According to some researchers, histamine intolerance can cause headaches, rashes, anxiety, ulcers, and even arthritis. But how can you tell if you\u2019re sensitive, and what can you do about it? Read on to discover if histamine could be behind your troublesome symptoms.<\/p>\n
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Histamine intolerance is something of a misnomer; it isn\u2019t really a sensitivity to histamine. Rather, people with histamine intolerance have too much histamine: they either create it in excess or they can\u2019t break it down quickly enough <\/b>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\n One culprit might be low diamine oxidase (DAO<\/a>), the enzyme that breaks histamine down in the gut [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n When people with low DAO eat foods that contain histamine, it crosses into their blood, and they experience inflammation; by contrast, a healthy person would break down most dietary histamine<\/b> before it ever reaches the bloodstream [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Approximately 1% of the population has symptoms consistent with histamine intolerance<\/b>. In contrast to food allergies, in which even a small amount of the allergen causes a reaction, the cumulative amount of histamine is crucial to inducing a reaction<\/b> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In many ways, histamine intolerance mimics an allergic reaction<\/b>. Symptoms may include diarrhea, headaches, stuffy and runny nose, eye redness, asthma, low blood pressure, arrhythmia, hives, itching, and flushing [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Aside from foods and drinks high in histamine, other potential triggers include histidine<\/a> dietary sources, certain bacteria, and DAO-blocking drugs, to name a few [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Histamine intolerance can emerge as a result of one or more factors including genetics, gut damage, alcohol, drugs\/supplements, or<\/b> microbiome<\/b><\/a> imbalances<\/b>; if there are too many bacteria producing histamine and not enough that degrade it, intestinal enzymes may have a hard time keeping up [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Histamine also increases estrogen<\/a> during menstruation. Histamine-intolerant women often suffer from menstrual cramps and headaches<\/a>. The reverse is also true: peaks in estrogen during ovulation can lead to flare-ups by increasing histamine [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In pregnancy, DAO is produced at very high concentrations by the placenta, and its concentration may become elevated by 500 times. This increased DAO activity may be the reason why women with food intolerance frequently go into remission during pregnancy [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Histamine intolerance and reduced DAO levels can lead to allergy-like symptoms, including:<\/p>\n Note that these symptoms are not exclusive to histamine intolerance, nor is this necessarily a comprehensive list. If you experience these symptoms, we recommend talking to your doctor about whether you might have histamine intolerance, or if another underlying condition may be responsible.<\/p>\n Blood histamine levels above the normal range (0.3 to 1.0 ng\/mL) produce certain negative effects.<\/p>\n For example, levels of 1 to 2 ng\/mL increase stomach acid secretion and heart rate<\/a>. A level of 3 to 5 ng\/mL leads to flushing, headaches, hives (urticaria), and skin itching (pruritus). The airways dangerously tighten causing bronchospasm at 7 to 12 ng\/mL, and heart attacks occur at 100 ng\/mL [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Thus, large amounts of ingested histamine can cause significant symptoms in otherwise healthy individuals.<\/b> For example, eating spoiled fish can lead to flushing, sweating, hives, gut symptoms, palpitations, and in severe cases bronchospasm [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n This condition, known as scombroid poisoning<\/b>, occurs when bacteria in the fish convert high levels of histidine into histamine. These bacteria thrive during improper storage and high temperatures, gradually spoiling the fish. Cooking the fish destroys the bacteria but not the histamine. Tuna and mackerel are common culprits [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Although 75 mg of liquid histamine can provoke symptoms in healthy volunteers<\/b>, defining the safe threshold level in sensitive individuals is difficult. Canned sardines, which are very likely to trigger symptoms in intolerant people, have as much as 20 mg per 100 g, but some people react to foods that contain much less [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Some foods may also provoke the release of histamine from mast cells<\/b>; such foods may increase blood and tissue histamine even if they don\u2019t contain very much [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The following effects are associated with high histamine, but should not be considered a comprehensive list of possible consequences of histamine intolerance. Furthermore, the presence of these symptoms does not necessarily implicate histamine as the underlying cause. Work with your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management plan.<\/p>\nCauses<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
Symptoms<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
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How Much Histamine is Too Much?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n
Tolerant vs. Intolerant People<\/b><\/h4>\n
Negative Effects of High Histamine<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
Itching, Pain & Inflammation<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n