Sudden histamine intolerance (HIT) often arises from a temporary or chronic deficiency of the DAO enzyme, which breaks down histamine, triggered by factors like certain medications (blood pressure, antidepressants), gut issues (IBD, SIBO), infections, stress, hormonal shifts (perimenopause), alcohol, and foods high in histamine or histamine liberators, leading to histamine buildup and allergy-like symptoms.
Researchers have attributed several reasons to this condition, such as genetic factors, alcohol, and dietary deficiencies, among other elements. Symptoms of histamine intolerance have been found to extend beyond the gastrointestinal tract and to the whole body, with these symptoms being sporadic and non-specific.
[3], HIT was often misdiagnosed as other diseases in the past (e.g., food allergy [4,5], irritable bowel syndrome [6,7], other food intolerance, celiac disease [8], eosinophilic gastroenteritis [9], urticaria, systemic mastocytosis [10], etc.).
Causes vary from person to person, although most are developed, rather than being something you are born with. Post COVID Histamine intolerance Some people develop histamine intolerance after contracting COVID. This is thought to be due to something called mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).
The symptoms of histamine intolerance can be classified into two types: Direct: migraines, migraines, abdominal bloating after eating, diarrhoea, muscle cramps, deregulation of secretions (saliva, tears, vaginal discharge), abortions and infertility, among others.
Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a very common and well-known nutrient to strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. Vitamin C is also required to produce the necessary enzymes for the process of histamine breakdown, making it a vital anti-histamine nutrient.
It is also possible to develop asthma-like symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, or bronchoconstriction (narrowing of breathing passages). Cardiovascular: In some cases histamine intolerance can cause low blood pressure that can in turn dizziness or fatigue.
Medical Conditions
Autoimmune disorders affect immune system function, which might lead to more histamine being released (11). Another condition causing elevated histamine levels is mastocytosis, rare disorder involving abnormal mast cell growth—the cells that make and store histamine (12).
Since histamine intolerance originates in the digestive system, improving gut health can enhance your natural ability to break down histamine. This process takes between 2 to 6 weeks (5).
Vitamin B 6: Often there is a deficiency
In studies and in practice, it was found that many affected people have histamine intolerance, a vitamin B6 deficiency. Some sources state that vitamin B6 is required for the synthesis of the enzyme dao and is involved in the breakdown process of histamine.
The American Academy of Allergy and Immunology doesn't currently recognize histamine intolerance as a condition. It's a controversial issue. Some experts suggest that if your body can't break down histamine as well as it should, it can build up in your body and cause symptoms.
Histamine-induced anxiety can feel like restlessness, a racing heart, palpitations, or a sense of unease.
Cutaneous mastocytosis can be diagnosed by the appearance of the patient's skin and confirmed by counting the number of mast cells appearing in a skin biopsy. To diagnose systemic mastocystosis, often a bone marrow biopsy is performed. Sometimes, the diagnosis is made in biopsies of other sites, like the intestine.
People with mastocytosis have an increased risk of developing a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction. This is known as anaphylaxis. The increased risk of anaphylaxis is caused by the abnormally high number of mast cells and their potential to release large amounts of histamine into the blood.
Many people believe they experience a “histamine dump.” This phenomenon usually happens at night when your body releases a sudden surge of histamine. A histamine dump can interrupt your sleep and cause headaches, flushing, itching, anxiety, and a racing heart.
If you are experiencing symptoms of high histamine, taking proactive steps to improve your gut health may just reduce those symptoms and discomfort. Targeted dietary changes, stress management and lifestyle adjustments, can all contribute to a healthy gut microbiome and reduce histamine intolerance symptoms.
An intolerance to histamine is thought to be due to a lack of an enzyme called diamine oxidase. In this Factsheet you will find the most common foods that may be a problem to someone with a histamine intolerance and how best to go about identifying and eliminating problem foods.
That would be for example a gastroenterologist if you have stomach or bowel problems, a dermatologist if you have skin problems, an allergologist or an immunologist, because they need to make sure that you don't have any other illness.
Holistic histamine management: The combination of copper, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 works synergistically to support the body's natural histamine balance.
When your estrogen levels rise, you release more of your own histamine. Histamine then stimulates your ovaries to release more estrogen - thus setting off a vicious cycle. In addition, estrogen stops your DAO from working well. If you are intolerant to histamine, you will not tolerate your own estrogen very well.
A sufficient magnesium supply can therefore help relieve the symptoms of histamine intolerance. A sufficient magnesium supply also promotes muscle relaxation, regulates blood sugar levels and plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and cell division.
Here are some foods that are low in histamine:
Non-citrus fruits like apples, blueberries, mangoes, peaches, pomegranates, and more. Avoid grapefruit, lemon, lime, and orange. Non-dairy milk like almond, coconut, or hemp. Fresh vegetables; avoid tomato, avocado, eggplant, squash, and spinach.
High histamine levels are often caused by a deficiency in the enzyme DAO, which helps to break down histamine.
Individuals with histamine intolerance often present with a constellation of neuropsychiatric symptoms, including:
So if you suffer from histamine intolerance, you should prefer calmer sports such as strength training, Pilates or yoga. Interesting fact: Cardio training releases histamine and other inflammation substances, but the effect only takes temporary (up to 72 hours).