Are Your Unexplained Symptoms Due to Histamine Intolerance?
Ever suffered from random headaches, anxiety, digestive issues, or panic attacks? Noticed your nose getting runny or your tongue itching after eating citrus fruits, avocados, or eggplants? Does your face flush after drinking alcohol, especially red wine?
If any of these sound familiar, histamine intolerance could be the culprit. But here’s the thing. It’s not a disease. It’s a symptom of an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
What is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine is a chemical that plays a key role in the immune system, digestion, and nervous system. As a neurotransmitter, it helps send messages between the body and brain. It’s also found in stomach acid, where it helps break down food.
The main job of histamine is to trigger an inflammatory response when the body detects a threat. Think of it as an alarm system, signaling that something is off. If you’ve ever dealt with seasonal allergies like hay fever, you’ve seen histamine in action. Antihistamines like Zyrtec®, Allegra®, or Benadryl® work by blocking this response to relieve symptoms.
How Does Histamine Affect the Body?
Histamine makes blood vessels swell, allowing white blood cells to rush in and tackle the threat. It’s a normal part of the immune response, but problems start when the body can’t break histamine down properly. Instead of clearing out, it accumulates in the bloodstream, leading to symptoms that can affect the lungs, brain, gut, skin, and cardiovascular system.
How Does the Body Break Down Histamine?
Once histamine is produced, the body either stores it or breaks it down using specific enzymes.
- In the central nervous system, histamine is broken down by histamine N-methyltransferase (HMT).
- In the digestive system, histamine is processed by diamine oxidase (DAO).
However, modern-day environmental stressors can interfere with these enzymes, preventing the body from breaking down histamine efficiently. This can lead to histamine buildup and intolerance.
