for nutritional supplements, especially in natural products. Synthetic vitamins, on the other hand, often contain dyes and flavorings to make the pills more appealing or easier to identify. But whether you choose natural or synthetic isn't a matter of personal preference – it depends on what you’re allergic to.

”Many people with allergies automatically lean toward natural vitamin products without sugar or coloring,” says Iris R. Bell, M.D., Ph.D. ”But one of the paradoxes of allergies is that some people may actually do better with synthetic vitamins.” Lyn Dart explained that paradox a bit further. ”The brewer’s yeast, wheat and soy that are added to natural vitamins are great for a non allergic person.

But if you’re allergic to any of those ingredients, they are a problem.” ”Wheat and yeast are major source of B vitamins,” reiterated Dr. Bell. ”But many people sensitive to those foods do better with synthetic B vitamins or B vitamins based on non-allergenic foods such as rice.

”Because many people are allergic to corn,” continued Dr. Bell, ”some vitamin companies are eliminating cornstarch, a common filter.” Vitamin C made from sago palm, for instance, is now available. Powdered products, in fact, are generally better tolerated than tablets, according to Lyn Dart.

Tablets have more inactive ingredients – such as binders and coatings – multiplying potential allergens. ”We give many people their supplements in powdered form,” she told us. As for dyes, Dr. Bell remarked that some companies now sell clear, uncolored gelatin capsules for people who need to omit dyes from their diet.

”Still, some people can’t tolerate even the clear gelatin capsules – they may be made from beef, pork or other allergenic food,” says Dr. Bell. ”They can usually tolerate their contents, though, so they should empty the capsule, take the contents and discard the capsule itself.”

People who are allergic to wheat must be wary of vitamin E from wheat germ oil, and they may have to use synthetic forms of vitamin E. Similarly, people who are allergic to fish may react unfavorably to vitamins A or D from fish oil. And people who are allergic to soybeans may not be able to tolerate lecithin.

Dr. Bell and clinical nutritionist Dart recommend several brands of nutritional supplements which, in their experience, seem to be hypoallergenic. Before you buy any supplements, you should automatically check labels for wheat, soy, yeast, corn or any other ingredients to which you are allergic.