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The many faces of histamine intolerance
By Shari Cheves on December 17th, 2012
I am astounded at how many of us unknowingy suffer from e!cess histamine" Some of us itch
or snee#e whie others get headaches, migraines, $oint %ain, or nausea & within minutes or
severa hours after e!%osure' (ur )histamine bucket* fis u% based on factors such as
genetics, aergies, medication, diet, environment, nutritiona deficiencies, intestina damage,
and +, e!%osure" -hen our body cannot break down e!cess histamine, we suffer
with histamine intolerance and increased inflammation" -hen we reai#e what is reay
ha%%ening, we can better %revent and treat this misunderstood condition'
.ost of us know histamines through antihistamine drugs that reieve our suffering from
aergies to %oen, insect bites, and even foods" /istamine is naturay %roduced in our body
by mast ces or white bood ces, and it %erforms different functions by binding with
histamine receptors" De%ending u%on their ocation, histamine rece%tors contro very different
body functions0
Histamine H1 receptors: Smooth musce and endotheia ces affecting skin1 bood
vesses 2Benadry and Caritin bock activity of these rece%tors3
Histamine H2 receptors : Ces in the intestines contro acid secretion, abdomina %ain,
and nausea1 heart rate 2/istamine /2 rece%tor antagonist drugs have been used to
reduce sym%toms of dys%e%sia and 456D3
Histamine H3 receptors : Centra nervous system controing nerves, see%, a%%etite
and behavior
Histamine H4 receptors : 7hymus, sma intestine, s%een, coon, bone marrow and
white bood ces1 immune function and infammation
8ee% in mind, histamine is essentia for us to %ro%ery function and fight off invading
to!ins" But when histamine accumuates faster than we can break it down, it triggers
infammation in dreaded %atterns of histamine intoerance uni9ue to each %erson and e%isode"
(ur batte with histamine can hide behind ess obvious sym%toms ike headaches, foggy
thinking, diarrhea, arrhythmia, sinus congestion, or itchy skin a%%earing within minutes
or even severa hours after e!%osure" 5!treme histamine eves can trigger breathing difficuty
and sweing caed ana%hya!is" 7he conce%t of histamine intolerance is rarey discussed by
doctors but ceary outined in scientific research"
So why havent we heard about this?
/istamine intoerance is hugey underestimated in the %o%uation" .ost %eo%e res%ond to
sym%toms of histamine intoerance with an as%irin, antacid, or other 9uick:fi! %i that does
not address the root %robem" Sometimes histamine eves are raised due to aergy, but
histamine intolerance is not a true allergy and it wont show up on allergy tests"
+nike aergy testing, confirming a serious histamine intoerance isn;t easy or %rofitabe for
doctors" <n eaborate study discovered that )histamine:intoerant sub$ects reacted with
different organs on different occasions "* 5ach %erson has a uni9ue set of sym%toms that may
not aways recur in the same ocation or intensity" 7he ony true test for histamine intoerance
re9uires a strict histamine:free diet foowed by a doube:bind food chaenge" -ith a true
diagnosis, the standard treatment is even more disma & a ow:histamine diet for ife" But
don;t give u% yet'
-hat causes histamine eves to rise=
Reduced or inhibited enzymes:
(ne of the more common reasons we suffer from histamine intoerance is the ack of en#ymes
diamine oidase !"#$% and histamine&'&methyl transferase !(')T% " 7hese en#ymes
break down histamine and kee% it in check" D<( and />.7 eves may be geneticay ow in
some individuas, bocked by drugs, or reduced from intestina damage or diseases such as
ceiac" 7hough human research is acking, caffeine inhibited D<( in anima studies" 7hough
D<( testing has ty%icay been imited to countries outside of the +nited States, Dunwoody
?abs in 4eorgia a%%ears to offer D<( anaysis of bood tests shi%%ed from a %ractitioner"
.any factors affect the body;s histamine eves, and there are ways we can he% reduce the
oad" (ur e!%osure to aergens, diet, drug use, tem%erature, hormones, and nutritiona
deficiencies dramaticay im%act our histamine eves throughout the day" Imagine your
histamine as a )bucket* that fis u% and ony reveas sym%toms after overfowing"
#llergies:
?arge amounts of histamine are %rom%ty reeased when we are e!%osed to our aergens, and
the most common aergens incude mod, dust mites, anima dander, %oen, medications,
insect stings, ate!, and food" Interestingy, scientists are beginning to sus%ect that these
aergies have deveo%ed in order to %rotect us from environmenta to!ins" It is im%ortant to
avoid e!%osure to known or sus%ected aergies, es%eciay when histamine eves are a
%otentia %robem" 4et tested and avoid the triggers to start em%tying the bucket'
@ 7he most common food aergies incude dairy, wheat, shellfish, eggs, and nuts"
@ Contact aergies can incude a wide range of substances such as rubber, nickel !in
*ewelry%, acrylates !artificial nails%, pine resin, and sunscreen or shampoo ingredients
!such as benzophenone%+
Some %eo%e e!%erience an eary res%onse to aergens, whie others might ony notice a ate:
%hase res%onse that can a%%ear u% to 10 hours ater" Sym%toms of this deayed res%onse can
ast u% to 2A hours"
If any ty%e of food aergy is sus%ected, consut with an aergist and start carefuy taking
notes about diet and sym%toms" Chart.ySef"com can he% you kee% onine records of your
heath" Bood tests for both immediate and deayed food aergies are avaiabe to doctors
from 4reat Bains ?aboratory, +S Biotek, and many others" De%ending on the ty%e of aergy
e!%osure and reated damage, a body may re9uire days, weeks, or even months to fuy
recover"
#ir pollution and pollen:
>ew research shows that air %oution contributes to cardiovascuar disease by the increase in
histamine and infammation" 4enetics aso %ay a roe in a %erson;s susce%tibiity to %oution"
7hese coective studies suggest that both short: and ong:term B. inhaation can enhance
thrombotic and coaguation tendencies, %otentiay via increases in circuating histamine and
infammatory cytokines andCor activated white ces and %ateets" & Circulation , 2010
Interestingy, new research shows that some of us can e!%erience infammation from %oen
without any s%ecific aergy' Duture studies wi undoubtedy revea how %artices in our
environment can affect our immune system beyond the cassic aergy res%onse"
,ater pollution:
Studies have shown that common environmenta contaminants trichoroethyene and
tetrachoroethyene raised histamine eves in ab rats by increasing their sensitivity to
aergens"
"rug interference:
Drugs can inhibit our vita histamine en#ymes even more than food, %ossiby increasing the
risk of food %oisoning and other sym%toms of e!cessive histamine" <ccording to a research
re%ort, 'S#-"s such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproen can cause histamine levels to
rise" (%oid drugs and anagesics are the most common drugs used in hos%itas, reeasing
histamine that resuts in uncomfortabe itching for many %atients" 5!cessive histamine can
aso resut from drugs incuding 2but not imited to3 acetylcysteine, acetylsalicylic
acid, alcuronium, alprenolol, ambrool, amiloride, aminophylline, amitriptyline,
cefuroime, cefotiam, chloro.uine, cimetidine, clavulanic acid, cyclophosphamide, "&
tubocurarine, dihydralazine, dobutamine, isoniazid, metamizole, morphine,
pancuronium, pethidine, prilocaine, propafenone, metoclopramide, pentamidin,
thiopental, and verapamil"
/oods high in histamine :
Symptoms can often be prevented by avoiding foods high in histamine:
/ermented foods ike wine, aged cheese, aged or smoked meats, fermented soy
%roducts 2incuding tofu and soy sauce3, vinegar 2incuding pickles, ketchu% and
%re%ared mustard3, and sauerkraut
/oods eposed to high amounts of bacteria such as fish0shellfish
1eftover meats can 9uicky accumuate microorganisms which resut in histamine
formation
2hocolate0cocoa , spinach, eggplant, nuts, pumpkin, tomato, strawberries, citrus
fruits, and seasonings ike cinnamon, chili powder, and cloves can stimulate the
release of histamine
,heat&based products
Beverages such as tea !herbal or regular% and soy milk are high in histamine
<ny ty%e of alcohol interferes with the body;s abiity to break down histamine"
