Histamine Intolerance: 14 Facts You Need to Know
Genes Mentioned
Contents
- #1. Histamine is a neurotransmitter
- #2. Histamine is released from mast cells
- #3. Excess histamine causes food poisoning
- #4. One percent of people suffer from histamine intolerance
- #5. Seasonal allergies can contribute to histamine intolerance
- #6. Histamine intolerance has a genetic component
- #7. Histamine intolerance can cause gut issues
- #8. Our microbiome can produce histamine
- #9. NSAIDs may aggravate histamine intolerance
- #10. Alcohol makes histamine intolerance worse
- #11. All food has histamine
- #12. Freshness of food is key
- #13. Elimination diets can be easier than you think
- #14. Stress can histamine intolerance worse
- Key Takeaways
As evidenced by this excellent paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, histamine intolerance is a condition that is starting to gain more awareness in the medical community.
It’s a problem that can seriously degrade anyone’s quality of life. Based on my experience with histamine issues, and after our research team spent over 100 hours combing through all the relevant peer reviewed studies on histamine and histamine metabolism, there are 14 things we’d like you to know about this condition.
It is our team’s hope that the information in this post will help anyone battling through this difficult time, but before we get started, some words of optimism.
First, it is possible to get a handle on histamine intolerance, it may not be easy, but with a personalized approach it can be conquered.
Next, and this is crucially important – do not fear the fridge! Histamine intolerance is bigger than food. Ultra restrictive diets with 100 foods to avoid aren’t the solution long term. In order to be healthy, you must eat. This doesn’t mean that low histamine diets can’t help, but food isn’t the whole story, there are multiple factors that contribute to histamine overload.
With those preliminary notes out of the way, let’s get into the list.
#1. Histamine is a neurotransmitter
Yes, that is correct, no one is actually “histamine intolerant,” we all need histamine, it’s an essential neurotransmitter. 1 However, as with anything, too much of a good thing can cause problems. Each of us has a histamine bucket. As our bodies make histamine, and as we ingest it in food, it is cleared by an enzyme known as diamine oxidase. When more histamine accumulates than our diamine oxidase levels can handle, symptoms begin which leads to the condition known as “histamine intolerance.”
#2. Histamine is released from mast cells
We can eat histamine, our brains use histamine, and the immune system also releases histamine from a special class of cells, called mast cells. Think of mast cells as the military sentinels of the immune system.
When these cells see a foreign invader, like a virus, or allergen, they react by “degranulating” and releasing cytokines that can seek out and kill the invader. Histamine is released from mast cells as part of this process. It acts as a vasodilator to facilitate blood flow to injury sites in the body.
The key thing to understand when experiencing histamine intolerance is that mast cells can become chronically irritated, causing the near constant release of histamine. We need mast cells for a properly functioning immune system, but they also need rest. When bacteria, an environmental toxin, or an allergy continuously trigger mast cells, the resulting cytokine activity can start to cause tissue damage. Increased levels of tissue damage leads to chronic inflammation.
Based on the commonly reported symptoms of histamine intolerance, it probably won’t come as a big surprise that mast cells are found in greatest numbers at the site of mucous membranes: skin, nose, throat, gut, lungs, and bladder.
In a very real sense, the quest to get over histamine intolerance is the quest to discover what is irritating the immune system and to remove it from the equation. Histamine intolerance can also be misdiagnosed as mast cell activation disorder.
#3. Excess histamine causes food poisoning
You may have heard the expression – “the dose makes the poison.” If you have one bourbon, you have a great time. If you have the whole bottle, you end up in the hospital. The same principle applies to dietary histamine. At a high enough dose, every one of us is histamine intolerant, as large doses of histamine cause food poisoning.
#4. One percent of people suffer from histamine intolerance
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition estimates that 1% of the population suffers from histamine intolerance and 80% of those patients are middle-aged. Because the symptoms of histamine intolerance overlap with many other conditions, struggles with histamine often go undiagnosed. One possible way to catch a histamine intolerance is through inspection of a bug bite. Weird? Maybe, but when a “normal” bug bite swells out of control, it could be a sign that histamine levels aren’t where they should be in the body. If this is a normal occurance for someone, visiting a primary care physician might be a good next step to explore.
