Histamine Intolerance

Woah....I just found out about this new product (Histame) that I'm going to try. Its actually not new but just recently (in March) became available in the US and Canada.

I talked alot about histamine a couple of years back and had some testing done to check blood and urine histamine levels. The "lab" that I went to to get the samples done was a total joke, the nurse was heinous and I never got the results of my bloodwork because I switched doctors.

Anyways, back then is when I realized histamine was an issue and started avoiding high histamine foods and then pretty much all "amines".

My primary symptoms are caused by histamine releases to food and chemical triggers. This has been going on since the beginning. I have not figured out any way to ease these reactions because once my bucket drains....it very quickly fills up again and then I'm overly sensitive to chemicals and everything else around me.

Last month I was reacting to everything and was completely overloaded. There are other things besides high histamine foods that cause histamine levels to rise. Glutamates can also raise histamine levels as can sulfites and other preservatives/additives.

Histamine (like any toxin) needs to be broken down and excreted.....which cant happen when the enzyme which breaks it down becomes blocked or deficient. When the liver is overloaded by toxicity the excess histamine and other toxins are not eliminated.

I notice when histamine reactions go up (usually because of foods eaten) I will then become more sensitive to perfumes, etc. Without a doubt the histamine is putting a big burden on my liver....same as when I get overly stressed and adrenaline runs high...these chemicals remain in the body much longer than they should due to my sluggish liver.

Like the problem with salicylates there hasnt been much I could do about it except avoid the foods. Tonight I came across this new product and I'm not really gonna get too excited about it because I do not know the exact reason or metabolic issue that is responsible for the histamine intolerance in my situation. I also dont know how well this product actually works.

If a part of my problem is lack of enzyme function (a very probable scenario) then this may do some good in reducing food reactions and in turn would take a big burden off of my liver. I'm not holding my breath but I'm definately gonna try it out.

It does have fillers/binders which I probably wont tolerate but if the reason that I react to these things has to do with an inability to break down histamine....then the product should help.

Unlike Ketotefin or other antihistamines...(even natural ones like vitamin C)....Histame doesnt just block the histamine....it replaces the enzyme that may be deficient (for whatever reason). Something like this, together with ketotefin may actually bring some relief since most of my histamine reactions are coming from foods eaten.

In my case these are not IgE allergies (Histame wont work for true allergy) and they are not IgG mediated food intolerances either. So if the immune system isnt producing antibodies which are causing these reactions that can only mean that some enzyme is not functioning properly and chemicals are accumulating which under normal circumstances would not be happening. Thats why I focused on amines and salicylates a long time ago...because no antibody reactions are occuring (according to my tests)....and reactions are not consistent....and vary greatly from one day to the next.

Heres some info about histamine....there is also more info. in the OMG thread if anyone is interested.

Histamine Intolerance
Not all food intolerance involves IgG-antibodies. Many food products contain histamine in large amounts, and if the body cannot break down this histamine sufficiently, it crosses the intestinal wall and enters the blood stream. Here it can cause symptoms which are comparable to allergy. This is because histamine acts as a hormone, and is responsible for the allergy symptoms associated with “true allergy.” In allergic reactions, histamine is given off by certain white blood cells, which overreact to the presence of certain harmless substances in the bloodstream.

The body normally produces an enzyme called diaminoxidase (DAO), which breaks down histamine. If the production of this enzyme is, for one reason or another, insufficient, the intake of histamine containing food and drink can cause an increased histamine level in the blood, which causes allergy-like symptoms. Foods which contain histamine can also cause symptoms if they contain substances which cause the body’s white blood cells to release histamine.

Many medicines inhibit DAO, and therefore lead to histamine build up in the body. This is also true of alcohol, which both increases the intestine’s histamine absorption and inhibits its breakdown. Alcohol together with histamine rich food therefore causes worsened symptoms. Histamine in food is not broken down by cooking or freezing.

Examples of food and drink with high histamine content: Red wine, champagne cheese, yeast / baking powder, salami, fish (especially conserves), spinach, and sauerkraut. A rule of thumb is that the older, more mature, or more prepared food is, the higher the histamine content. For example, fresh fish contains very little histamine. The content of histamine in red wine can also vary greatly; some wines cause symptoms while others do not. Symptoms from red wine are due to its tyramine content.

Examples of food with little histamine, but with the ability of stimulating the body’s release of histamine: Cocoa / chocolate, tomatoes, strawberries, citrus fruits, pineapple, kiwi, mango, buckwheat, crabs and shellfish, nuts, sunflower seeds, vinegar, and mustard.

Examples of additives which can stimulate the white blood cells to release histamine: Glutamate (E620-623), benzoate (E210-213), sulphites (E220-228), nitrates (249-252), as well as some food colourings.