3repackaged meals
< usefu reference for foods and reated aergies and intoerances can be found at
Doods.atter"com"
/oods high in histadine !over 4555 mg% may aso be %robematic, as histadine converts to
histamine0
6ame meat incuding buffao, ek, moose, caribou
3ork incuding oin, cho%s or other cuts, ham, bacon
Soy protein
2hicken and turkey
7eal and beef, %astrami
1amb
/ish including tuna, %ike, cod, sunfish, %erch, grou%er, and others
2ottage cheese
Source0 >utritiondata"sef"com
/oods high in fat0
>ew studies show that fat absor%tion may dramaticay increase the reease of histamine and
contribute to chronic infammation"
'utritional imbalances:
-hen the body is low in
8 9 vitamins,
8 vitamin 2, and
8 copper, histamine may not break down sufficienty to overcome sym%toms of intoerance"
Doods high in Bs incude %otatoes, sunfower seeds, and soybeans" Doods high in vitamin C
incude be %e%%ers, broccoi, brusses s%routs, kiwifruit, cantaou%e, and kae"
6esearchers found that
@ vitamin 2 may work by increasing the activity of the "#$ enzyme"
8 2opper is re.uired to form the "#$ enzyme and
: copper deficiency associates with low "#$ enzyme activity in animals+
.ore research is necessary to confirm that co%%er su%%ementation increases D<( activity"
/oods high in copper include
fresh basi, cocoa %owder, cashews, soybeans 2mature3, herba tea, sesame seeds, sunfower
seeds, garban#o beans, and entis"
Some foods ike %otato are aso high in oalate which can reease histamine in certain %eo%e"
8ee% in mind that whie citrus is high in vitamin C, it reeases histamine within the body and
can aggravate sym%toms" < food aergy to any of the above foods wi aso increase
histamine"
(eat and :79 light:
Studies show that :79 light caused histamine release in vitro, though it was %rotected by
ascorbic acid 2vitamin C3" Some %eo%e notice that rashes and skin conditions can worsen
with e!%osure to sun and heat"
;ercise0
Some e%isodes of ana%hya!is have been triggered by moderatey intense e!ercise,
%articuary in warm environments" 7hese e!treme reactions are ty%icay reated to food
aergens that were consumed %rior to %hysica activity" Strict avoidance of aergens may he%
%revent sym%toms of histamine intoerance that occur during e!ercise & %articuary dynamic
e!ercises such as $ogging, running, and aerobics that invove ess resistance" 6ecent studies
indicate that the amino acid ?:carnosine is reeased during these e!ercises and then converted
to histamine"
(ormones < including stress hormones:
Rising estrogen levels have been associated with elevated histamine, and women might
notice increased sensitivity and sym%toms of histamine intoerance at different times in their
monthy cyce" Beriods of high estrogen ink to sinus sensitivity to histamine"
5nvironmenta estrogens such as %esticides, agricutura growth hormones, and B,C in
%astics may aso activate histamine reease" Conversey, histamine a%%ears to stimuate
estrogen eves as we and e!acerbate sym%toms"
"iamine oidase levels are much higher in the luteal phase of the menstrua cyce ,
theoreticay reducing the risk of e!cess histamine during that %hase"
7he )stress* hormone cortiso a%%ears to increase histamine in stomach and intestines in ab
studies" Reducing stress can ower the amount of stimuating hormones that activate mast
ces which reease histamine and other factors of infammation"
(ow can we manage a histamine overload?
<t times we can reach a )%oint of no return* where our histamine eves start the cascade of
infammation and aggravating sym%toms" >ausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, headaches, and
menta distress are common ways our body e!%resses infammation from e!cess histamine,
though each %erson e!%eriences this differenty" Seek immediate medical attention for any
signs of anaphylais=
8 #void further triggers in diet and environment+ "ont take risks until seeking medical
advice and getting tested for true allergies+
8 #dd a cold blast or slow warm&up" Ice %acks can reieve affected skin and reduce
histamine" Interestingy, cryothera%y is used to reieve %ain with arthritis through the
reduction of histamine" Dro#en ge %acks even he%ed reieve migraines in E0F of %atients in
one study & a%%ied for 2E minutes & with benefits increasing in subse9uent tests" .ake it very
cod and 9uick, because a short:term moderate decrease in tem%erature wi ikey increase
any itching"
8 2ortisone cream and colloidal silver are .uick, simple remedies for skin reactions+
7o%ica hydrocortisone cream reieves itching and may conse9uenty he% %revent infection"
<void com%e! medications or herba remedies that e!%ose the skin to more aergens and
harsh chemicas" Cooida siver s%ray is a natura antibacteria remedy that he%s %revent
infection"
8 $ral antihistamines do not reduce histamine, but they block histamine receptors to
he% us see%, hea, and fight infammation"
Dirst:generation antihistamines make us drowsy with occasiona side effects of insomnia and
confusion"
Second:generation, newer antihistamines do not make us drowsy but may cause headache and
dry mucous membranes"
?ong:term use of ora antihistamines is associated with weight gain, and oral antihistamines
do not improve "#$ enzyme activity"
@ 2orticosteroids are used ocay as in the case of nasa s%rays or systemicay in %i form"
-hie corticosteroids may %rovide immediate reief for some aergy sym%toms, their side
effects can be dangerous, cri%%ing, or fata with %roonged use"
@ 9ee propolis as a %owder from ca%sues can be a%%ied to itchy skin to 9uicky reduce
infammation and histamine and reieve sym%toms" 7his su%%ement can stain cothing so
cover with a bandage or gau#e" Individuas with asthma or an aergy to %oen or bee stings
shoud avoid bee %ro%ois"
@ Stinging nette e!tract reduces allergic and inflammatory activity in vitro" Interestingy,
e!%erimenta to%ica treatment aso reieves osteoarthritic %ain "
8 3robiotics show %romising signs for aeviating aergic disease , and we are beginning to
earn how these )good* bacteria strains can benefit the body in different ways"
Brobiotics ike L. reuteri he% %roduce histamine in the gut that su%%resses infammation "
Studies aso suggest that probiotic L. rhamnosus reduces activation of mast ces and /A
rece%tors" In this manner, %robiotics can shift immune activity to a more )intraceuar* 7h1
res%onse rather than the )e!traceuar* 7h2 res%onse that characteri#es e!cessive histamine
activity in aergy, asthma, and autoimmune diseases"
In fact, taking different strains of %robiotics incuding L. reuteri, L. rhamnosus, L. casei, and
B. biidum may work best to reduce the aergic res%onse that can trigger e!cessive histamine"
8 /lavonoids : >aturay occurring favonoids fisetin, kaem%fero, myricetin, 9uercetin, and
rutin inhibited histamine reease in ab studies"
7hese antio!idant com%ounds are found in kae, broccoi, ca%ers, buckwheat, onions, a%%es,
and as%aragus"
===== & )ast cell activity is also inhibited by flavonoid luteolin found in
carrots, %e%%ers, ceery, oive oi, %e%%ermint, thyme, rosemary,
oregano, ettuce, %omegranate, artichoke, chocoate, rooibos tea, buckwheat s%routs, turni%,
ca%ers, and cucumber"
s>rgar?pa, z@ldpaprika, zeller, olAvaola*, borsmenta, kakukkfB,
rozmaring, oregano, sal>ta, gr>n>talma, articsCka, csokol>d?, rooibos tea, ha*dina
kelbimbC, karal>b?, kapribogyC, ?s az uborka+
flavonoid 1uteolin:
>atura occurrences
1uteolin can be found in 7erminaia chebua" It is most often found in eaves, but it is aso
seen in rinds, barks, clover blossom, and ragweed pollen" It has aso been isoated from
Savia tomentosa"
"ietary sources include:
celery, broccoli, green pepper, parsley, thyme, dandelion, perilla,
chamomile tea, carrots, olive oil, peppermint, rosemary, navel oranges, and oregano+DEF
DGF -t can also be found in the seeds of the palm #iphanes aculeata+
zeller, brokkoli, paprika, petrezselyem, kakukkfB, pitypang, perilla,
kamillatea, s>rgar?pa, olAvaola*, borsmenta, rozmaring, k@ld@k narancs, ?s oreg>nC+
8 ;nzymes :
;nzyme diamine oidase !"#$% breaks down histamine internay, and routine
intake of a food su%%ement ike D<(sin and /istame can he% %revent e%isodes in the ong:
term"
,hat other behaviors and health conditions are related to histamine?
