A brand of over-the-counter hay fever tablets are likely to be popular this summer after they were hailed a “miracle cure” by social media users.
Several videos made by TikTok creators have recently gone viral after they discovered that Allevia, an antihistamine that retails for as little as £4, could relieve them of hay fever’s symptoms, which include sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes or throat and more.
The tablets, which claim to provide relief from symptoms for 24 hours, were previously only available on prescription but were re-classified to general sales status by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in December 2021. They are now available in most supermarkets and pharmacies.
How is fexofenadine hydrochloride used?
The active ingredient in the tablets is fexofenadine hydrochloride, which works by blocking the effects of histamine in the body, subsequently reducing symptoms such as itching and sneezing.
Is Allevia any good?
One TikTok user who was previously struggling with hay fever said all of her symptoms were “completely gone” after taking the tablet.
Another shared an in-depth review of the effects of the tablets after a full day. After five hours of taking the medication, she said she hadn’t sneezed once.
“This actually works. I’m impressed. My eyes are not bulging because they are itching. I feel good, I can enjoy the sun,” she said.
She gave another update eight hours after taking the tablet, telling viewers that she had been out all day “around nature and plants” and still showed no symptoms.
One Twitter user said: “Allevia has changed my life, what a drug.”
“I have gone from having the worst hay fever you will ever see anyone have in your whole life, to feeling like I’ve never had it. Allevia, you have cured me,” a third person said.
The popular tablets are stocked in most of the UK’s popular supermarkets, including Asda, Tesco, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s. They are also available in Boots and Superdrug.
Side effects of Allevia include headaches, dizziness, nausea and drowsiness.