Symptoms
The symptoms of histamine intolerance can be: Stomach pain, diarrhoea or constipation, intestinal gas, headache / migraine, runny nose, itchy eyes, various rashes, itchiness, tiredness, nausea, dizziness, concentration problems, and low blood pressure. They can start after a few minutes or after a few hours and there can come in varying degrees. Their frequency and severity varies from day to day, from person to person.

I have all of these symptoms (except stomach pain and dizziness) but most dont bother me....its mostly the headache/migraine/swelling and skin irritations which include burning more than itching. The low blood pressure sucks too because I think thats what brings on my drop in body temp. and chills after eating. Bad reactions cause concentration problems.

I also think the flushes I get may be due to excess histamine...which is why I experienced alot of that last month when I was reacting to everything.

My reactions vary depending on the food or chemical involved. Some will cause migraine but no kind of noticeable skin stuff. Free glutamates in processed foods cause welts on my face...not alot....just one or two at a time and they only last a day or two as long as I dont continue to eat the food. Sulfites will cause some skin stuff too. I dont know about the rest but I can pretty much expect some mild skin stuff whenever I eat processed foods. It doesnt bother me like the swelling/headache/pressure does.

This is the link to the Histame...

http://histame.com/

I dont think it will work miracles but hopefully it does *something*.

I found out about it here...
http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/treat/T444777.html

and this link tells a little about the DAO enzyme.
http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C701409.html

If I can somehow slow down all of these reactions to stuff I eat I think my life would be pretty normal because I dont have any other disabling symptoms. Some days I feel almost completely normal and the next day I can have pain/swelling, chemical sensitivities, etc.....and its all having to do with what I ate.

I had mentioned in other threads about the apparant significance of coenzyme B6 deficiency in my health problems. Here's the link between B6 deficiency and histamine intolerance. I've read alot about this the past few days and I've increased my P-5-P a little. I'm not going to go crazy with it though....especially since I'm out of magnesium. Gonna order more magnesium chloride as well as magnesium malate.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is involved in the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and histamine. B6 works to prevent and treat migraines because of its role in histamine function. The activity of the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) breaks down histamine in the lining of the small intestine before it is absorbed into the circulation. Individuals sensitive to dietary histamine have about one-half as much diamine oxidase in their tissues. Diamine oxidase is a vitamin B6 dependent enzyme. Therefore compounds that inhibit B6 also inhibit the production of diamine oxidase.

Food coloring agents like FD&C yellow #5, birth control pills, alcohol, and excessive protein intake are some of the things that inhibit B6 production. Most people take in more B6 blockers than B6 itself. B6 supplementation has been shown to relieve histamine-induced headaches presumably by increasing diamine oxidase activity. Vitamin B6 works with magnesium in many enzyme systems and assists in the body’s accumulation of magnesium.

Rachel24 posted on 05/16/2009 20:44 PM

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   Dear Rachel,
        Thank you for all of the links! I certainly fit the profile. I always have had strange rashes come out of nowhere, and reacted to dyes. Anti-histamines rarely gave any relief at all, including those nasal sprays. Many of those foods listed provide a reaction of some sort.

       A while back, when I ate an orange, my tongue tingled. It also burned when I ate kiwi. Severe reflux results from yeast, vinegar, and alcohol of any kind. Two lousy sips of a mixed drink, and my stomach burned like fire. I do alright with bananas, though.

       What a bummer about the teas being high in histamine! I need caffeine! I know it is bad for me, but feel awful without it. Too bad there is not low histamine coffee. Goji and acai berries have caffeine. So does guarana. Are those allowed?

       The information on Vitamin B-6 is great! This really does make me wonder if I am not absorbing these nutrients much right now. Yellow dye seems to be in everything to a point. I also am on Depo-Provera, which is a form of birth control. Migraines run in my mother's family, and this may explain why. Mom, Aunt Nancy, my grandmother, great uncle, and I all have suffered from those horrible headaches.

       Pyroluria is related to migraines. It tends to be genetic. A lack of B Vitamins and Zinc play a role in it. One of the symptoms of it is not being able to tan. Finally, I may have a scientific explanation as to why I cannot tan after spending hours in the sun!

                                                       Sincerely,
                                                             Jin
(Message edited by Twin2Prue on 05/17/2009 02:54 AM)

Twin2Prue posted on 05/17/2009 02:51 AM

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How long have you been taking Depo Provera? It can cause a deficiency of B6 as well as other nutrients.

My Histame still hasnt arrived. :(

Rachel24 posted on 05/17/2009 11:31 AM

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Dear Rachel,
I have been on Depo - Provera for 9 years now. I know a lot of people have reported scary things resulting from it. It has a black box warning on it, since it may cause problems absorbing calcium. This leads to Osteoporosis. I originally went on it for the ovarian cysts, because the pills did not help. In fact, the pills seemed to have made the situation worse.

