High histamine levels are caused by consuming too many histamine-rich foods, reduced ability to break it down (DAO enzyme deficiency), gut dysbiosis, certain medications, allergies, or mast cell issues like MCAS, all leading to histamine buildup from diet, microbes, or overactive immune cells overwhelming the body's systems.
Some foods contain large amounts of histamine. These include foods that involve an aging or fermentation process like wine, beer and cheeses. Other foods can cause your mast cells to release histamine (histamine liberators). Both of these types of foods can cause excess amounts of histamine in your body.
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).
Allergens in the Sleep Environment: Dust mites, pet dander, and mold in bedding or pillows can activate mast cells, leading to histamine release. Dietary Triggers: Eating histamine-rich foods (e.g., aged cheeses, fermented foods, alcohol) close to bedtime can overload the body's histamine tolerance.
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.
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.
The most common symptoms are rash, flushing, headache, and diarrhea. Less common symptoms include abdominal cramps, blurred vision, cold-like sensation, dizziness, nausea, sweating, and tachycardia. Severe reactions cause angioedema, tongue swelling, respiratory distress, cardiac arrest, and death.
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.
Dysbiosis, leaky gut, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) can impair DAO production and lead to histamine buildup. Nutrient Deficiencies: DAO enzyme function depends on certain nutrients, particularly vitamin B6, copper, and vitamin C. Deficiencies in these nutrients can exacerbate histamine intolerance.
Mast cells release histamine in response to a number of stimuli, including mechanical stimulation, anaphylatoxins formed from complement, and certain neuropeptides.
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.
Yes, magnesium helps regulate mast cell activity and can reduce histamine release. Does B12 stabilize mast cells? Yes, vitamin B12 supports nervous system health and may help stabilize mast cells, especially in MCAS patients with neurological symptoms.
Opiates have long been known to cause the release of histamine from mast cells, resulting in several undesirable effects, such as hypotension, urticaria, pruritus, and tachycardia. The mechanism of this opiate response has remained unclear, although it is known to be non-immunological in nature.
Under your skin. Near blood vessels and lymph vessels. In nerves. In your lungs and intestines.
There is currently no cure for histamine intolerance. The key to success is for the patient to learn to adjust to a low-histamine diet and manage the condition(s) until it either goes away, or for life.
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.
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.
Some foods that are higher in histamine can exacerbate certain gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms or conditions. If you have a suspected histamine intolerance, your clinician might suggest following a low histamine diet to investigate.
This article describes the eight best natural antihistamines and looks at the science behind them.
Histamine levels are another potent downstream target. Allergic symptoms exacerbate during nighttime and plasma histamine levels exhibit nocturnal peaks. In mastocytosis patients, peak levels of plasma histamine were observed in the early morning with the lowest in the afternoon (19).
Under normal circumstances your GP should be able to make a diagnosis, or send you to the right medical department that could investigate further.
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).
A histamine dump can feel like sudden skin flushing, a rapid heartbeat, intense itching, or a headache. These symptoms can be distressing and may come on quickly, especially at night.
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.