Histamine intolerance: what is it?

Histamine accumulation in the body is known as histamine intolerance. Histamine is a naturally occurring substance that may be found in some foods. If your body is unable to properly break it down, it may build up and cause symptoms such as headaches, allergies, or upset stomach.

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Histamine poisoning, often known as intoxication from histamine, is not the same as this. Usually, a high-histamine meal will cause a food poisoning epidemic that causes histamine intoxication in a large number of individuals. Usually, it may be linked to specific kinds of fish.

Is intolerance to histamine a dietary allergy?

No, despite some similarities to allergic responses, histamine intolerance is not the same as an allergy. Because it resembles an allergy but has a different etiology, it is frequently referred to as a “pseudoallergy.”

How widespread is intolerance to histamines?

Histamine intolerance is thought to affect 1 in 100 persons (1%), according to experts. However, it can be challenging to identify and diagnose, thus the real number might be greater.

Histamine intolerance: what causes it?

Symptoms of histamine intolerance occur when the body is unable to properly process histamine. Histamine is a chemical signal that causes mucus production, constriction of the GI tract and airways, and opening of blood vessels. Histamine and other chemical signals are released by mast cells in your mucosal membranes to aid in the defense against infections and organ regulation.

Histamine is broken down by the body using enzymes, primarily diamine oxidase (DAO). The histamine signals from food or medicine that raises your histamine levels might produce symptoms including headaches, diarrhoea, runny nose, and hives if you have low DAO levels.

What causes some persons to have low DAO levels or to not be able to properly break down histamine is a mystery to us. Several potential contributing elements include:

genetics. It’s possible that some individuals inherit a genetic variation that prevents them from properly breaking down histamine.

ailments that impact your digestive system. The way your body breaks down substances can be altered by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), parasite infections, and other illnesses that impact the good bacteria in your stomach.

liver and kidney problems. Liver cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) can all lower your body’s DAO levels.

Drugs. Some drugs prevent your body from properly breaking down histamine.

Years old. Individuals over 40 are more likely to suffer from histamine intolerance.

Which meals make you more histamine?

There are certain foods that are high in histamine. These consist of foods like wine, beer, and cheeses that go through an aging or fermentation process. Your mast cells may release histamine (also known as histamine liberators) in response to other foods. Your body may produce too much histamine as a result of eating either of these kinds of meals.

How is histamine intolerance treated?

Avoiding meals and drinks that are rich in histamine or that trigger your body to generate histamine is typically the first step in treatment. You give up eating any potential triggers for a few weeks in order to assess what you can safely consume. You begin putting symptoms back one by one if you haven’t had any within that period. You can avoid only the meals or combinations of foods that cause you to respond, if you find that some foods cause you to react but not others.

Is histamine intolerance preventable?

Histamine intolerance cannot be avoided because the reason is unknown. By recognizing and staying away from trigger foods and drugs, you can lessen your chance of experiencing the symptoms of histamine intolerance.

If I have a histamine allergy, what should I anticipate?

By altering their meals, people with histamine intolerance may often control their illness. Taking DAO supplements or other drugs can assist in extreme situations. Occasionally, the intolerance is transient, and you can ultimately resume consuming the foods you had been avoiding.

When ought I to visit my medical professional?

If you believe you may have a food intolerance or have symptoms that are not explained, see your doctor. Identifying if it’s an allergy, intolerance, or anything else can be done with their assistance.

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