@ /ood poisoning symptoms & .any outbreaks of food %oisoning are actuay caused by
e!cessive histamine consum%tion in certain high:histamine foods" Scrombroid food %oisoning
resuts from eating s%oied fish containing to!ic eves of histamine & not bacteria" /istamine
%oisoning resembes a food aergy and is often misdiagnosed"
@ )igraines & 7here is much evidence to su%%ort the ink between aergy and migrain e ,
incuding the eevated eves of histamine in bood %asma of migraine %atients" Get ty%ica
antihistamine drugs that target histamine /1 and /2 rece%tors have not been effective for
migraine" Duture studies may target histamine /H or /A rece%tors with better resuts"
@ #topic dermatitis & 7his infammatory skin disease can be reieved with a ow histamine
diet in some %atients who do not res%ond to food aergy tests"
8 )otivation, appetite, and addiction : /ascinating research describes how diminished
histamine in the brain may relate to feelings of apathy and increased appetite " In women
this behavior may be enhanced by hormones, as histamine rises with eevated estrogen and
uteini#ing hormone throughout the monthy cyce" Indeed, women generay e!%erience
increased a%%etite in the ast haf of their cyce as their estrogen and histamine
dro%" Simiary, aergic sym%toms can be more %ronounced in mid:cyce"
/istamine feedback oo%s may aso contribute to the success of very:ow:caorie diets" In fact,
histidine su%%ementation su%%ressed food intake and fat accumuation in rats" 5ven chewing
%ays a roe in triggering the histamine reease that reduces a%%etite" Chewing has even been
effective for reducing fat in obese animas'
7oo much of a good thing= 5!cessive histamine in the brain is inked to addiction and acoho
de%endence in %reiminary studies" Interestingy, femaes have higher eves of brain
histamine and are more %rone to addiction than maes"
@ 2ancer < <though we may suffer from an e!cess of histamine and conse9uentia
infammation, e!citing new research shows that histamine contros some ty%es of cancer
growth" 6esearch shows that histamine and histamine rece%tors affect growth of cancers of
the stomach, %ancreas, coon, and iver in different ways" Certain cancer ces %roduce a form
of histamine 2histidine decarbo!yase3 that re%resses infammatory ce activity" (ther studies
show that histamine and mast ces may both %romote and inhibit cancer at different stages' In
fact, meanoma skin cancer a%%ears to be stimuated by histamine in ab tests and inhibited by
a to%ica drug that bocks histamine caed !" anta#onist" 7his ty%e of drug has been used to
treat acid refu!, ucers, and indigestion"
Durthermore, histamine is being considered to %revent the damaging effects of cancer
radiation thera%y"
)Ihistamine significanty %rotects two of the most radiosensitive tissues, sma intestine and
bone marrow, from high doses of radiation" In addition, histamine has the abiity to %revent
functiona and histoogica aterations of saivary gands e!erted by ioni#ing radiation"* &
Current Immunoogy 6eviews, 2010
@ 3arkinsons "isease and brain degeneration & <ccumuated histamine in the brain can
cause damage to neurons through infammation" Studies on %atients with Barkinson;s Disease
have shown abnorma, reduced abiity to break down histamine in the brain and an
accumuation of histamine methytransferase" Durthermore, manganese e!acerbated this
atered histamine activity in ab rats"
@ )ultiple Sclerosis & 6ecent studies reveaed that muti%e histamine rece%tors are invoved
in muti%e scerosis, with some rece%tors %romoting the disease and others inhibiting it"
@ -nflammation & /istamine and its rece%tors are constanty engaged in a vita baancing act,
%reventing e!cessive infammation whie %romoting homeostasis and heaing" < variety of
infammatory diseases invove histamine activity"
<nima modes indicate that mast ces, through the secretion of various vasoactive mediators,
cytokines and %roteinases, contribute to coronary %a9ue %rogression and destabii#ation, as
we as to diet:induced obesity and diabetes" & $rends in %harmacolo#ical &ciences , 2011
3eriodontis shows high eves of histamine in infamed gum tissue , and to%ica /2 antagonist
drug cimetidine dramaticay im%roves conditions" Batients with infammatory 2rheumatoid3
arthritis have %ain reief from cryothera%y which has been shown to reduce histamine eves
for e!tended %eriods" Certain ty%es of histamine rece%tors in $oint tissues are sus%ected to %ay
a roe in chronic conditions ike arthritis"
Get histamine may aso %rotect us by inhibiting <45 activity which contributes to chronic
infammatory diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and brain degeneration"
6esearchers found that histamine and /2 rece%tors inhibited <45 activity that increases
%a9ue in diabetes, %ro%osing that stimuating /2 rece%tors might he% %revent
atheroscerosis"
@ $steoporosis & .ast ces which reease histamine a%%ear im%ortant to bone heath, and a
deficiency or e!cess of them can be associated with osteo%orosis" It has even been suggested
that inhibiting mast ces might eventuay become a treatment for osteo%orosis' 5strogen
deficiency 2associated with cacium deficiency3 may contribute to increased mast ce activity
and ow bone voume that eads to osteo%orosis"
@ "ilated blood vessels & 7y%icay histamine lowers blood pressure and diates bood
vesses which leads to low blood pressure and increased %ermeabiity" 5ven hemorrhoids are
diated bood vesses associated with increased mast ces and histamine" <gain, histamine can
switch directions and constrict and diate arteries and cause chest %ain"
@ 'ausea and motion sickness & /istamine can %ay a roe in sym%toms ike vertigo, motion
sickness, and nausea, and vitamin C su%%ementation may %rovide reief" <ntihistamines have
aso been used to reduce %ost:o%erative nausea and vomiting"
@ Sleep disorders & Dirst:generation antihistamines made us drowsy, reveaing how histamine
he%s kee% us aert" >ormay, histamine /H rece%tors reduce histamine activity so we can
%ro%ery fa asee% or stay awake" Studies suggest that damage or deficiency of these
rece%tors can resut in %ermanenty e!cessive histamine which can contribute to chronic see%
disorders"
@ (ypothermia & /istamine reeased by the hy%othaamus he%s contro body tem%erature
which affects various body functions" 5!%eriments on mice showed that histamine in$ected in
the s%ina cord can even %roduce hy%othermia" /igher histamine eves that induced
hy%othermia were associated with ow vitamin B1 2thiamine3 eves in another study"
@ "iverticulitis & Some ty%es of diverticuitis a%%ear inked to aergies and histamine activity
which generate massive infammation"
8 )enieres disease < 7his condition invoves chronic di##iness, tinnitus 2ringing ears3, and
hearing oss which are associated with histamine eves" Betahistine works to reieve
sym%toms in a mi!ed manner by inhibiting histamine /H rece%tors whie enhancing /1
rece%tors"
8 7ulnerability to disease & (istamine increases the %ermeabiity of the bood:brain barrier
which can leave us vulnerable to bacterial infections and other diseases" Disru%tions of
the bood:brain barrier %ay a roe in the deveo%ment of e%ie%sy, <#heimer;s Disease,
meningitis, and muti%e scerosis"
/istamine on the hori#on
-e can now begin to imagine how to change our diet, avoid certain drugs, and ad$ust our
ifestyes to better reguate our histamine eves" By first identifying our aergens through
thorough testing, we can reduce e!%osure and dramaticay em%ty our )histamine bucket* and
ower infammation" 5ven if we have no aergies to avoid, we can im%rove our abiity to
breakdown non:aergic histamine with 9 and 2 vitamins" Ideay we can better %re%are our
bodies to hande histamine )s%ikes* as needed for fighting disease, increasing motivation, or
sim%y toerating deicious eftovers"
-e des%eratey need a way to identify and )scan* histamine content in our food and
su%%ements %rior to %urchase and consum%tion" Backages can differ widey based on their
microsco%ic bacteria content & even within e!%iration dates" <ustrian scientists have made