#5. Seasonal allergies can contribute to histamine intolerance
This factor is not discussed as much as it should be. Food gets all the attention, but histamine intolerance goes well beyond food. Allergy to the environment triggers the immune system to produce histamine, which starts to fill the histamine bucket.
Consider this quote from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
Underlying conditions for increased availability [of histamine] may be an endogenous histamine overproduction caused by allergies…
The production of histamine by air-borne allergens can unknowingly take up a large portion of the histamine bucket, leaving reduced wiggle room with food. This means that location alone can be a cause of histamine intolerance.
To this point, Dr. Janice Joneja wrote an excellent blog on the subject of histamine that everyone should read. This quote, in particular, stands out:
A person with histamine intolerance will typically experience a constant fluctuation in the signs and symptoms of histamine excess in response to changing conditions. For example, when a person is experiencing allergy to air-borne allergens such as seasonal pollens, the histamine released in the allergic response alone might put them into the symptom range. In such a case, avoiding histamine-associated foods will no longer relieve their symptoms because their total level of histamine will remain above their limit of tolerance. This explains the observation that during their “pollen allergy season” many people find themselves reacting to foods (usually histamine-rich foods) that they could normally eat with impunity.
#6. Histamine intolerance has a genetic component
An enzyme called diamine oxidase is responsible for cleaning up histamine in the gut. 2 The AOC1 genes are coded to make this important enzyme, but not everyone is born with the same enzyme activity, which makes some of us genetically more susceptible for developing histamine intolerance.
So as not to confuse the DAO enzyme with the DAO gene (which many online forums do) take a look at Aaron’s post: You say DAO, I say DAAO.
DAO breaks down “free histamine,” like the histamine found in the gut, while HNMT, another histamine gene, processes histamine in the cell.
Variants in the AOC1 genes have been associated with reduced DAO activity. For example, this Italian study found that 10 out of 14 patients with histamine intolerance had very low levels of serum DAO.
#7. Histamine intolerance can cause gut issues
Mast cells reside in large numbers in the gut, so a chronic allergic response paired with an inability to clear the histamine (due to reduced DAO) will irritate the gut over time.
Aaron’s research indicates that histamine issues often coincide with gut problems. Histamine, when chronically elevated in the gut, can cause an increase in zonulin, which is a protein shown to break apart the epithelial wall; the lining that keeps the contents of the gut from entering the bloodstream.
For more on gut health and histamine, take a look at the podcast episode we did on the subject.
Decreased DAO levels are linked to a number of inflammatory bowel conditions, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This small study, which evaluated tissue samples from the intestine of 20 patients struggling with Crohn’s, found that all of the patients had very low levels of DAO.
To make matters worse, many fermented foods, marketed for “gut repair,” are very high in histamine. Collagen is a bad one.
#8. Our microbiome can produce histamine
Changes to the flora in our guts may be a contributing factor to histamine intolerance, which is why some of us develop histamine problems after a severe infection and multiple rounds of antibiotics.
Small scale studies have shown that the microbiomes of those with histamine intolerance are altered in noticeable ways. Again, the studies aren’t enormous, but patients with histamine intolerance have been found to have elevated levels of Proteobacteria above what is considered normal. Proteobacteria are a type of microbe found commonly in disease states.
Further, healthy microbes in the gut, like many Bifidobacterium species can degrade histamine, while other unhealthy microbes, such as Escherichia, can produce histamine. 3
#9. NSAIDs may aggravate histamine intolerance
Certain variants in the AOC1 genes are associated not only with lower levels of diamine oxidase, but with NSAID allergy as well. The SNP in question is rs10156191.
Carriers of the T allele, which is also linked to lower DAO activity, are likely to have a hypersensitive reaction to NSAID drugs.
#10. Alcohol makes histamine intolerance worse
As we’ve established, one factor in the body’s ability to deal with histamine is genetic, however, lifestyle also plays an important role.
