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Mold, Histamine Intolerance, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Everything You Need to Know

Finding mold in your home is more than just a small annoyance. Mold exposure can have serious health consequences and it may be the reason behind your mysterious chronic symptoms. Mold can hide inside and outside your home and spread its spores and mycotoxins through the air. Mold can increase histamine intolerance and trigger mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) leading to a variety of chronic symptoms, including allergies, headaches, fatigue, brain fog, congestion, skin problems, and anxiety. The good news is that there are natural solutions you can use to overcome mold toxicity, histamine intolerance, and MCAS.

In this article, you will learn what histamine intolerance and MCAS are. You will understand what mold is and what problems are linked to chronic mold exposure. I will explain how mold, histamine intolerance, and MCAS are connected. I will share my natural solutions for mold toxicity, histamine intolerance, and MCAS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOubxiGBC1A

What Is Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine plays a critical role in your body. It is responsible for many important bodily functions, including communicating with your brain, fighting off allergens as part of your immune response, and promoting stomach acid release to aid digestion. While healthy levels of histamine are necessary and good for your health, too much histamine is not healthy.

Histamine intolerance means that you have too much histamine, usually because you can’t break it down properly, which can result in various symptoms and health issues, including allergies, chronic congestion, chronic runny nose, headaches and migraines, hives, eczema, psoriasis, fatigue, anxiety, diarrhea, tachycardia, low blood pressure, hypertension, flushing, crawling sensation on your skin, vertigo, abnormal menstrual cycle, hormonal problems, asthma attacks, and more. You can learn more about histamine intolerance in this article (1).

What Is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

Your mast cells play a critical role in your immune system. They are white blood cells that are found in tissues throughout your body. They can be found in your skin, digestive tract, respiratory tract, urinary tract, reproductive organs & surrounding nerves. They may also occur in your blood due to infections and diseases that mast cells help repair after the initial health threat is gone. Mast cells also store inflammatory mediators inside granules that also include histamine. During allergic reactions, mast cells are activated and trigger an allergic response.

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a complex issue that involves many different systems in your body leading to a large variety of symptoms. You may develop MCAS due to a variety of triggers, including mold, heavy metals, chemicals, fragrances, allergens, medications, infections, food, and alcohol. If you have MCAS, some or all of these triggers can cause your mast cells to release inflammatory mediators and histamine. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including rashes, hives, itching, headaches, heart palpitations, low blood pressure, weight changes, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, digestive issues, chest pain, anxiety and vision changes. To learn more about MCAS, I recommend this article.

Symptoms of histamine intolerance and MCAS can be quite similar. However, there are some differences between the two. Histamine intolerance develops due to excess histamine and histamine build-up in your body, while in MCAS, your mast cells are being triggered spilling histamine and other chemicals into our body resulting in symptoms. I believe that MCAS is one of the primary causes of histamine intolerance. However, it may not be the cause for everyone. You may experience histamine intolerance without having MCAS (2, 3, 4, 5).

Mold, Histamine Intolerance, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Mold is a fungus that is known for its ability to grow on almost anything and thrive under many conditions, especially in a warm and moist environment. They release mycotoxins in the air and lead to consequent health issues.

Mold is versatile and has many types and forms. This also means that mold can grow both indoors and outdoors. Your bathroom, kitchen, and basement are some of the most common areas molds may hide, however, they can appear anywhere else, especially in damp, wet, and warm environments.

The problem is that mold can spread far and wide. You may initially have mold in one tiny spot in your home, but its microscopic spores can travel far. You may breathe them in through the air. They also may take home in other areas of your house leading to more mold growth. There are about 1,000 species of mold in the United States. Some of the most common molds that may affect your health include aspergillus, Cladosporium, Alternaria, Memnoniella, Penicillium and Stachybotrys.

Chronic exposure to mold can be dangerous. It can lead to mold toxicity symptoms, including fatigue, brain fog, headache, skin issues, respiratory problems, and nausea. Mold exposure and mold toxicity may also increase histamine intolerance and trigger MCAS.

Mold releases mycotoxins that have toxic effects on your body. As a response, your mast cells release histamine and other chemicals to attack and destroy these harmful mold toxins. The problem is that if you are being continuously exposed to mold, your body will develop a chronic state of inflammation, your immune system will be on a constant alert, and your body will be in a constant state of defense.

Due to chronic mold exposure and on-going inflammation, you can develop histamine intolerance. Your mast cells end up over-producing histamine in order to protect your body from mold toxins. However, your body won’t be able to keep up with all the histamine, which can lead to histamine intolerance and consequent symptoms (6, 7, 8, 9).