suggestions for toerabe eves for certain foods incuding sausage, fish and cheese, but we
need goba standards for a foods and awareness of the risks surrounding fish, fermented
foods, canned meats, acoho, %re%ackaged meas, and other high:risk %roducts"
Simiary, daiy tracking of our own histamine metaboism woud he% guide our diet and
ifestye" 6ecogni#ing the triggers can he% us ma% our $ourney to good heath and beyond'
'pdate (uly "01) * $he !idden +ccomplices o !istamine ,ntolerance:
6esearchers are finding that histamine and its to!icity can be affected by reated substances in
its famiy of bio#enic amines incuding %utrescine, tyramine, and cadaverine" 3utrescine and
cadaverine in foods can prevent the breakdown of histamine and contribute to
symptoms of intolerance+
8 3utrescine is highest in s%oied food, fruits and cheeses, whie
8 cadaverine can be high in aged meats, fish and cheese"
Some migraine sufferers have noted sensitivity to tyramine:rich foods which can accumuate
tyramine in bodies with reduced eves of monoamine o!idase 2.<(3"
7yramine buids u% in foods such as aged cheese, meats, fish, red wine, and soy sauce as we
as high:%rotein foods that have been stored over time"
< imited but usefu food database was been deveo%ed that identifies %oyamines in food
sources"
4ra%efruit $uice, orange $uice and cooked soybeans showed higher eves of %utrescine,
whie enti sou% and cooked soybeans showed higher eves of s%ermidine and s%ermine"
.ature cheddar cheese was high in a three %oyamines, demonstrating how fermentation and
storage can dramaticay affect eves in many %roducts"
# wide range of spices can reduce polyamine activity, though
some like curcumin !turmeric% may also inhibit "#$ according to animal tests " Gogurt
and high fat mik showed ower eves of %oyamines than other mik %roducts, though more
studies are necessary to find the reationshi% between fat, %oyamines, and histamine burden
on the body"
?ike histamine, biogenic amines can be %roduced by bacteria in food but cannot be broken
down by cooking or free#ing"
Substances like resveratrol !found in red grape skin% and green tea can reduce histamine
production and the aergic res%onse, and interestingy these substances are aso inhibiting
tumor growth"
6esearch has associated eevated %oyamines 2%utrescine, s%ermidine, and s%ermine3 in the
body with cancers of the breast, coon, ung, skin, and %rostate"

<ddictions, <ergy, <sthma, <utoimmune disease, Caffeine, Cancer, Ceiac, Diabetes,
5nvironment, Infammation, .eanoma, >utritiona imbaance, (besity, Banic, BarkinsonJs,
Brobiotics, 6adiation, 6es%iratory difficuty, Skin cancer, Stress, 7race mineras, ,itamin Bs,
,itamin C, -ater
K 7acking aergy remedies and immunothera%y
See% & a new ange of re%ose L
H4 comments to The many faces of histamine intolerance
K (der Comments 1 2
mona
<%ri 2A, 201A at 10EM %m
7o Christine with the chronic hives0 I got chronic hives and found out through tria
and error it was -/5<7" 5very time I ate wheat the hives woud show u% a few hours
ater and it took time for me to make the connection between wheat and hives" I
sto%%ed eating wheat and took Nyrtec which he%ed with the hives" <fter about a year
the hives were gone I was abe to eat wheat again and no %robems since" Don;t know
why my body suddeny decided it coudn;t take wheat anymore when I ate it a my
ife with no %robem" But giving it a rest for a year a%%arenty re:booted whatever in
my system that I coud eat wheat again" It coud be wheat in your case or some other
food ike dairy or eggs" 7ry sto%%ing different kinds of foods for awhie to see if your
hives go down or go away"
ste%han
<%ri 1H, 201A at O02E %m
maybe avoid cotton cothes" its not the cotton but the way cotton is won industriay
2chemic"3" Don;t eat %rocessed food or %asticbotted water" <fter doing this aong
with a histamine free diet for maybe H weeks, yes i know its hard & woud be better of
iving on a tro%ica isand, you sha start with intestina regeneration %rogramm
2Dohsamenschaen%uver, bentonit, castor oi3" Doing for 1 week" Continue for 2
weeks with the histamine free diet" >ow try histamine rich food again"
the %robem with histamin reease is that it became oversensitive over years of
unknown 2bc unnatura, antievo"3substances entering body" its a disease of civiisation"
it /<S some advantages but hey the disadvantages are too high to not be threatened"
christine
<%ri O, 201A at 100HM am
I have chronic +tica and is reay bad at minute have had steroids which haven;t" /e%
coud it be high histamine
admin
.arch 2A, 201A at O0A7 %m
Dear ?inda,
Info on conditions ike )hy%er%arathyroidism* and )chronic kidney disease:associated
%ruritus* may shed some ight" I wi aso share some %ersona e!%eriences beow" It is
im%ortant to ook underneath the sym%toms to find core imbaances"
7he %arathyroid gand may be a key %ayer here, as it generates hormones that contro
cacium" /ave you had your %arathyroid hormone and vitamin D eves checked=
/y%er%arathyroidism has been associated with %ruritus 2itching3, a common sym%tom
of mastocystosis" ,itamin D, a ma$or hormone that he%s baance cacium, is usuay
deficient in kidney stone formers" 7his may e!%ain why narrowband +,B
%hotothera%y he%s reduce rena %ruritus as we as mastocytosis & check out this
%a%er" ,itamin D is generated in the skin when it is e!%osed to +,B ight, incuding
direct sunight"
7here may be risks when taking su%%ements with these conditions" Daiy
su%%ementation with cacium P vitamin D was associated with an increase in urinary
tract stones" Get vitamin D su%%ements 220:100 ngCm?3 did not associate with kidney
stones, and a%%eared to ower %arathyroid hormone eves in another study"
-hie I have not had kidney stones, crystas can form in my tissues, becoming %ainfu
based on ocation" <fter a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis, guten and mik
intoerance, I was eating a ot of brown rice %roducts and aternative miks 2high in
o!aate3" 7here was a ot of suffering unti I found the o!aate connection, but it is
ony the to% ayer' .y histamine eves and sensitivity to o!aates both increase during
the utea %hase when estrogen dro%s" Some research %oints to disturbances in cacium
during this %hase" <nother %a%er discusses how the fa of estrogen around meno%ause
corres%onds to a rise in kidney stone risk" In men, eves of testosterone were
associated with kidney stone formation"
I can avoid most sym%toms by reducing or eiminating high:o!aate foods, avoiding
drinking hard 2ta%3 water, and consuming utra:%urified water 2Benta3" I aso seem to
benefit from reguar cacium intake through %robiotic:rich yogurt and kefir" (ne very
recent %a%er discusses how the intestines normay breaks down o!aate through
different actic acid bacteria, and deficient activity of these bacteria may aow the
accumuation of o!aate" -hie we wait for a thera%eutic formua, we can add some of
this bacteria from %robiotic su%%ements, yogurt, and kefir" ?ifeway;s 8efir %robiotic
%roduct offers more ty%es of strains than yogurt, and heath food stores have numerous
high:9uaity, refrigerated %robiotics"
7horough )scientific* ists of food o!aate content are avaiabe at the Gahoo 4rou%
)7rying ?ow (!aates*0
htt%s0CCgrou%s"yahoo"comCneoCgrou%sC7ryingQ?owQ(!aatesCfies
7he )C+665>7 Dood ?ist* contains the s%readsheets that you want to downoad and
use' Susan Costen (wens has done a ot of research on o!aates and associated
%robems, and an interview with her is %osted onine"
(mega:H fatty acid su%%ementation aso reduces risk of cacium o!aate
crystai#ation" I have %ersonay noticed im%rovements with evening %rimrose oi
su%%ementation" Studies showed ato%ic dermatitis was im%roved with evening
%rimrose oi, hinting at an underying deficiency in certain fatty acids in certain
autoimmune conditions" ,itamin 82 2.8:73 is a new wea%on for fighting
cacification and im%ro%er cacium de%osition"
/y%er%arathyroidism increases risk of heart disease and mortaity as we as metaboic
bone disease, so it is im%ortant to e!amine the hormone factor" I had obvious signs of