You may have read that alcohol degrades DAO activity, which further worsens histamine issues. This is a widely reported “fact” on the internet, but the evidence is limited. Having said that, drinking alcohol is not good for you under normal circumstances, but it’s especially bad if you are suffering from histamine intolerance.
Most alcohol, and especially beer and wine, is fermented and very high in histamine. If you’re looking for a drink to quickly fill and overflow the histamine bucket, it’s alcohol of any kind. Some people report success sticking to clear liquor rather than beers, wines, and liquors with more additives.
This study, which appeared in the Journal Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, evaluated the histamine levels of 28 wine intolerant subjects before and after drinking red wine. Within 30 minutes, 22 of the subjects saw their histamine levels sky rocket.
#11. All food has histamine
In some cases, especially when medical supervision is present, a low histamine diet can be just what the doctor ordered to help curb a problem with histamine intolerance. However, it’s important to recognize that almost all food has some histamine. Known as a “biogenic amine” histamine in food accumulates the longer food sits out, and is especially bad in aged and fermented foods. However, it is impossible to completely avoid dietary histamine.
#12. Freshness of food is key
A glass of wine at the end of the day is like a cup of coffee in the morning for some people. Necessary. So it may be upsetting to hear that red wine is a no go for those with unbalanced histamine levels. But why?? In part because it’s aged and fermented. Though these factors are what makes it delicious, it is also what makes it high in histamine. The same is true for:
- Leftovers
- Smoked meat and fish
- Deli meat
- Aged cheese
- Meal prep services
- Fish that is not fresh
- Avocado and banana
Any food given time to ripen or age will only increase in histamine the longer it sits out. Keeping an eye on the freshness of food is key if your goal is to defeat histamine intolerance.
#13. Elimination diets can be easier than you think
If the thought of cutting out 100 foods to adhere to a low histamine diet scares you, you’re not alone.
Even the list cited above seems rather large, doesn’t it? Well, if you want to experiment with food triggers, and go low histamine, start by cutting out the least nutrient dense foods and move on from there.
What does this look like?
It means ditching the condiments. Pickles, sauerkraut, ketchup, salsa. These foods are notoriously high in histamine, and although they are tasty, they confer very little in the way of nutrient density.
Next, eliminate alcohol, especially the heavily fermented variations. Additionally, and unfortunately, no more cold cuts, leftovers, aged cheese, and smoked salmon.
Oh, and take a break from coffee and tea. They are both histamine liberators, but more simply, they contain caffeine which increases cortisol. Most people with histamine issues need to balance stress as a first priority because…
#14. Stress can histamine intolerance worse
At the beginning of this post,the role that mast cells play in histamine intolerance was discussed. There are a myriad of factors that can trigger mast cells, but stress is one of them.
High stress environments will make a case of histamine intolerance worse. Consider this review by world renowned mast cell expert Dr. Theoharis Theoharides in which he discusses the stress response and its impact on the immune system.
For interested readers, we interviewed Dr. Theoharides on the podcast last year.
Key Takeaways
- Histamine intolerance is multifactorial – starting to react to food is a sign that some other upstream factor is amiss.
- Physical location plays a role in histamine intolerance.
- Ruling out mold toxicity and examining the health of the microbiome are worthwhile exercises when histamine intolerance strikes.
- Alcohol, antibiotics and NSAID drugs are kryptonite for those suffering from histamine intolerance.
- Some people are at a genetic disadvantage in clearing histamine.
Do you or Gene Food have a contact number? Also, important query: If DAO supplements are made from egg, is that not a conflict? Are not the whites suspect? Thanx for the answer in advance.
