Say Goodbye to the Sniffles: How Quercetin & Nettles Can Help You Breeze Through Allergy Season
- Alison Urbanek, BCHN®
- May 1
- 3 min read
If you're one of the many folks who dread the arrival of pollen season, you know the drill — runny nose, itchy eyes, that annoying tickle in your throat. But here’s the good news: nature has its own toolkit for taming the allergy storm, and two of the most promising tools are quercetin and nettles.
Let’s unpack how these two plant-powered ingredients work, and why they deserve a spot in your natural allergy relief arsenal.
Quercetin: Your Natural Antihistamine & Immune Modulator
Quercetin is a flavonoid — a type of antioxidant found in many fruits and vegetables — but it’s not just any antioxidant. It plays a key role in modulating your immune response and reducing allergic inflammation.
Here’s the deal: when your body encounters an allergen like pollen, immune cells called mast cells release histamine, which triggers classic allergy symptoms. Quercetin helps by stabilizing these mast cells, essentially telling them to chill out and not release histamine in the first place.
The Science Rundown:
Histamine blocker: Quercetin binds to receptors on mast cells and basophils, reducing their tendency to release histamine.
Anti-inflammatory: It inhibits enzymes like lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase — both are involved in producing inflammatory messengers (leukotrienes and prostaglandins).
Immune modulator: Quercetin also helps regulate Th2 dominance — an immune imbalance often seen in allergy sufferers. By promoting balance between Th1 and Th2 responses, it keeps your immune system from overreacting.
Think of quercetin as your immune system’s wise old friend — the one who steps in to keep the drama to a minimum.
Natural Sources:
Onions (especially red or yellow)
Apples (with the peel!)
Dark berries
Capers (surprising, right?)
Kale and broccoli
Green tea
While these foods are great, the therapeutic doses used in studies are much higher — which is where supplements really shine.
Nettles: Nature’s Anti-Inflammatory Powerhouse
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) might be prickly in the wild, but once harvested and processed, it becomes a gentle, supportive herb with a long history of use in traditional medicine.
Modern science backs what herbalists have known for centuries: nettles help reduce inflammation and soothe allergic reactions.
The Science Rundown:
Inhibits pro-inflammatory chemicals: Nettles help block the production of cytokines, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes — key messengers in the inflammatory process that get cranked up during allergic reactions.
COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition: These are enzymes that spark inflammation (they’re the same ones that NSAIDs like ibuprofen target). Nettle extract appears to inhibit both.
Histamine receptor activity: Some studies suggest that nettles may also act directly on histamine receptors, reducing sensitivity and reactivity to allergens.
In essence, nettles tell your immune system, “Hey, not everything is an emergency,” helping it respond more appropriately to allergens rather than freaking out.
Traditional Use Meets Modern Needs:
While nettle tea and cooked nettles are nourishing, supplements deliver the higher concentrations needed for more noticeable allergy relief.
Why Use a Supplement Like Designs for Health Quercetin + Nettles?
This formula delivers the therapeutic synergy of both ingredients, with 600 mg of quercetin and 600 mg of nettles per serving — a powerful one-two punch against seasonal allergy symptoms.
Together, they:
Help prevent histamine overload
Reduce inflammation
Support a more balanced immune response
It's like upgrading your immune response from panic mode to peacekeeper.
How to Use It
As always, it’s a good idea to chat with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, especially if you have underlying conditions or are on medication. But if you’re in the clear, this duo could be your new go-to for seasonal support.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to suffer through allergy season. With the right support — like the powerful combination of quercetin and nettles — you can help your body respond more calmly and comfortably to the world around you.
Designs for Health Quercetin + Nettles offers a science-backed, plant-based way to bring balance to your immune system and find natural relief from seasonal sniffles.
Ready to take a more holistic approach to allergy season? Your body (and your sinuses) will thank you.
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