hormone imbaance when I was consuming guten without knowing my ceiac status"
7here are some genetic susce%tibiities for these conditions, but it is difficut to %iece it
a together" <ddressing aergens and intoerances is reay im%ortant to reduce e!cess
histamine and infammation in the body" -e cannot yet measure every %ossibe
intoerabe substance, so we must track diet, environmenta e!%osure, and associated
sym%toms to he% identify the rest"
?et me know what you find'
?inda
.arch 2H, 201A at 11020 %m
I;m so confused on how to %ut a this together" I was diagnosed with Cutaneous
.astocytosis 10 yrs ago" I don;t reay have any sym%toms e!ce%t the reddishCbrown
freckes caed a rash around my torso area" .y Dr recommended I take antihistamines
2Benadry3 every night before bed" <fter a few months I sto%%ed" She never mentioned
a diet" 6ecenty I had surgery to remove a 1 inch kidney stone odged in my right
kidney" <fter anaysis, it came back cacium o!aate crystas" /e handed me a sheet of
%a%er and tod me I have to go on a ow o!aate diet & it has foods to avoid and foods
to eat moderatey, a of which are foods I eat and ove and what I know as nutritiona
and gives me energy" -hen I saw s%inach on the <,(ID ist & Dr said )there;s
aways kae* & I started 4ooge:ing around and have found kae on the high o!aate
ist as we as many other foods that are on his moderate ist" <nd even found some
foods on a ow ist that are on the high andCor moderate ist" I read where foods that are
eaten raw are higher in o!aic acid, when steamed, owers the o!aic acid but when
boied becomes ?(- in o!aic acid B+7 then boiing takes out the nutritiona vaue
in foods" <>D then $ust recenty read where high o!aate foods reeases histamine"
>5,56 knew that or read that before in a my 4ooge:ing around 10 years ago when
I was diagnosed with C." I;ve had 2 Dr;s te me to eat those foods in moderation and
$ust yeterday met a guy who is su%%ose to aso be on a ow o!aate diet but eats a
those avoid and moderate foods in moderation" So now I;ve become confused about
what to do and how to get nutrition and sti be ha%%y and heathy" I reay need
someone who reay and truy knows what they;re taking about to guide me" 7here
sure are a ot of mi!ed signas out here on the Internet"
admin
.arch 1M, 201A at R0AM %m
<n aergy doctor might recogni#e histamine intoerance, but it is a rather new
consideration" < 5uro%ean Sourna %ubished info about using D<( eves to indicate
histamine intoerance in .arch 201H" .any aergists rey on %ractices of
desensiti#ation 2aergy shots3 or cortisone shots to treat aergies" Gou may have better
uck with a naturo%ath or chiro%ractor who recogni#es integrative or hoistic medica
%ractices" If you want something s%ecific, %hone:screen %ractitioners before %aying
them a visit" -e need to stay in charge of our heath care, and we want to work with
doctors who are wiing to coaborate"
Some %eo%e have indirecty determined a D<( deficiency by successfuy using
/istame before high histamine meas & it is an en#yme su%%ement that can he% us
)cheat* with mider cases" ?et us know if a D<( en#yme su%%ement works if you
choose to try it"
Brenda
.arch 17, 201A at O0E2 %m
-hat is the best way to find a Dr who deas with /istamine Intoerance and the D<(
test= Is it an <ergist or is there another s%eciaty better suited for this=
7hank you
admin
.arch 17, 201A at 10ER %m
4ood to%ic' Brogesterone strongy infuences the histamine and mast cell activity in
fertie women, which may e!%ain the cases where De%o 2synthetic %rogesterone3
e!%osure caused a reaction" In fact, the condition caed )autoimmune %rogesterone
dermatitis* describes something simiar" < very usefu research %a%er discusses how
the monthy swings can contribute0
htt%0CCwww"ncbi"nm"nih"govC%mcCarticesCB.CHH77OA7C It is not cear how this is
ha%%ening, but there is a strong hormone connection"
In reading your bog, it a%%ears that your %ath is not unike my own severa years ago"
I became extremely reactive to %rogesterone cream 2an attem%t to normai#e my
hormones3 before discovering that I was aso guten:intoerant" < hormone activity
was bit#ed for a few years unti I removed guten and eggs 2both identified in bood
Ig4 tests3" 7hen it took months to fee better but years to regain baance and greater
awareness" <ny accidenta e!%osure to guten can skyrocket my sensitivity to things I
can normay toerate & often for weeks" /eat and e!ercise make sensitivities worse,
but you may not want to hear that" 7his is a more com%icated than ceiac,
uncovering dee%er underying 2%ermanent3 autoimmune vunerabiity"
Sensitivities aways go u% near my %eriods, corres%onding to the rise in %rogesterone
and %robaby my )histamine oad"* 5ven as I ti%toe around guten as we as cross:
reactive foods such as coffee and other grains, I end u% snee#ing more in the ate utea
%hase" In this manner, I beieve that histamine burden is a %rimary cause of certain
sym%toms of )B.S,* and each %erson e!%resses it differenty"
< desensiti#ation treatment was successfu for some %atients, though you may have to
hunt far and wide for an agreeabe doctor" I am not yet sure if we are making
com%romises by desensiti#ing the body1 there is no research on how aergy or
intoerance might act as some form of %hysica %rotection"
8ee% in mind that vitamin C and vitamin BR can he% break down the e!cess
histamine" .any %eo%e cannot utii#e B vitamins uness they are in active or
methyated forms" Byrido!a:ET:%hos%hate or BEB is the active form of vitamin BR" I
recommend methyated B vitamins to anyone with aergic disease, as maabsor%tion
is a common reated condition" .y autism artice wi describe more detais ater this
week"
8ee% your story running strong & it can he% so many others'
Cassandra
.arch 17, 201A at E00M am
7his is such a great resource' I was wondering if anyone has come across research
s%ecificay inking histamine intoerance and De%o BroveraC%rogestins= I think I;ve
aways had mid histamine intoerance 2I aways itched at night, es%" during undergrad
when I was consuming acoho3, but A years ago I was %ut on De%o Brovera and my
body went /<G-I65" I didn;t ink the two things because the sym%toms buit over
time, starting with $ust a constant cough, but it got to a %oint where I was barey
functioning" I;ve been off the De%o for 200 days now and am sowy feeing better, but
my endocrine system is reay out of whack" I;ve seen the inks between estrogen and
histamine, but was wondering if %rogestins coud be in the ist of medications that
cause histamine intoerance, too=
htt%0CCwww"recoveryontherun"bogs%ot"comC201AC01Cmy:$ourney:on:de%o:%rovera:
%art:2"htm
admin
Debruary 17, 201A at M00O %m
/i Senni,
Some %eo%e have re%orted reactions to water kefir or dairy kefir, whie others rave
about im%roved sym%toms" 7he enormous benefits of heathy bacteria in kefir may
outweigh the %robems with histamine for certain individuas, es%eciay if histamine
can be owered in other ways" Best thing to do is try the kefir 2without any other
)variabes*3 and document sym%toms for any sign of intoerance" If kefir is not
working, consider high:9uaity %robiotic su%%ements for gut heath and %ossibe
reduction of aergy sym%toms & we are sti waiting for more research to confirm
when and how %robiotics work for these com%e! conditions'
4ene
December 2R, 201H at 110A0 am
/i everyone, sorry I haven;t checked in for a itte whieI"some great additions here"
Ironicay, before I had even checked back, I;ve been ooking into the SIB(
connection with 6?S, interesting that it was brought u% here
7wo %oints I;d ike to bring in to the 6?S %art of discussionI
1" Dor most sufferers, antihistamines can both trigger and 465<7?G increase the
intensity of 6?S" )Baistic* is a term often used when someone with 6?S
inadvertenty takes an antihistamine"
2" .any 6?S sufferers note that during some inesses, such as a cod or fu, 6?S
sym%toms can disa%%ear com%etey"
I;m a case in %oint for U2, I had waking biatera %neumonia that went undiagnosed
for R months, my 6?S was in com%ete remission the entire time, I even sto%%ed a