Hi John,
You write that you avoid “Most” cheese. What cheese do you eat? I have just started to lower histamine foods from my diet after checking every box for histamine intolerance. Unfortunately, there is no way I can sustain the diet. I have been eating fish and my diet is mostly plant based, however I like feta cheese in salad and well as plain yogurt. Just was hoping you could weigh in as you seem reasonable. Thanks Beth
Hey Beth,
Yes, as a general rule, I avoid all cow dairy and opt for goat and sheep dairy on occasion instead. I will have a goat milk yogurt every so often (once every couple weeks), and I also like feta cheese. For a rundown on how sheep and goat dairy differ from cow, this blog post is a good starting point: https://www.mygenefood.com/dairy-dangers-sheep-goat-dairy-healthier-cow-dairy/
At the end of the day though, the blogs and papers can only tell you how others reacted, not how you will react, so best to keep track of the foods that really get you and stay more lenient with nutrient dense food that your body needs and tolerates a bit better – usually plant foods, but not always. Overall though, I don’t eat much dairy. It definitely isn’t a staple of my diet.
Hope that helps and good luck.
John, I am curious why would you avoid cow dairy but not sheep goat one. The only difference IMHO is the type of protein A1 vs A2, but I would presume that difference would not have any difference on amine generation and consequent histamine intolerance. Am I wrong?
Hi John, I had a bunch of reactions to one of the new age Monoclonal Antibody medications. The clinic put me onto anti-histamine med. Turns out all MABs are cleared the same way. Next time, I’ll impliment your regime ahead of time. This issue affects a large and growing population of patients with severe conditions. It would be interesting to run a blog on this topic. Thanks.
Carl, thank you for the comment. We will do the research and get an MAB blog up in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.
Great article and site! Just stumbled upon it. Completely agree that histamine issues are larger than just food. I have heavy-duty pollen/mold allergies (confirmed by testing). Can definitely relate that at certain times of the year, like now in spring, it doesn’t take much to overflow my histamine bucket.
An issue that I don’t see mentioned very much is pollen cross-reactivity with food (and sometimes other pollens). Certain pollens cross-react with fresh fruits and vegetables; there are many charts online that list the cross-reactions. So, for example, when grass pollen is high, I avoid eating fresh tomatoes, melon, and bananas so I don’t overflow the histamine bucket. I’ve found that awareness to be super-helpful in keeping my symptoms under control.
Thanks so much for this excellent site!
Kathy, great comment. I have actually heard allergists mention this. Where can we find a good chart that shows all the cross pollinations?
John
Austin year round is a nightmare for me, not just spring.Nine years and no relief. I think I’d rather just move.
My Chase banker told me he knows 7 people in the last 6 months that have left Austin due to allergies. Probably the best city in America right now, but the allergies are brutal, I agree. August is a good month for me because everything burns off, expect the mold of course.
I think I’m dealing with *Glutamate sensitivity too. I have DAO+/- mutation, HNMT, MTHFR & others that affect histamine breakdown, but also mutations that block my ability to handle *glutamate. My holistic MD told me to even caution taking glutamine supplement. Shares the same pathway & a conversion link.
This post is also worth a glance: https://www.mygenefood.com/the-msg-in-your-supplements/
I really appreciate the levelheadedness in this article. I’m so glad that I came across it first, before looking for other information. I also have found that B5 can help quite a bit, as it supports the adrenal glands which are also a factor In suppressing histamine. Thanks again!
Hi John!
I tend to have GI issues with Vit C supps, and flushing/headache/swooning with Vit B supps. Is it possible to get a DAO supp without Vit C in it?
Thank you!
Kay
Hey Kay, the DAO I list in this post only has 10mg of Vitamin C, which is a very low dose. I am not aware of another DAO supplement on the market, but that’s not to say there isn’t one out there.
Xymogen has a DAO supplement, but you have to buy it from a Dr office. It’s not for sale online.
All DAO supps come from the same factory in Germany, different companies just affix their company labels.
There are a few brands out there that sell without vitC.
Hi John,
What a great read! I’ve been eating low histamine diet and really miss the old foods I can’t partake in right now.
I acquired CDiff months ago and have been on the road to recovery. I’m sure it was due to the back to back antibiotics I had to take for other health related issues, but the treatment for the CDiff I think finally did my gut flora in.
I think more western doctors need to know about the side effects caused by antibiotic (broad spectrum specifically) and work harder to educate their patients on other, dare I say, holistic approaches to treatment – instead of heading straight to the antibiotic shelf.
