The Role of Histamine in Your Health

Histamine is a naturally occurring substance in the body that plays a vital role in immune responses, digestion, and even brain function. Whilst it’s best known in relation to allergic reactions, it can often be the sneaky culprit behind a host of other health complaints. Understanding the function of histamine in the body is essential to managing histamine-related symptoms and working towards balance.

What is Histamine?

Histamine is released by immune cells when the body encounters allergens or pathogens. Think of it like your body’s messenger - sending signals to your digestive, neurological and cardiovasuclar systems. Beyond it’s role in immune responses, histamine is also an important neurotransmitter, helping to regulate sleep, appetitie and mood, as well as managing stomach acid production.

However, for some individuals, histamine can cause problems when it accumulates in excess or when the body’s ability to break it down is compromised. This is known as histamine intolerance.

Histamine Imbalance and Intolerance

Histamine intolerance occurs when the body cannot break down histamine properly. Normally, your body breaks down histamine with the help of two key enzymes: diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT). But if there’s a shortage of these enzymes—or they aren’t functioning properly—histamine builds up and starts causing trouble. Genetics, gut issues like dysbiosis, stress and certain medications are all factors that can interfere with histamine breakdown.

The problem is that histamine intolerance often mimics a lot of other health issues, making it difficult to spot. Some common signs of histamine intolerance include:

• Headaches and migraines

• Skin issues: hives, rashes or itching

• Digestive issues: bloating, cramping and diarrhoea

• Fatigue

• Nasal congestion and sneezing

• Anxiety or mood irritability

Managing Histamine Intolerance

As histamine plays such a diverse role in the body, a holistic approach to supporting the proper breakdown of histamine is essential to restoring balance to our body’s optimal functioning:

1. Manage Stress and Lifestyle: Stress can trigger the release of histamine and exacerbate symptoms of histamine intolerance further. Practicing relaxation techniques and lowering stress levels is so important for helping our body function optimally. Choosing a relaxation technique that resonates with you, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or spending time outdoors, can all help lower stress levels and support overall health.

2. Optimise Gut Health: A healthy gut microbiome is critical in histamine metabolism.

   1. Some opportunistic bacteria produce histamine. Improving and supporting healthy bacteria can naturally decrease these histamine-producing organisms. Probiotic-rich foods like kefir, sauerkraut, and yogurt are helpful but also high in histamine, so introduce slowly and carefully. Fibre-rich vegetables and fruits help feed beneficial gut bacteria and help maintain a healthy gut environment. Try incorporating colourful fruits and vegetables as many are prebiotics, Dark chocolate and green tea are excellent microbiome supports.

   2. Reducing inflammation through incorporating turmeric and ginger can be helpful, too.

   3. Improve your gut lining integrity and strength as the DAO enzyme is produced in the gut.

   4. Navigating your gut health can be tricky, especially with all the conflicting and sometimes erroneous advice available on the internet. I always recommend seeking advice to ensure you receive the right support.

3. Reduce Histamine-Rich foods: Temporarily eliminating foods high in histamine for 2-4 weeks can allow your body to let histamine levels fall naturally. After the elimination phase, you can slowly reintroduce foods one at a time to see how your body reacts. Some high-histamine foods include:

   • Aged cheeses

   • Processed meats (e.g., salami, pepperoni)

   • Fermented foods (e.g., sauerkraut, kimchi, soy sauce)

   • Alcohol, particularly red wine and beer

   • Vinegar and vinegar-containing foods (eg. pickles)

   • Certain fruits and vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, spinach, eggplant, avocado)

   • Canned or preserved foods

4. Support DAO Enzyme Function: Since histamine intolerance is often linked to low DAO activity, supporting the production and activity of this enzyme is crucial. Incorporating foods like citrus fruits, leafy greens and nuts which are high in nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, copper, and magnesium are great for supporting DAO function.

5. Support Hormonal Health—There is a strong link between high oestrogen and histamine, so hormonal balance may be important to improve histamine tolerance. If your histamine tolerance is low around ovulation, and you experience menstrual headaches, cramping or breast pain, you want to consider balancing your hormone levels.

Histamine is evidently an essential contributor to the body’s immune response, digestion, and brain function. However, imbalance can quickly lead to uncomfortable symptoms. By giving your body the support it needs to balance those histamine levels, you can experience significant relief.