my 6?S meds" <side from the occasiona %neumonia:caused chest %ain, I;d never fet
better" (nce the %neumonia was diagnosed and treated, 6?S came back" It was ike
someone threw a switch"
admin
December 2E, 201H at E0HM %m
4reat coection of notes .ike' /o%efuy we can %u our research together to make
better sense of the histamine situation"
.ike
December 2E, 201H at 11012 am
Indeed, the best artice on histamines I;ve found"
I;ve accumuiated ots of histamine reated web:ci%%ings during my research"
I;ve shared them out as a %ubic evernote notebook0
htt%s0CCwww"evernote"comC%ubC%cguysChistamines
7he most recent bunch of highighted web ci%%ings are from this very artice V
comments & so much great info here'
7hanks again,
.ike
admin
December 12, 201H at E0A2 %m
7here is no information on %ermanent contro of histamine reease" 7he body is aways
changing" /istamine is not aways a bad guy, it is im%ortant for many body and brain
%rocesses"
7ry to identify any aergies that are triggering the urticaria" Skin %rick tests and Ig5
bood tests can he% find aergens" I;ve seen cases where %eo%e have suffered for
years without knowing they had aergies to nicke in $ewery or herbs in otion & even
wedding rings, gasses, or favorite %erfume may have to go" 6emoving the triggers are
much better for the body than taking drugs indefinitey" < s%eciaist shoud be abe to
he% determine if the urticaria re%resents a dee%er issue ike systemic mastocytosis" <
technica %a%er on urticaria is avaiabe at0
htt%0CCwww"biomedcentra"comCcontentC%dfC1710:1AO2:7:S1:SO"%df
4ood uck"
Dara
December 7, 201H at 120A7 %m
I wi be greatfu if anybody coud suggest me how to sto% the reease of /istamines
%ermanentyI"n aso woud ike to know how ong does +rticaria %ersistsI""because
I am suffering this from 10 monthsII
admin
December R, 201H at E0HA %m
I woud first rue out indoor aergies with chronic sinus infections" /istamine is %art
of the aergy:infammatory res%onse in an airborne aergy, but the origina trigger is
the aergen" I e!%erienced severa years of chronic sinusitis over a decade ago, and the
ony soution that worked was the diigent ceaning of inens and bedcovers with hot
soa%Cwater" (f course, this was after ruining my gut with every ty%e of antibiotic on
the market' 7he aergen 2dust mites in my case3 wi cause the )histamine bucket* to
fi, and additiona high histamine foodsCbeverages wi cause it to overfow and
%roduce sym%toms" Dungus is aso a common indoor aergen" Gou must identify and
eiminate the aergens that kee% your histamine bucket fu'
/ave you tried a skin %rick test=
4enn 4roh
December R, 201H at 201O %m
I have suffered from Chronic Sinusitis for years, and it %rogressivey gets worse, a
significant increase in drainage and coughing" I began getting sinus infections after the
ChristmasC>ew Gears hoidays 2drinking more acoho than usua3" So, I assumed it
was due to histamines, but never reai#ed that histamines are aso in foods, %ossiby in
medicines, and %ossiby in vitamins" I have seen H different 5>7s and they sim%y say
we do not know the cause of Chronic Sinusitis, but with my history I sus%ect it to be
histamines"
Coud you %ease comment=
?eah
>ovember 2O, 201H at A02M am
I;ve suffered from acute intestina %ain foowed by nausea and vomiting, off and on
for five years" ?ast night was the first time in a ong time" 7he doctors I;ve seen have
gone between )we have no idea* to )it;s IBS*" I was sure that it;s something more"
<fter a %articuary heinous e%isode ast night I;m once again scouring D6" 4ooge to
find answers" I suddeny decided to ook u% histamine res%onse in the sma intestine"
I;m %retty sure that is what I have going on" >ow to figure out why" 7hanks for the
insight"
admin
>ovember 20, 201H at O00M %m
4reat seuthing, 8im" Some issues are dee%y com%icated" .y first 9uestion is & have
you tested for a %ossibe aergens= Constant e!%osure to something, even if it;s a bit
of nicke on a watch or mint in tooth%aste can eevate histamine and create a constant
batte for certain individuas" It is the first, most im%ortant ste% in tacking the dee%er
imbaances" 7he nutritiona su%%ort hasn;t been strong enough to overcome aergy in
my 2imited3 e!%erience, but it does strengthen the body for accidenta e!%osure"
7he methyation %rocess you mention is at the core of the histamine %robem, and
demands a much more technica re%ort' .ethyation re%airs D><, assists in
deto!ification, and %ays %rotective roes in brain function and infammation" Beo%e
who have high histamine eves may be genetic undermethylators, eading to troubes
with do%amine, serotonin, and reated %sychoogica sym%toms" 7he .7/D6 gene
mutation is %retty common, so it;s no sur%rise that %eo%e strugge with these
conditions"
S"D" .oyer %ut together a great artice on this0
htt%0CC$dmoyer"comC2011C0OC0HCb:vitamins:mood:and:methyation:its:com%icatedC
< %harmacy in <ustraia describes ty%ica treatment for histadeia with higher doses of
cacium, magnesium, vitamin BR, C, #inc, and methionine" 7hey suggest imiting foic
acid, manganese, and foods high in histidine 2meats3"
I read conficting information about the use of foic acid, %robaby due to the
differences in the different forms of the B vitamins" 7he methyated B vitamins a%%ear
to be recommended for undermethyators" If the B vitamins aren;t methyated, they
re9uire methyation in the body which burdens the undermethyators, %ossiby
worsening sym%toms" .ethyated B12 woud be isted as hydroycobalamin or
methylcobalamin"
It may be im%ortant to avoid fortified foods ike cereas that may have some of these
non:methyated vitamins" 7he best way to consume more foate is through green eafy
vegetabes" Bersonay, I have e!%erienced aggravated sym%toms by using B vitamins,
but I have not used the methyated versions and am eager to try them"
I have aso not seen any su%%ort for niacin a%%ied to undermethyation" In fact, niacin
is known to raise histamine eves which may e!%ain why you aren;t getting the
resuts yet"
I woud guess that undermethyators are e!tremey sensitive to to!ins and may e!hibit
behavior changes due to e!%osure and consum%tion" 8ee%ing a heath $ourna wi he%
determine %atterns with sym%toms and triggers" +ndermethyators may aso show
signs of Candida overgrowth more than others" 7he Candida treatment woudn;t hurt,
though it grows back rather 9uicky with a few %i##as and cookies" Dr" ?ynch %osted a
great artice on treating methyation by reducing Candida and im%roving the gut" /e
su%%orts the use of methyated B vitamins and BR" I think an e!tremey strict diet
avoiding corn syru%Csoda, sugar, and wheat:based %roducts is essentia for
undermethyators who may aso suffer from gut bacteria %robems" <nd avoiding
known aergens is essentia'
I woud take a ook at Damian <e!ander;s %rotoco for taking S<.e with the %ro%er
methyated B vitamins" I aso have seen im%rovement in my son;s attitude and skin
conditions by daiy oi %uing with e!tra virgin coconut oi" 2Swish 1 tbs% first thing
in the morning, s%it out after 1E minutes3" /igh 9uaity fish oi can he% with interna
infammation and %robiotics he% break down histamine"
8ee% me %osted on the %rogress'
:Shari Cheves
8im
>ovember 1O, 201H at 1201A am
I think I have stumbed on to another factor in histamine intoerance" .y son has been
suffering from de%ression for 2 years and I have recenty figured out that the
de%ression is caused by histamine" I have ong known that it was reated to a eaky gut
and that ,itamin C in arge 9uantities he%ed im%rove his sym%toms, but ony for a
short whie"
I woud ike to suggest that histamine intoerance is often caused by
D?+C7+<7I(>S in histamine" During the day more histamine is being %roduced
than at night, either by gut bacteria being fed %roteins or by food sensitivities, both of
which are caused by gut dysbiosis" I have discovered that I can eiminate my son;s
sym%toms by giving him high eves of B12 and foate, which are needed in order to
recyce S<.e, the methy donor for histamine > methytranferase, which degrades
histamine, as you state in your artice" But after a day or two the su%%ements no