I have faith that my histamine tolerance will spring back after my gut heals. The tricky part has been – how to heal a gut while you’re histamine intolerant?
Traditional methods of collagen supplements or bone broth irritate the situation. Bad.
I’m taking the approach that it’ll just take time and unfortunately, I will not be able to utilize the leaky gut healing options normally suggested. Could I be wrong?
P.s. Your Austin allergy story hit home as my family is from S.A. I noticed I tolerated EVERYTHING better on my last visit to S.A. when I went in early March, instead of November.
Guessing Mountain Cedar?
Kathleen, thanks for the comment. It makes sense that collagen and bone broth are problematic as they are both high in histamine. I wrote a post about unconventional ways to heal the gut that you find useful: https://www.mygenefood.com/probiotics-arent-way-restore-healthy-gut-bacteria/
Another thing to talk to your doctor about is a mycotoxin panel as a positive test result there will help the two of you zero in on additional strategies. Have you tried S. boulardii?
And yes, sadly, central Texas is a major hotbed for allergies, people have no idea what it’s like until they experience firsthand!
Thanks for the reply John!
I was taking S.Boulardi until two weeks ago when I decided to take a break and switch to a probiotic with b.infantis, b.lactis, b.longum, and b.bifidum.
All are supposedly less harmful on a sensitive gut. My plan is to rotate between these two probiotics for biome diversity.
Heading over to your article on unconventional ways to heal the gut now.
If FMT is mentioned I won’t be calling you. Haha!
And thanks for the tip on mycotoxin.
Have a great weekend!
Oh my goodness – I feel the same. I feel as though I’ve accidentally given myself Histamine Intolerance whilst trying to heal my gut. I was consuming recommended amounts of certain foods daily – Apple cider Vinegar, avocados, bone broth, fresh fish, dried dates, olives, lots of vegetables, tomatoes, green tea… Plus I stopped eating gluten and dairy. And while my digestion got SO much better so quicky after years of struggling, from one day to the next I started getting a drippy nose, congestion in the sinuses, a tight chest like I can’t breath deep enough and it doesn’t seem to get better now no matter what I eat/don’t eat. What a minefield ! Any updates on your healing journey or has anyone experienced similar stuff ?
EXACTLY the same as me! I thought I was eating healthily! Now I can’t seem to eat anything! Nasal conjestion, can’t breathe, tight chest, redness in my face and eyes. 🙁
Fran! Everything you wrote is exactly what happened to me! Working on trying to heal the gut. But I do add i have CIRS and Lyme disease which adds to the insane pathways to navigate heading.
Exactly the same story with me!! I’ve been eating bone broth twice a day, lot’s of avocado’s, and collagen, along with all the others you mentioned thinking I was healing my gut issues!! UGHH…wow, this has been so eye opening and frustrating! That being said…I’ve learned a lot in the last few hours reading all of this, and will go to my Naturopath with my questions and tests I want in hand…crazy stuff! I was sure doing everything wrong..no wonder my allergies have been the worst ever lately!
I’ve always felt like taking nasal antihistamine spray has caused me a lot of brain fog. Do you think I should just muscle through seasonal allergies in order to maintain my mental acuity?
I’ve learned more than any doctor I’ve been to about my gut issue.
I’ve been having food intolerance problem since 10 years ago, in recent years to the degree I couldn’t eat any spices, including garlic, onion, ginger, soy sauce, etc. I’m going to use the supplements you recommended.. Thank you!
KP
Very interesting that you bring up Lion’s Mane – a supplement I love and rely on every day for an unrelated condition. I never would have connected it to being part of my worsening histamine intolerance. Thanks so much for mentioning it!
Glad that helped you Alyson. I have been amazed at how I react differently to some supplements based on where I am living.
Just now learning about histamine intolerance, I have bad environmental allergies and live in mid-florida (not a good combination).
Would you recommend starting with gut issues? Should I take DAO daily?
Any insight would be helpful.
Thank you,
David K.