Going off of it may kill me, but so could staying on it.

Hopefully, the Histame will arrive very soon.

We are all anxious to see if it works. This could be a miracle for you and others. Of course, even a slight reduction in symptoms is better than nothing. Any form of relief is welcome.

Sincerely,
Jin
(Message edited by Twin2Prue on 05/17/2009 22:09 PM)

Twin2Prue posted on 05/17/2009 22:07 PM

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I scheduled a Dr. appt. for this Friday. I'm gonna talk to him about all this histamine stuff because if its true for me then it would change some things as far as treatment. Instead of focusing on folate and B12 I think we would have to switch to methionine and SAMe (I have low levels of both).

There are some things that dont fit as far as having high histamine...most of it does fit but things like high copper, low folic acid, chemical sensitivities, no seasonal allergies, etc....are not the common traits for high histamine.

Of course many things could be going on so there are definately other reasons for having high copper or low folic acid.

I think it would be good to have my histamine levels tested again since I never got the results of my first bloodtest. I also want to be put back on the Ketotifen.

I finally got the Histame...it was sent to the wrong address. I started taking it yesterday...I seem to tolerate it even though it has alot of ingredients. Its too soon to tell if it will help me or not. I figure as long as I'm not reacting to it I'll take it at least a month to see if there's any improvement.

Rachel24 posted on 05/19/2009 12:51 PM

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   Dear Rachel,
          It is a good possibility you will need to switch your supplements. I know what you mean with not fitting in with one particular issue. My body is like that as well. Some things with the high histamine do not fit for me either. None of my allergies seem to be worse at any given time of the year.

          I am constantly reacting to dust, mold, pollen, animal fur, and other allergens year-round. I have wondered if my copper levels are too high. Zinc tends to be too low in the presence of copper overload, right? I have a white spot on my fingernail. This is said to indicate low Zinc levels. I never can tolerate zinc lozenges, though.

        When I have colds, I have to avoid the Zinc. It makes me nauseous. A metallic taste in my mouth is also what I tend to experience if I take it. Iron does the same thing. Could aluminum overload be related to these symptoms?

          You certainly were doing better on the Ketotifen. Thank goodness the Histame arrived! It is so annoying when companies make delivery mistakes. Mom and Dad had a similar issue recently with a generic drug they had to order from out of the country. First it was supposed to come from somewhere in Europe, then they said India, next Germany, and finally, it was shipped from Australia! Meanwhile, I will be curious to see how your experiment turns out. Do not forget to update us about your appointment on Friday!

                                                      Sincerely,
                                                           Jin

Twin2Prue posted on 05/20/2009 04:54 AM

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Jin, I had alot of white spots on my fingernails last month when I was not doing so great. It was definately a consequence of whatever I was doing wrong. Dont know if it was too much histamine causing damage/absorption issues, too much molybdenum or something else. The white spots are all gone now except for on one finger.

I tend to only react to dust and other allergens when my system is totally overloaded by foods. I havent really had that problem in the past couple years but back when I ate whatever I wanted I was reacting to all of those things. Even when I was on a restricted diet but still eating some things that were causing problems I was having issues with the heater being on in the house or in my car. There were alot of things that were bothering me that dont seem to be an issue aymore as long as I keep the load down.

I dont know for sure if the Ketotifen was making a big difference for me and I never stayed on it long enough to really be able to tell. It definately wasnt a cure but it may have been helping to some degree. I'll try it again and this time I'll be sure to stay on it. :)

Rachel24 posted on 05/20/2009 06:48 AM

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   Dear Rachel,
          I only have one finger with a white spot, too! That is so odd. There may be several things causing the spots when you were doing poorly. Are you still taking the molybdenum? Could overdoing the molybdenum or having a lack of it result in a zinc deficiency?

         I react to the heater. Dust is likely some of the trouble, but there may be a variety of factors. I always have been sensitive, and histamine would make sense. Tomatoes and strawberries definitely have that element in common. A vast array of triggers are in the house. Choosing just one possibility is difficult. My massive overgrowth of yeast likely plays a major role in this situation.

       Hopefully, the Ketotifen will work its magic. We will see! The gut issues I have are debilitating at times, so this is of a particular interest to me. Mold in the house is a serious issue, but Dad is choosing to ignore it. Mom is more open to the idea of exploring toxic mold as a cause of illness. She does not want it spreading.

                                                     Sincerely,
                                                            Jin

Twin2Prue posted on 05/21/2009 05:25 AM

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Title: Histamine Intolerance