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There are few things as frustrating as seasonal allergies. From itchy eyes to coughs and sneezes, seasonal allergies affect about 67 million American adults according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. 

The typical first-line pharmaceutical treatment for seasonal allergies is antihistamine drugs. However, these can come with some unpleasant side effects, like drowsiness, urine retention, blurred vision, headache, and dry mouth. This leads many people to seek an alternative treatment– and to consider those possibilities, we need to discuss what allergies actually are.

What Are Allergies?

Allergies are our immune system’s response to certain foreign bodies. This reaction occurs when your immune system makes antibodies that identify a particular substance as harmful, even though it isn’t. When your immune system comes into contact with an allergen, the reaction creates inflammation in your skin, eyes, sinuses, airways, or digestive system– or a combination of those. This inflammation can cause a runny nose, itching, sneezing, coughing, rashes, hives, and nausea among other symptoms. 

Because allergies are an inflammation reaction, the anti-inflammatory properties of certain cannabinoids may help to relieve symptoms. Can CBD help with allergies, since it can help with inflammation in other parts of the body? Let’s see what science has to say. 

CBD for Allergies

A systematic review of cannabinoids highlights CBD’s anti-inflammatory function. However, the relationship between cannabinoids and allergies is complicated. Respiratory studies have shown that while some cannabinoids improve function in the skin and airways of people with allergies, others may actually make certain allergic symptoms like contact dermatitis and asthma worse. You have to look at cannabinoids individually to determine their reaction with seasonal allergies. 

Fortunately, CBD is a seasonal allergy treatment option that has been found to relieve allergies and help keep airways open. In a study looking at allergy-induced asthma, CBD was found to relieve asthmatic symptoms in mice. CBD has also been shown to have a mild immunosuppressant effect in the respiratory system that can help control your immune system’s response to seasonal allergens like pollen. 

If you want to take CBD for seasonal allergies, we recommend our Daily 50 or Daily 100 CBD. Both of these products are full-spectrum oils that include minor cannabinoids for a greater entourage effect. The Daily 100 oil offers a higher concentration of CBD, so if you’ve never used CBD before, you might want to start with the Daily 50 to see how your body responds. 

CBG for Allergies

While there haven’t been any tests for CBG and antihistamine or anti-inflammatory action due to allergens, it has seen growing popularity in dermatology for its ability to interact with skin inflammation. This is because many of the CB1 receptors it interacts with are located in the skin. Lab tests in both clinical and in vitro models have shown that CBG regulates more skin targets than CBD and is just as effective as an anti-inflammatory treatment. 

Because CBD and CBG interact with your endocannabinoid receptors somewhat differently, you may experience a slightly stronger anti-inflammatory response from one or the other. If you’d like to give CBG a try, we recommend our CBG 1200 oil. This is a full-spectrum tincture for the optimum entourage effect. 

a-Pinene for Allergies

a-Pinene has also been linked to allergy relief. This is a terpene, which means that it is an aromatic compound– a chemical responsible for the way the hemp plants smell. Terpenes can be found in many plants, such as pine, lavender, and citrus peels. They are most commonly associated with hemp due to the plant’s high concentration of terpenes. 

Biologically, terpenes have a number of functions in the plant, including protection from animals and bacteria. Like many other compounds found in hemp, there is evidence that many terpenes have an effect on our bodies. a-Pinene has been found to reduce physical allergy symptoms like rhinitis (a runny nose) and itching skin, eyes, and ears in mice.

If you want to try a-pinene for allergies, it isn’t quite as simple as ordering an oil. However, it’s still very easy! When you’re ordering your CBD or other hemp oil, scroll down to the “Customize Your Own Terpene Blend” section, right above the “Add to Cart” button. a-Pinene is the first option available. Selecting it will add an extra boost of this terpene to your cannabinoid oil for even more health benefits. 

Seasonal allergies are an extremely common, but frustrating health concern, and we want to provide the information you need if you’re considering CBD for seasonal allergies. At Myriam’s Hemp, we believe that everybody should have access to the information they need to make choices about their health. Contact us today if you have any questions about our premium CBD and CBG, as well as our other cannabinoid products.