onger work & so what is ha%%ening= I woud suggest that the fuctuations in histamine
are causing fuctuations in eves of avaiabe S<.e, with the S<.e eves shooting
u% during the night when ess histamine is being %roduced" Since high S<.5 eves
inhibit the %roduction of the en#ymes which recyce S<.e, .7/D6 and methionine
synthase1, S<.e %roduction becomes inhibited during the %art of the night whie
S<.e eves are high" 7he changes in the amounts of en#ymes to make S<.e a%%ear
to take over a day for a significant change" 7his creates a situation where S<.e eves
are ow during the day, making it im%ossibe to degrade enough histamine when eves
are high, because S<.e %roduction cannot be ad$usted 9uicky enough" 7his is why
su%%ements to increase S<.e recycing ony work for a day or two & the amount of
time it takes the body to ad$ust the amount of the en#ymes that recyce S<.e"
-e are working on figuring out how to overcome this %robem, by taking niacinamide
to create a buffer or by taking oi of oregano and actoferrin to create die off to kee%
histamine eves u% at night, but athough it is he%ing we sti haven;t got the resuts
we want 9uite yet" If you have any suggestions I woud be interested in hearing them"
8im
1" S" D" Dinkestein 7he metaboism of homocysteine0 %athways and reguation, 5ur S
Bediatr 21OOM3 1E7 WSu%% 2X 0SA0&SAA
admin
>ovember 1A, 201H at 1101E %m
4reat contribution' .edications can certainy trigger histamine reease, and there
seems to be some connection with 6?S for certain cases" /istamine a%%ears to make
things worse or better with 6?S which makes it tough to draw concusions" <s
mentioned before, 6?S is most strongy inked to iron deficiency in the brain"
+nfortunatey I cannot find any research connecting iron imbaance with histamine
reease or mast ce conditions, though iron deficiency may actuay reate to
undetected food intoerances and subse9uent maabsor%tion"
I have %eriodicay e!%erienced restess egs during the day since I was a teenager" It
has never been a %robem at night, but there is a 10:R0F subset of 6?S %atients with
daytime sym%toms" Interestingy, I seem ony susce%tibe at times of my monthy
cyce when I crave iron:rich foods" 7he condition is aso worse with ess %hysica
activity 2and more research3"
I strongy advise additiona aergy tests for metas, additives, and medications &
%articuary the ones in your %robem drugs" Do!ycycine and cefadro!i contain
%ossibe aergens ceuose and %oyethyene gyco 2B543" Do!ycycine and
nortri%tyine contain coorings, with do!ycycine incuding auminum:based coors"
>ortri%tyine contains notorious sodium aure sufate 2S?S3 and %arabens" 5ven
Benadry contains B54" B54 and S?S are 9uite common in the cosmetics, soa%,
detergent that you %reviousy identified"
?et us know what you find & and kee% u% the good work avoiding environmenta
triggers"
Batrice
>ovember 1A, 201H at A0HM %m
7hank you for a the current info on histamine, this is a great artice'
6egarding 4ene;s 9uestion about 6?S" .y 6?S is triggered by mast ce activation
syndrome 2.C<S3 s%ecificay tied to consuming foodsCdrinkCmedication that I have
recenty become )aergic* to though a my tests are nirma, a skin %rick Ig5 tests
are negative and mast ce try%tase eves are a beautifu A"E" I have that diagnosis
directy from nationa mast ce e!%ertCguru, Dr" Castes, of Brigham and -omen
<fter many nights of anay#ing and testing mysef 2I have a background in a%%ied
functiona science3 what seems to ha%%en is that when the mast ces cosest to the
nerves in the ower umbarCsacrum are triggered they degranuate en masse causing
overwheming and im%aired nerve messaging into rhe egs resuting in a those weird
sensations"
I have successfuy sto%%ed my steadiy increasing 6?S through diet, carefu contro
of environmenta triggers ike medications, chemicas 2think make u%, hand otion,
soa%s which are a huge triggers3 and by using a heavy combo of Benedry and
Caritin 2Benedry is the heavyweight key3" < ow histamineCtyramine diet as
described by htt%0CCwww"mastocytosis"ca %ays a significant roe as we as using the
mast ce stabii#er Cromoyn Sodium aka 4astrocrom 2A vias A times a day3 as we
as taking a daiy /1 inhibitor 2?oratidineCCaritin3 and increasing ,itamin D to
E,000iu which kee%s me at norma eves" ,itamin su%%ementation seems to aso be
im%ortant"
.edications and their fiers %ay a huge roe as triggering agents for my 6?S" I take
very ow dose nortri%tyine and finay figured out that the coorfu ca%sue she was a
trigger whie the medication itsef was fine" <s of yesterday, I hadn;t had a night of
6?S for about 2 months and thought I was )cured*"" /aha""definitey not so"
Gesterday I woke u% to find a tick having breakfast on me and after removing it took
200mg of do!ycycine 2we ive in a high ?yme disease area3" ?ast night I had a
humbing e!%erience, it seems that my )cured* 6?S was $ust taking a na% waiting for
another idea o%%ortunity to visit"
< year ago I had my first sur%rise ana%hya!is occurrence with Cefadro!i when I
deveo%ed ceuitis from a bee sting 2I have never been aergic to anything, never
even had hay fever3 so do!y seemed ike a safe aternative to %eneciin" >o%e, guess
not'' I had to take megadoses of Benedry and another 2A hour ?oratidine which
finay sto%%ed the overa itching and cra#y making 6?S so I coud get to see%"
-e are a different but I can;t be the ony one who sees and e!%eriences such a cear
reationshi% between histamines etc reeased by degranuating mast ces and 6?S and
how by reducing histamine oad we significanty reieve 6?S"
admin
>ovember 1H, 201H at 70EM %m
I reate to this story because I had a simiar reaction to %rogesterone cream a%%ied
behind the knees as we as an herbay medicated bandage" In both cases, the itching
continued for weeks, and the skin %reviousy under the bandage a%%eared swoen and
burned for a month" I woud not take antihistamines but used cod %acks and a
homeo%athic cream caed Dorasone to tem%orariy ease the itch" See%ing was a
nightmare"
Demae se! steriod hormones do ater the activity of mast ces which reease
histamine" Dor e!am%e, asthma 2an aergic, autoimmune condition3 is known to
worsen around the menstrua cyce, and %ostmeno%ausa women taking hormone
re%acement thera%y are more at risk for deveo%ing asthma" /ere is a great %a%er
describing the hormone:mast ce reationshi% that we have ony $ust started to
recogni#e"
7he reease of histamine during surgery with anaesthesia has been baffing doctors for
decades" 7his %a%er from the O0s indicates that significant reactions to anesthesia were
not uncommon" < more recent %a%er describes the range of severe reactions & from
mast:ce controed to Ig5:antibody controed reactions during and after surgery"
Surgery heightens the immune res%onse which can be troubing in certain individuas,
and our ack of research and guideines in this area is even more frustrating'
It is interesting that one research %a%er recommended that %eo%e who e!%erience
ana%hyactic reactions need to wait H:A weeks before undergoing skin tests, though
there is no cear e!%anation for this" <s I mentioned in a %revious %ost, Ig5 antibodies
to an aergen may ony ast hours roaming freey in the bood %asma, but once they
attach to mast ces, it coud be weeks or months'
I woud imagine that many sensitive %atients might e!%erience different aergic:
immune res%onses that hy%ersensiti#e the body for weeks or months" I am not aware
of any treatment to %revent aergic reactions to the numerous chemicas, drugs,
metas, and other materias introduced to the body during surgery" /owever, I
encourage everyone to undergo aergy testing for as many of these %otentia triggers
as %ossibe & many weeks before a schedued surgery" -e need %roactive %oicies in
%ace to %revent these %otentiay fata and certainy ife:atering reactions"
Brobiotics shoud he% reduce mast ce activity" Bee %ro%ois 2%owder from ca%sues3
a%%ied as a soothing %aste 2mi!ed with a hy%oaergenic cream or oi base3 has been
highy effective for caming my recent skin reactions" I have not taken %ro%ois
