Histamine intolerance and nutrition

Histamine and hay fever

Complaints

When an allergic reaction occurs, large amounts of histamine are released, increasing local blood flow and increasing the permeability of the blood vessel walls. This allows clotting factors to more easily enter the blood vessel to repair damaged tissues. When an excess of histamine is not tolerated, it's called histamine intolerance. The threshold for an excess varies from person to person. It's not that you're allergic or sensitive, but simply that there's too much of it in your body. Symptoms that can arise include headaches and migraines, but also:

• Heart palpitations
• Nausea, vomiting
• Insomnia
• Intestinal cramps, diarrhea
• Sneezing
• Dizziness
• Itchy skin
• Stuffy nose, runny nose, shortness of breath
• Heat and redness

Causes

Normally, it is broken down by the enzymes MAO, DAO, and NMT. In some people, this process is insufficient. One cause may be that genetic changes cause fewer of these enzymes to be produced. Intestinal problems also affect this. Certain medications (such as dihydralazine, isoniazid, clavulanic acid, promethazine, verapamil, metoclopramide, and ambroxol hydrochloride) or alcohol consumption can also cause reduced DAO enzyme production.

Other DAO blockers include:

• Coffee
• Energy drinks
• Tea (black, green, yerba mate)

Vitamin B6 and vitamin C work closely with the DAO enzyme. When these two vitamins are insufficient, histamine levels will rise. Reduced production causes excess histamine to remain in the blood.

Causes may include:

• Allergies
• Inflammations
• SIBO / unbalanced intestinal flora
• Celiac disease
• Foods
• Long-term use of histamine blockers
• Mastocytosis; this involves the presence of too many mast cells.

People prescribed antihistamines notice a reduction in their current symptoms. However, this can also affect stomach acid production. Heartburn is a consequence of this. In most cases, this is due to a lack of stomach acid rather than an excess. Antacids such as Rennies or similar medications alleviate heartburn, but also hinder proper food digestion. As you can see, everything is interconnected. An antihistamine diet offers a way to reduce symptoms without using medication. A low-histamine diet automatically results in lower histamine levels.

Histamine-rich foods

Meat	Pork, lamb, game, liver. Dried sausages: ham, salami, cervelat
Fish	Mackerel, tuna, cod, herring, sardines, shellfish (including prawn crackers). Canned fish
Dairy	Mold cheeses, quark, old cheese, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, crème fraîche
Vegetables / fruits	Tomatoes, sauerkraut, spinach, beets, soybeans, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple, melon, avocado, grapefruit, olives
Herbs / spices	Vanilla, cloves, cumin, coriander, chervil, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, chili powder, soy
Drink	Alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks
Miscellaneous	Chocolate, licorice, menthol. Yeast-rich food
Dried fruit	Raisins, plums, dates, figs
Fermented foods	Kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, pickles

Histamine releasing foods

Miscellaneous	Alcohol, sugars
Fruits / citrus fruits	Bananas, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, kiwi, mango, papaya, figs, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange
Egg	Egg white
Dairy
Nuts and seeds
Meat	Pork
Vegetables	Fresh spinach, beetroot, tomato
Wheat
Artificial additives	E102. E104, E110, E122 to E124, E128, E154, E155, E180, E249 to E252, Glutamates E621 to E625

Low-histamine foods (except those mentioned above)

Fresh organic grass-fed meat	The above mentioned are excluded
Fresh wild-caught fish
Fresh vegetables	Carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip, asparagus, endive, kale, onion, garlic, etc.
Fresh fruit	Apples, berries
Dairy / substitutes	Young cheese, coconut milk, hemp milk, almond milk, rice milk
Siege	Peanut butter, honey, apple syrup
Cereals	Gluten free: rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oatmeal
Egg	Egg yolk
Herbs / spices	Fresh herbs and spices
Oil	Olive oil, coconut oil

*These lists don't include the entire range of foods. But they do provide a broad overview.

Low-histamine diet

If you want to start lowering your histamine levels, it's important to keep your food as fresh as possible. The longer you store something, the higher its histamine content. Raw meat, fish, and poultry carry certain bacteria that ferment the food, with histamine as a byproduct. To combat the natural increase, you can buy fresh food and process it the same day by cooking or freezing it. This plan is meant to raise awareness, not to impose all sorts of restrictions. When you eat a product, enjoy it to the fullest. 

This article didn't consider the influence of the products on other bodily processes. It focused solely on the amount of histamine in the product or what stimulates its production. A low-histamine diet can alleviate symptoms in one week. However, it's a short-term solution. Identifying the underlying problem and its cause is crucial for permanently eliminating the intolerance. Rinsing your nose and sinuses is recommended for relieving hay fever symptoms. You can use a Rhinohorn, available at various drugstores or online.

Personal guidance