What is histamine intolerance?

Do you feel like you can't eat anything without a negative reaction? Do you experience frequent and unexplained symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, or sinus issues? Do you have the impression that ever single food is causing you problems?

I get it. I experienced this too. I remember reacting to all sorts of foods, many of them healthy. I cut them out but then continued to have problems with them. Many of these foods were healthy foods which I loved.

It wasn’t until I started to get to the root of the problem that I was able to eventually start re-introducing foods again without any problems.

I suffered from histamine intolerance which was exacerbated by a damaged gut, infections, and dysbiosis. Though histamine intolerance can be a cause of many digestive issues and systemic symptoms, ultimately it comes down to healing your gut in order to properly heal and tolerate foods again.

What is histamine?

Histamine is a chemical that is produced naturally by the body to mediate an inflammatory cascade in response to an allergen.

It has many functions in the body including:

• supporting digestion by triggering stomach acid production

• working as a neurotransmitter and chemical messenger by carrying messages to the brain and between nerves

• wound healing

• acting as a natural immune response to injury and infection

• regulating sleep
  

What is histamine intolerance?

When histamine is released due to an injury or allergenic reaction it causes dilation of blood vessels in order to send immune cells to the site of infection or injury to fight the pathogen and heal damaged tissues.

Histamine isn't bad however when it gets too high for the body to handle and cannot be broken down properly it can become problematic and trigger symptoms. Histamine is mainly broken down by the diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme but if this enzyme is lacking problems may arise. This enzyme can be depleted by many things including histamine blockers, NSAIDS, antidepressants, inflammation, intestinal permeability, gluten intolerance or celiac disease, SIBO, and certain DAO blocking foods such as chocolate, alcohol, and caffeine. 

Healthy amounts of histamine will not cause problems. When histamine levels get too high you may experience a collection of symptoms called histamine intolerance. 

Symptoms of histamine intolerance

Histamine intolerance symptoms are numerous and may mimic many different conditions which can make it tricky to diagnose. 

Some common signs that indicate you may have a problem with histamine include:

• Abdominal cramps

• Digestive issues

• Skin problems

• Anxiety

• Insomnia

• Menstrual irregularities

• PMS

• Hypertension

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Breathing difficulties

• Arrhythmia, or accelerated heart rate

• Fatigue

• Flushing

• Swelling

• Headaches or migraines

• Hives

• Sinus issues

I always suggest checking in with your doctor to verify if histamine might be an issue for you and to look into further testing that can help you to figure out what is going on while getting to the root of the issue.

Remember symptoms are common but they are not normal, there is always a reason(s) as to why you are feeling this way.

Foods to avoid with histamine intolerance

If you find yourself reacting to a lot of foods, chances are you might be experiencing histamine intolerance. A good way to pinpoint if histamine may be affecting you is to follow a low histamine diet. This can provide relief from symptoms as you address the underlying causes.

I don't recommend following this type of diet for too long though as it is quite restrictive. If you just eliminate certain foods and don’t pay attention to your nutrition or work on gut healing you may find this process takes longer. As a result nutrient deficiencies are also a risk factor.

Most foods high in histamine are fermented and aged however there are many foods that can contribute to and trigger high histamine levels: 

• Alcoholic beverages

• Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, natto, miso, tempeh, pickles, kombucha)

• Olives

• Smoked, processed and cured meats such as salami, bacon, lunch meat, sausage, and pepperoni.

• Strawberries

• Wheat germ

• Shellfish

• Artificial dyes & preservatives

• Papaya

• Pineapple

• Sour food (sour milk, buttermilk, soured bread, sour cream)

• Dried fruits

• Aged cheeses

• Black tea

• Green tea

• Chocolate

• Avocado

• Bone broth

• Coffee

• Walnuts

• Cashews

• Citrus fruits

• Nightshades

• Leftovers
  

Foods to consume with histamine intolerance

Certain foods are on the “green list” when it comes to histamine intolerance

Remember though that the foods you react to will differ as each one of us is unique. In my experience, if you are dealing with gut issues you are likely to react to more foods until you address gut healing. Once this happens most people can enjoy their favourite foods again.

