Histamine, Oestrogen Dominance & Inflammation
Histamine is a chemical responsible for a few major functions: communicates messages to your brain. triggers release of stomach acid to help digestion. releases after injury or allergic reaction as part of your immune response.
Histamine has three main functions:
1. Immune system-mast cells attract white blood cells to destroy pathogens in the tissues. This is the inflammatory response.
2. Regulation of physiological functions in the gut such as production of gastric acid, which aids the digestion of protein.
3. As a neurotransmitter it influences our wakefulness, the circadian rhythm and cognition.
Histamine, once synthesised, is stored or broken down by two enzymes:
DAO (Diamine Oxidase) in the gut and
HNMT (Histamine – n- methyltransferase) in the nervous system and lungs.
What is Histamine Intolerance (HIT)
This is where there is an imbalance between the production and the breakdown of the histamine. This causes a toxic response in the body.
The main cause seems to be impaired DAO activity. This is because of gastro-intestinal conditions or because of an inhibition of DAO enzyme due of the ingestion of DAO blockers such as green tea, black tea, alcohol and certain drugs. Some people have a genetic predisposition to low production of the relevant enzymes-DAO and HNMT.
Triggers-vary person–to–person and include:
1. Excessive histamine containing foods, or foods that block DAO (green and black tea, alcohol, and some medications)
2. Gut inflammation, leakygut, SIBO, infections, H Pylori, Coeliac, Crohns Disease. See our GUT Health package.
3. Chronic Stress which activates mast cells and increases histamine release.
4. Genetic predisposition resulting in reduced levels of the DAO or HNMT enzyme production and therefore reduced histamine breakdown.
5. Oestrogen Dominance - Excess Oestrogen or poor oestrogen clearance. See our Female Health DNA packages and Dutch Test.
6. Mould can impact the immune system. Check for any signs of mould in your home or office and foods such as wheat, corn, peanuts and other nuts.
Symptoms
These can be multiple and very varied. They can also be intermittent or continuous. They are caused by the histamine toxicity and can be very similar to allergic reactions (although it is important to note that allergies will cause a release of histamine also):
SKIN: itchiness, redness with flushing, rash/eczema, hives, urticaria, dermatographia, rosacea, psoriasis.
GI TRACT: acid reflux, diarrhoea, constipation, wind, bloating, nausea, vomiting. Intolerance to certain foods (high histamine foods).
RESPIRATORY: sinusitis, rhinitis, broncho-constriction, asthma, chronic cough.
VASCULAR: vasodilatation-low BP, dizziness, fainting, tachycardia, oedema, migraine and headaches, fluid retention, easy bruising, poor clotting.
NEUROLOGICAL: insomnia, anxiety, memory loss, brain fog, poor concentration, ADHD, panic attacks, Chronic fatigue.
HYPERSENSITIVITY: to certain drugs-NSAIDs, Aspirin, Codeine, some General Anaesthetics.
HORMONAL: symptoms of oestrogen dominance, PMT, painful or heavy periods, hormonal headaches, miscarriages, progestogen sensitivity, possible link with endometriosis.
HIT is caused by a slow accumulation of excess histamine in the body and is not life-threatening but can be extremely difficult to live with and cause debilitating symptoms.
Sources of histamine
Histamine is either made in the body by the mast cells, the basophils, platelets, neurons and gut cells, or it is ingested in our food and drink.
Some foods block DAO activity- green tea, black tea, alcohol especially. Some have high histamine content and others cause the body to release histamine.
Leftovers will be high in histamine because of bacterial growth after cooking and should never be eaten by HIT sufferers. However the same food eaten freshly cooked may be low in histamine.
Foods, which are fermented, should be avoided, such as kefir, yoghurt, Sauerkraut.
Breakdown of histamine
Our histamine is broken down in the gut by the enzyme DAO, and by HNMT in the blood and tissues. There can be genetic variants that cause a reduction in the production of both of these enzymes. The activity of the enzymes can be affected by drugs, which are sometimes prescribed to help the symptoms of HIT and thus just make matters worse! These include antidepressants and NSAIDs. Certain general anaesthetics can also increase histamine levels and so make patients feel terrible when they wake up from an operation.
The effect of histamine on our hormones
Oestrogen and histamine are closely linked. Women have high levels of oestrogen production when they are teenagers and their periods first start, then at ovulation-mid cycle- and then during the perimenopause when, again, levels of oestrogen can fluctuate and can be very high.
Oestrogen and histamine also increase each other. Therefore high levels of histamine will stimulate oestrogen production, which in turn increases oestrogen. This can become a vicious cycle.
This relationship can lead to various high histamine symptoms when women start their periods, mid cycle and at the perimenopause. (headaches or diarrhoea mid-cycle). High histamine can also be associated with painful heavy periods, endometriosis, miscarriages and difficulty finding a hormonal contraceptive that suits them. Most women with this condition are progestogen sensitive and therefore usually react to all the progestogen-only or progestogen-containing methods.
During pregnancy, when the levels of oestrogen are very high, women with HIT often feel at their best because the placenta makes large quantities of Diamine oxidase and increasing production 500 fold! This is to protect the fetus from high histamine. So the histamine levels are reduced to normal and the symptoms resolve in pregnancy.
Women who are perimenopausal will often experience symptoms, many of which are similar to those caused by high histamine. Women with HIT may not respond well to HRT as they may be progestogen sensitive and the oestrogen will increase their histamine levels and therefore their Symptoms.
It may be useful in some cases to have some genetic testing performed, mapping certain relevant pathways such as the oestrogen, thyroid, methylation and histamine pathways.
What to do?
Reduce the histamine in your diet.
Vitamin C and L Glutamine is a natural antihistamine. PCH DETOX and Immune-Boost supplements.
Quercetin is a natural mast cell stabiliser. See Pippa Loves.
Take my PCH Digest supplement. Those who are histamine intolerant need help digesting foods, so that it does not linger in the gut fermenting and producing bacteria and histamine.
Get Sweaty!!! to get rid of some of the histamine.
If there is high inflammation involved, Gut disorders or mould then the above may not work in which case working with a practitioner is recommended to get to the root cause and reduce inflammation and heal the gut.
It is essential to work on the root cause. Antihistamines and natural histamine blockers may deal with symptoms but not the underlying cause and it’s not recommended to take antihistamine or follow a low histamine diet long term.