Hey David,
Thanks for the comment. I’d start by seeing a good doctor who can test you for foods that you have an IGG reaction to, as well as an IGE panel of traditional allergens. Other than that, difficult to say without knowing more. Have you tried zero sugar for a few weeks?
Phew…what a confusing medical journey I have been on the past several months!! I have been diagnosed with chronic urticaria and angioedema. I have no history of allergies of any kind, went to my allergist and ruled out allergies as the cause of my full body hives and face swelling. If I don’t take an am and pm dose of antihistamines, I break out!! I drank excessive amounts of kombucha for about 2 years, I had sporadic hives (which I thought might have been bug bites) then someone gave me water Keifer grains and I started making my own water Keifer …a few days later boom…angioedema and hives!!! My theory is I have gut disbiosis, maybe sibo. Currently I am taking oregano oil and olive leaf oil for 2 weeks, adding a soil based probiotic ( one you mentioned above) I will buy the other mentioned to add more strains. I was taking quecetin complex with ester c by solgar but stopped because i was afraid it had stuff that aggravated the situation. I want to add something to heal my gut lining, any suggestions? Have you heard of Restore, any opinions? Everyone says they avoid foods that bother them but I am on a maintenance dose of antihistamines, so I don’t really react to anything. I have tried stopping the antihistamines and no matter what I eat within 24 hours I am a wreck a mess!!
Hey Eileen, my inclination is to take a smaller and smaller range of supplements, focusing in on the ones I know work for me. Prescript assist is good for me, but I cycle it, so I only take it about a week a month. I take B. Longum more often, but also cycle. I wrote about oil of oregano in this post on Candida. I don’t love it because it acts as an herbal broad spectrum antibiotic and will likely wipe out good bacteria with the bad. If you’re looking for a good supplement that is anti-microbial, but also promotes the body’s detox pathways, take a look at glucoraphanin / sulforaphane, and pycnogenol for an anti-fungal that also acts as an antioxidant. Restore is basically just glutamic acid, which I don’t like because some people have mutations in their GAD1 gene that prevent glutamic acid from effectively recycling into GABA. But ultimately, the best course is to work with a good doctor who can run the appropriate labs and get to the bottom of the situation.
Thanks John for responding so quickly! Finding a good functional doctor is part of the struggle. I will read more of your posts…very informative ☺️
This zinc post is also worth looking at.
Hi John, Read your article, found it to be very helpful to me. However, I have a quick question, could you please share with me what type of Vitamin C you use? Ascorbic acid seems to be the enemy for me, ugh!! Ive tried CamuCamu, its not helping. Appreciate your help, Thank you so much. Lori
Hey Loriann, I have been taking 365 Brand Vitamin C with Rose hips, which is ascorbic acid. I do know that calcium ascorbate is alkalizing and ascorbic acid is acidic, so perhaps you may tolerate calcium ascorbate better. Having said that, I usually stay away from calcium supplements due to the role calcium plays in excitoxicity, although admittedly, this is getting perhaps a bit too far down the rabbit hole.
Dear John, Thanks so much for your wise words. I’ve been stressing myself out and fearing the fridge after someone suggesting I may have sibbo and histamine intolerance. If you listen to all the blogs and food lists, your right you’d starve. Lucky for me my symptoms are not severe. Will increase meditations. The Diet Poem Conflicting dietary information has brought me to my knees, Paleo, anti histamine, or going gluten free? Who to trust and listen to, I think I’m going to sneeze! Perhaps a lemon water fast? Oh honey, pass the cheese.
Thanks for the comment Shauna, glad you found the post useful! Yes, I find focusing in on some core changes makes for a much more sustainable solution than obsessing over food lists that are often 100 foods long.
I find this very interesting. I recently had 23 and Me DNA testing, and have the ability to access the raw data. What specific genes can I look at to determine if I have a histamine issue? By no means am I a genetics expert, so please dumb it down lol. I can search by the specific name of the gene so hopefully there is one I can search! I also find it really interesting that meditation helps, any clue as to why? Also curious to hear what you think about the correlation between allergies and anxiety – do you think that is a histamine connection?