The good news? Most food reactions are not permanent, but temporary, as a result of inflammation in the GI tract.

While you are healing your gut and addressing histamine, certain foods may be less triggering as they release less histamine and help the body produce more of the DAO enzyme.

In addition to the foods listed below, it is also recommended to eat foods as fresh as possible.

• Gluten-free grains: rice, quinoa, corn, millet, amaranth, teff

• All fresh vegetables except spinach, avocado, eggplant, tomatoes

• Dairy substitutes (examples include hemp milk, almond milk, coconut)

• Olive oil

• Coconut oil

• Herbs like parsley, oregano, dill, cilantro, thyme, tarragon

• Eggs

• Fresh fish and meats

• Mango, pear, watermelon, apple, kiwi, cantaloupe, grapes, pomegranate, peaches, apples,

• Herbal teas

• Pure peanut butter

• Watercress

• Sprouts

• Red onions

• Garlic

• Moringa

• Holy Basil

• Chamomile

• Nettle

• Peppermint

• Ginger

• Turmeric

For best results, it is typically recommended to follow a low histamine diet for a period of atleast 30 days and then re-introduce them individually in order not to overwhelm the body and assess if any foods, in particular, may still be causing you problems. This is also known as an elimination diet and is recommended to be followed with the guidance of a healthcare practitioner. 

Supplements for histamine intolerance

Alongside a histamine-friendly diet, supplementation can provide additional support and relief from symptoms. 

Probiotics can be a part of gut healing and improving histamine tolerance however certain probiotics can potentially make the situation worse. This is because certain bacterial strains can raise histamine while others can lower it (1).

Histamine lowering strains may include:

• Bifidobacterium infantis

• Lactobacillus gasseri

• Bifidobacterium breve

• Bifidobacterium bifidum

• Lactobacillus salivarius

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus

• Bifidobacterium longum

• Bifidobacterium lactis

• Lactobacillus plantarum

On the other hand, probiotic species that can potentially make histamine intolerance worse may include:

• Lactobacillus casei

• Lactobacillus Bulgaricus

• Streptococcus thermophilus

• Lactobacillus delbrueckii

• Lactobacillus helveticus

This is why it’s important to choose a probiotic that won’t exacerbate your condition. It can be a bit of a headache looking through probiotic supplements that fit the above criteria which is why I love ProBiota HistaminX

Their health experts already have done all of the hard work and created a histamine-friendly probiotic. They can receive an extra 10% off with my code LAURENCESEPTEMBER.

Quercetin is a natural anti-inflammatory antioxidant shown to help alleviate allergic symptoms by reducing inflammation and suppressing histamine (2)(3).

Proteolytic enzymes can help to support the degradation of histamine and improve digestive symptoms as they work to break down food particles, decrease inflammation and reduce the circulation of protein complexes in the bloodstream which can trigger allergenic and histamine symptoms. 

You can find them separately or combined inside of a formula targeted towards processing histamine and establishing a healthy inflammatory response.

Vitamin B6 is naturally anti-histamine as it is essential for the proper functioning of diamine oxidase (DAO), the enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine. As mentioned, low levels of this enzyme can result in a buildup of histamine as its initial job is to break this compound down for the body to process and regulate.

Though addressing histamine intolerance may take some time, you can find relief as you follow the appropriate steps to healing which include avoidance of histamine foods, supplemental support, and addressing the root cause which is typically a gut health issue. Be patient, keep going, and don’t give up! You can absolutely overcome histamine intolerance and heal your gut issues. If I could do it, so can you!

I always strongly recommend working with a health care practitioner who has experience dealing with histamine in order to make the process as smooth sailing and less time-consuming as possible.