internay for reducing histamine or mast ce degranuation, but research is ooking
very %romising'
4aene
>ovember 12, 201H at E0AR am
I have been des%eratey searching for the cause of my systemic itching and ha%%ened
u%on this site" I have been on >a%ro!en B6> for a cou%e of years1 take Nyrtec 21C2
tab3 B6> for runny nose, watery eyes V snee#ing1 I occasionay take Su%er B
Com%e! V B 12 subingua dots E00mcg 2I take A when I take them&2000mcg3"
I had a hysterectomy 1 month ago" Brior to the surgery my surgeon had me sto% my
>a%ro!en V take Ceebre! short term for a few days %rior to surgery and a few days
%ost o%" <s a side note I do fee i was overmedicated with anesthesia and had a very
hard time waking u% and was very groggy even for severa days after surgery" I had a
sco%aamine %atch on to %revent nausea which I took off a cou%e of days %ost o%" 2I
fet it coud have been contributing to my continued drowsiness3" (n the Ath day %ost
o% I started wearing an estrogen %atch which I %ut on twice a week" 7wo weeks %ost
o% about H0 min to 1 hour after %utting on my Eth estrogen %atch I started itching a
across my abdomen a few inches above where the %atch was" 7his aso coincided with
me getting very briefy an!ious and scared that something had ha%%ened to one of our
daughters 2which was unfounded3"
(ver the ne!t severa days the itching continued and woud move around" It woud
start where I coud fee sma %in%oint bum%s and after I woud scratch I woud turn
bright red and had wets" Initiay this was mosty trunk and u%%er e!tremities but aso
was on the %ams of my hands and the soes of my feet"
I s%oke to %harmacist who said I shoud not be aergic to 5strogen but coud be the
adhesive on %atch and to remove which I did" AM hours ater sti had very intense
itching and was having to use Benadry or started back on Nyrtec to reieve itching"
<fter a week of this miserabe ordea I saw my Dr" who had me sto% a medications
e!ce%t Nyrtec B6> 2which by the way I use a generic -agreens brand3 and he %ut me
on a Steroid 7a%er" I saw my Dr" 1 week ago tomorrow" 7he Steroid ta%er is
com%eted and I am sti itching" 7he #yrtec contros the sym%toms the best as o%%osed
to Benadry or C/or tabs" /owever, I have seen some bogs that %eo%e itch
des%eratey when )coming off* Nyrtec" <fter taking a 2A hour Nyrtec 21C2 tab Y Emg3
it usuay works we and usuay about 12 hours after time I coud have taken another
one I start itching bad again"
I $ust now broke down and had to take E0mg Benadry because I was so red,
infammed V ithing a over my breasts, around my a!ia, and arms"
I am des%erate for an answer as to what might be going on with me" I fee it has to do
with the surgery and woud ike to know what I can do about it"
<n!iousy awaiting some good answers"
4aene ."
admin
>ovember M, 201H at R02E %m
7hanks for your in9uiry" Bease consider sharing your resuts of treatment if you are
diagnosed with mastocytosis or histamine intoerance" 7here seems to be a fair number
of sufferers who sus%ect mastocytosis or mast ce activation syndrome behind
histamine intoerance" .astocytosis can be detected through bone marrow or skin
tests, though there may not aways be high eves of histamine %resent" Itchy
sym%toms are common with eevated histamine, so you may want to tak to the doctor
about ways to reduce your histamine e!%osure as a management techni9ue" 7he first
ma$or ste% in reducing histamine invoves testing for s%ecific aergies and
aggressivey reducing e!%osure" If you have noticed that high histamine foods are
making things worse, it makes sense to avoid these unti the condition is we under
contro"
Doods .atter is a great resource describing aergies, foods and their interactions"
Goanda Dores
>ovember E, 201H at A0ER %m
7hank you for this artice" I am seeing an immunoogist ne!t week and am going to
discuss my sym%toms that I beieve to be very %ossiby histamine intoerance" .y
body constanty itches, many foods infame the itching and a burning sensation
throughout, stuffy nose, $oint %ain, etc" etc" I aso know I have bad aergies to the
outdoors and dust mites" <t first it was thought that I had a neuroogica %robem, but
every test has come back negative 2sti %ossibe3" -hat I find frustrating is that
different sites ist different foods to avoid" Is there a site that you woud recommend
that is most accurate regarding food avoidance"
(ne other thought, is it %ossibe that Systemic .astocytosis and /istamine Intoerance
are intertwined=
it
>ovember 1, 201H at 201O am
.ary Scott
I use C/(B<>I it has severa the bacteria discussed here I make fruit smoothies with
it every morning and I have been hive free"
admin
(ctober 22, 201H at E020 %m
I agree that there are some missing inks between histamine and 6?S" 6esearch
%ro%oses that histamine:based stimuation is needed to %revent 6?S sym%toms"
/istamine aso he%s kee% us awake & the do%amine connection"
It a%%ears that our biggest cue with 6?S is iron deficiency which aso associates with
histamine:based hy%erres%onsiveness" In two recent %a%ers, iron su%%ementation
reduced sym%toms, but this treatment shoud be carefuy su%ervised by a medica
%rofessiona" Interestingy, !. pylori infections ink to iron:deficiency anemia and
deserve more research as unsus%ecting triggers in 6?S" .ast ces in the gut he% fight
bacteria and %arasites and histamine is reeased in the %rocess" >ew research suggests
that !. pylori stimuates the reease of histamine which, in turn, might activate a
certain set of nerves" 7his %rocess actuay contributes to ow bicarbonate %roduction
and %e%tic ucer formation"
7here are many gastrointestina conditions that may ead to iron deficiency and
theoreticay 6?S in some cases" 7here may be bacteria overgrowth in the sma
intestines in many 6?S cases that ead to other bacteria growth and iron deficiency"
?ike so many other conditions, we need to dive dee%er to identify the triggers of
sym%toms" /ere is the best review %a%er I found0 6estess ?eg Syndrome &
mechanisms" ?et me know if you have any success with 6?S by investigating gut and
minera imbaances"
4ene
(ctober 2, 201H at 1000A %m
I;ve gotta got through this more in:de%th, but what an e!ceent artice'
I;m a ong:time sufferer of severe %rimary 6?S, to the %oint that it is essentiay ife:
atering" -e have an assortment of meds to he% us but nothing is more than )/ere, try
this*" 7his incudes 4<B< agents ike >eurontin and /ori#ant, do%amine agonists,
and o%iods" Some work for some %eo%e, some for others, some can make the
sym%toms worse in many cases" 7here is aso evidence that suggests high gutamate
activity e!acerbates our sym%toms" It seems ike there is a missing ink in the research,
in that it;s %ossibe a number of conditions coud set of the sym%toms" 7hen I read the
artice inked beow that seems to im%icate histamine in 6?S, and further research
suggests histamine has a reationshi% with do%amine activity and 4<B<Cgutamate
baance= <ny thoughts=
htt%0CCwww"medicanewstoday"comCreeasesC12O7ME"%h%
admin
(ctober 1, 201H at 20HM %m
Intestina %ermeabiity increases within 2A hours of taking the >S<IDs, but the
duration of change and %otentia %ermanent damageCimmune ateration is uncear and
definitey different based on underying conditions" Dor e!am%e, IBS %atients had a
more negative res%onse to >S<IDs than heathy sub$ects" It is not cear when
%ermeabiity starts & if it;s before the drug or acoho damage or after" >ew studies on
animas show that air %oution can aso increase gut %ermeabiity, so it;s not $ust what
we eat" Dor a more in:de%th ook at %ermeabiity and ways to nutritionay su%%ort it,
%ease review my re%ort )>utritiona 7hera%y for 4astric Bermeabiity"*
<nne
Se%tember H0, 201H at 1201H %m
7hanks so much for res%onding to my comments" /ow ong does the increased gut
%ermeabiity from as%irin and >S<IDs ast= <re there %ermenant changes to the gut
or is it transitory=
In res%onse to the ast comment, interestingy enough, I am aso taking ?amicta and
have been taking it reguary for a number of years" I wi think twice before I ever
decide to reduce the med'