You should not take more than 10 mg of Claritin (loratadine) in a day unless a doctor specifically tells you otherwise. For most adults and children 6 years and older, that usually means either one 10 mg tablet once daily or a 5 mg dose every 12 hours (two times per day, totaling 10 mg). Children 2–5 years old are typically limited to 5 mg once daily.

How many Claritin can I take in a day?

Standard daily limit

For over‑the‑counter Claritin (loratadine), typical maximum daily doses are:

  • Adults and children 6+ years:
    • 10 mg once every 24 hours, or
    • 5 mg every 12 hours (total 10 mg per day).
  • Children 2–5 years:
    • 5 mg once every 24 hours (do not exceed 5 mg per day).

Different forms (tablets, chewables, syrup, RediTabs) are all dosed to stay at or below this total daily amount.

In plain terms: most people can safely take one 10 mg Claritin in 24 hours, or two 5 mg doses 12 hours apart, but not more without medical advice.

What about taking more than that?

Some studies in specific conditions (like severe itching) have used higher loratadine doses (up to 40 mg per day) and reported they were generally well tolerated, but these are not routine doses and aren’t FDA‑approved for self‑treatment. Because long‑term safety data at higher doses is limited, guidelines and product labels still set 10 mg per day as the usual maximum for adults.

If symptoms are not controlled with the standard dose, professionals usually recommend:

  • Switching to a different antihistamine.
  • Adding other allergy treatments (like nasal steroids) rather than just increasing Claritin on your own.

Safety tips before you dose

If you are thinking about taking more Claritin than the label says, stop and check with a doctor or pharmacist first, especially if:

  • You have liver or kidney problems.
  • You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking other medications.
  • You are considering combining Claritin with other allergy medicines.

If you or someone else has already taken much more than recommended or is having symptoms like severe drowsiness, fast heartbeat, confusion, or fainting, contact emergency services or a poison center right away.

Bottom line: For most people, the safe, label‑recommended maximum is 10 mg of Claritin in 24 hours (adults and kids 6+), or 5 mg once daily for children 2–5 years old. Pushing beyond that should only be done under direct medical supervision.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.