Katie, regarding allergies and anxiety, yes, there is a connection, which you can read about here. As far as genes to look at, take a look at AOC1, we have a few SNPs for that gene listed in our guide. Regardless of the condition, or genetic profile, stress isn’t good for us, period. Stress is thought to exacerbate conditions like histamine intolerance and Candida. Presumably calming the mind and bringing down cortisol levels helps keep histamine levels in check. For more on that, check out this study.
Katie;
Histamine intolerance can be caused by more than things than genes. I was diagnosed with a parasite in the fall 2017. I have had serious anxiety over the last few years and histamine intolerance symptoms. Since getting rid of the parasites, my anxiety has not completely abated, but is 80 percent less.
Getting tested for parasites may be a road you want to pursue. I recommend getting a Vega test. I was tested at my local hospital as well as through a Natural Path and the Natural Path’s Vega test was more detailed in it’s diagnosis.
Histamine symptoms are lessening as well as a slowly repair my gut health.
Hello- I’ve had multiple blood tests that proved nothing. My glands swell on each side of my face and glands under my chin. It’s histimines releasing and they can at any moment. Two years on low histimine foods and still no answers to causes. Frustrated. Any advice? Thanks!!
Hey Ally, wish I could help, but think your situation is above my pay grade, especially without much more information. I’d see an allergist if you haven’t already.
Hello !
I would like to know if there is any link between Ezetimibe and Diamine oxidase enzyme ? Thats the only medication I take and developed panick attacks ( adrenaline rush ) that did not go away for 3 months till I went on a low histamine diet now for 2 weeks and that helped a lot .
Thank you so much
Sammy
Sammy, poking around for a minute online this morning, I did seem to come across some literature that would indicate that Ezetimibe may have an impact on DAO levels, but nothing concrete I can link to yet. I am not familiar with that drug, but we will try to mention it in a future post, or update this one if we find a study.
Well, it is a possibility that this monoclonal antibody gives you and allergic response increasing your histamine levels if it shares part of the protein structure with some antigen that you are allergic to, pollen, dust mite feces, etc.
In particular dust mites are very potent allergens that people do not pay much attention to and the are everywhere in our houses specially if we like to have a comfortable temperature. They are a source of inflammation whether you are allergic or not !
If you are allergic to pollen there are many chances you are allergic to dust mites.
John,
l am just dipping my toe in the histamine ocean because of my daughter who seems to have chronic pelvic pain and aura without migraine. Yesterday we gave her an antihistamine which seemed to lift the aura caused by hayfever and perhaps more, and we started to look into migraine aura caused by histamine and possibly the cause of cpps as well! Thank you for your down to earth approach because my daughter had just said ‘well what can l eat?’ and l was starting to panic.
So if you think you have hayfever problems in Austin, come to Ireland in July when all the hay is being made!
Thanks John,
Siobhan.
Siobahn, thank you for the comment. I am glad my post could help in some small way. After starting to see an issue with histamine, my reaction was the same as your daughter’s! The lists are overwhelming, but not everyone will have issues with all histamine rich foods, and the same foods won’t necessarily bother us for our whole lives, that was the point of my blog.
What I am really into researching at the moment is the role of the gut, and also one’s physical location, in how they deal with histamine intolerance. I would be curious top find out whether your daughter’s histamine issues abate during certain seasons, or whether they are reduced in different locations, a mediterranean climate for example. I travel often, which is how I noticed my symptoms improving, and improving dramatically actually, in California. When one of the histamine producing factors are lessened, for example lower pollen count, it seems that there may be more room for food. This is confirmed by Dr. Janice Joneja’s work. Also true of gut health, if, for example, a condition like SIBO is producing lots of histidine. Even though they aren’t listed on traditional high histamine food lists, I have been also having good results avoiding grains. Last, I had no idea that Ireland could compete with Austin on the allergy front, I thought we were the allergy capitol! Thanks again for the comment and good luck!
Oh my gosh! I visited Dublin/Malahide last November. I thought I was going to die by the time got home. The mold is terrible! I was sick for 3 weeks.