Histamine Intolerance and Gut Health
What is Histamine?
Histamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the body that helps cells communicate different roles, such as regulating sleep, brain function, and its role in allergies. It also affects gut health. Allergies occur when the body’s immune system overreacts to everyday things such as pollen, grasses, weeds, and mold spores. Our immune systems can mistakenly perceive these things as threats and trigger a type of white blood cell to release histamine. The histamine released triggers the body's allergic reaction, resulting in the common side effects associated with allergies.
Although springtime allergies are the most common case of histamine production, foods that naturally contain or cause a release of histamine can be hard for some people to tolerate. This has become known as “histamine intolerance,” and certain gut bacteria may provide an explanation for whether a person has an intolerance or not.
Histamine Intolerance
Histamine intolerance (HIT) occurs when the body is not able to break down histamine from foods in the diet, and it can lead to gastrointestinal issues with allergy-like symptoms, such as diarrhea, flushing, heartburn/reflux, abdominal pain, nausea. Although histamine intolerance is not considered an allergy, the symptoms are closely related to where some experts consider it a “pseudoallergy.”
Symptoms of HIT
Symptoms may differ and range person to person, but here are the most common:
Diarrhea
Bloating
Abdominal pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Headache
Stuff nose
Shortness of breath
Itching
Rash or flushing
Low blood pressure
Histamine and Gut Health
Histamine is released through mast cells (a type of white blood cell), which creates a signal to other cells to help fight infections. When histamine rushes out of the cell, the body uses diamine oxidase (DAO), an enzyme found in the gut, to help break down histamine.
Experts and researchers have found it challenging to clinically diagnose histamine intolerance, but a 2021 study found that a diagnosis of HIT may be supported with a low DAO value. Researchers explained that oral DAO capsules were helpful in reducing HIT-related symptoms. This study describes the increasing evidence that HIT is primarily a gastrointestinal disorder that originates in the gut.
Foods that Trigger Histamine
Some foods naturally contain more histamine than others, and certain foods can trigger the release of histamine from mast cells. Some examples include:
Alcohol (wine, beer, champagne)
Processed meat
Cheeses
Saurkraut
Vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, and spinach)
Tropical fruit (pineapple, bananas, papaya, and citrus fruits)
Fish (mackerel, tuna, sardines, and herring) and shellfish
Strawberries
Nuts and peanuts
Chocolate
Egg whites
Avocado
Prioritizing Gut Health
When we support our gut, we support our health. Eating a diversity of high fiber plant-based foods while prioritizing protein will stabilize blood sugar levels and feed the good microbes in the gut.
The overall workings of the gut microbiome and its close relationship with digestive issues, immune health, inflammation, food intolerances, and overall well-being can be complex. Work 1-on-1 with me in my Master Your Microbiome program to reveal imbalances in “good” and “bad” bacteria, digestive enzyme output, yeast and parasites, inflammation, gluten sensitivity, and more. Once we have your GI MAP test results, I will create a customized and individualized protocol that uses natural gut-rebalancing methods.
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