In Brief: Key Takeaways
Why Do Symptoms Fluctuate? Understanding Your Histamine Load
In Part 1 of this series, we discussed the causes and symptoms of histamine intolerance. A key concept in managing this condition is understanding that your symptoms are the result of your total histamine load. Think of it like a bucket: when the total amount of histamine from all sources overflows your body’s ability to break it down, symptoms appear. The final outcome is that your symptoms will worsen as more contributing factors accumulate at the same time.
Key Factors That Raise Histamine Levels
Your total histamine load can increase due to several factors, often in combination:
1. Exposure to Allergens and Sensitivities
Exposure to something you are allergic to – whether inhaled, ingested, or through skin contact – triggers a significant release of histamine from your body’s mast cells.
2. Food Sensitivities
Food sensitivities, which can be thought of as a different type of allergic reaction, also contribute to your body’s histamine burden. While the mechanism isn’t fully understood, it has a significant impact on many people.
3. High-Histamine Foods and Impaired DAO Function
Eating foods rich in histamine when your DAO enzyme activity is compromised allows histamine from the food to be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. As a reminder, DAO function can be impaired by:
- Deficiencies in copper and/or vitamin B6
- Taking medications that inhibit the enzyme
- Poor enzyme production by intestinal cells
- Alcohol consumption
4. Histamine-Releasing Foods
Certain foods can trigger the release of histamine from your mast cells in a non-specific way. This means the release isn’t due to an allergy or sensitivity to that food, but because the food itself has properties that stimulate mast cells.
5. Stress and Fear
Emotional states like stress and fear are potent triggers for mast cells to release histamine, directly increasing the levels in your bloodstream.
How to Diagnose Histamine Intolerance
Diagnosing histamine intolerance can be approached in several ways. Some practitioners may use special lab tests to measure histamine levels in the blood or stool. However, most clinicians rely primarily on a detailed patient history to see if the reported symptoms align with the syndrome. A careful review of diet, lifestyle, and symptom patterns is often the most revealing diagnostic tool. Additionally, while not yet scientifically validated, clinical experience has shown another diagnostic method to be highly effective when applied correctly, which can help determine if high histamine levels are contributing to your health issues.
A Practical Example of Managing Your Triggers
Understanding the cumulative nature of histamine is empowering. It allows you to make conscious choices to better control your symptoms. For example, if you are currently suffering from seasonal allergies (hay fever) and have had a stressful day at work, your histamine bucket is already quite full. In this situation, it would be unwise to eat foods high in histamine, and certainly not a good idea to drink alcohol alongside them. By recognizing the contributing factors, you can proactively reduce your load and prevent your symptoms from flaring up.
