Here’s well-timed news for people suffering from seasonal allergies: A new study, small but well designed, shows improvement with supplementation of vitamin D.
The participants (35 people with seasonal allergic rhinitis) received either vitamin D (4000 IU daily) or placebo for two weeks. Beyond this both groups received the same treatment. The group getting vitamin D experienced less daytime problems with sneezing, nasal congestion and runny noses:
Medscape: Oral Vitamin D Boost Intranasal Steroid Effect in Rhinitis
Observe that the study has only been presented at a scientific conference – meaning it’s not published yet. The result thus has to be taken with an extra pinch of salt. And we need another, larger study for proof. But it still sounds promising.
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Bear in mind the study comes from University of Chicago, Illinois.
If you have less sun/uvb than Chicago your base vitamin d, 25(OH)D, starting point may be lower.
I used to get dreadful hay fever in the spring when the yellow Rapeseed was flowering but since I raised my daily intake to 5000iu/daily throughout the year and keep my 25(OH)D around 50~60ng/ml 125~150nmol/l I am no longer troubled.
UK Postal £25 Blood spot Testing Service for 25-hydroxy Vitamin D
Dr Cannell's blog Comparing 2,000 IU/day vs. 5,000 IU/day vitamin D supplementation
Bear in mind the study he is discussing comes from latitude 32 S (Australia) and most readers here live a lot further from the equator where sunlight is not as strong or as frequent.
To benefit from the ANTIINFLAMMATORY action of vitamin d we have to understand The highest levels of inflammatory inhibition occur at 50 ng/ml.125nmol/l
No one now can consume sufficient vitamin d from egg yolks or any other foods to obtain more than 10% of their daily needs, yes I know the Inuit traditional diet managed 5000iu/daily but fish/game/seal/whale fermented in seal oil is not in any supermarket.