Natural Solutions for Mold, Histamine Intolerance, and MCAS

If you’ve been exposed to toxic mold and experiencing symptoms of histamine intolerance or MCAS, I have good news for you. You can resolve your symptoms by using simple natural solutions. Here is what I recommend:

Remove Mold from Your Home and Reduce Mold Exposure

First things first, if you have mold in your home, you need to remove it (unless you can move to a mold-free home!). If the mold-affected area is over 10 square feet or 1 square meter, call a professional mold remediation specialist. The problem is bigger than you can handle on your own. However, if you are only dealing with a smaller area, you can probably take care of it yourself.

You may try these self-removal options to take care of your mold problem:

Try a mix of one teaspoon of baking soda and 2 cups of water to use on affected surfaces
Use undiluted white vinegar on hard surfaces in your bathroom and kitchen
Use a 50/50 mix of ammonia-water solution as a spray. Leave it on the affected surface for 2 to 3 hours them rinse it well.
NEVER mix all-purpose cleaners or bleach with ammonia. They can create toxic fumes that can be dangerous to your health.

Don’t forget about addressing any underlying problems that may drive mold:

Remove any moldy and old rugs, carpeting, paint, or wallpaper
Clean or dispose of any moldy shower curtains, clothing, and other items
Fix moisture leaks and water damage issues
Reduce indoor humidity and keep it between 30 and 50 percent
If you hang your clothes to dry, ideally, do it outside
Always wipe down wet tiles after you shower
Keep the detergent compartment of your washing machine open
Make sure your home is ventilated well
Use a high-quality indoor air filtration system
Check your indoor plants and keep the mold off of them
Clean and repair the roof gutters of your home
Direct any rain or melted snow or ice away from your house
Keep your home clean
Check for signs of mold growth regularly and address any mold immediately

A word on exposure at work:

Unfortunately, mold exposure may happen at your work. At least half of the buildings in North America are affected by mold. This can be difficult if you are unknowingly exposed. If you can use a high-quality air filtration system at your office or office area. Talk to HR and encourage them to do regular mold checks and use prevention strategies. If you notice any signs of mold, speak with HR immediately. If there is an ongoing mold issue at your job, you may want to consider looking for new employment if it’s possible.

Get Tested for Mold Toxicity

If you have symptoms of mold toxicity or have been exposed to mold, it is important to get tested. Working with a functional medicine doctor, like myself, can help you with this. Just schedule a consultation today.

Detoxify Your Body from Mold

If you have been affected by chronic mold exposure and mold toxicity, you need to detoxify your body from mold. Here is what I recommend:

Check house & workplace for mold exposure (consider ERMI test)
Get body tested for mold toxicity
Detoxify Your Body from Mold
- Hydrate well
- Support detoxification through sweating ie. infrared sauna
- Consider working with a practitioner to help with mold protocol
There are various other products I use to address mold depending on the person’s history and tolerance to supplements.
Recover Your Body from Histamine Intolerance and MCAS
- Eat a low-histamine diet
- Support your liver
- Consider histamine supporting supplements like quercetin, nettle & others. My HistoRelief supplement has a blend of these ingredients & more.

Support Your Gut

Chronic mold exposure and mold illness can lead to gut infections and gut health issues. Gut microbiome imbalances and gastrointestinal problems can increase the risk of histamine intolerance and POTS. If you are dealing with gut imbalances, supporting your gut health is key.

Follow a healthy gut-friendly diet rich in greens, vegetables, sprouts, low-glycemic index fruits, herbs, spices, grass-fed meat, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught fish, and wild game. If you are not dealing with histamine intolerance, you may add some probiotic-rich fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented herbs, yogurt, kefir, or kombucha. However, since fermented foods can drive histamine, if you have histamine intolerance or MCAS, avoid these foods.

If you are dealing with both histamine intolerance and gut health issues, I recommend working with a functional medicine practitioner (like me) to test your gut and see if opportunistic bacteria, yeast overgrowth, parasites, H. pylori and/or leaky gut can be what is driving your histamine issue.

Support Your Body with an Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Healthy Lifestyle Strategies

Following a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet and following healthy lifestyle strategies, such as moving your body, reducing stress, and sleeping enough, are critical for your recovery. I recommend that you follow an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense diet. Remove inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oil, artificial ingredients, gluten, food sensitivities, deep-fried food, junk food, and overly processed foods. Eat lots of greens, vegetables, sprouts, herbs, spices, fruits, grass-fed meat, pasture-raised poultry, pasture-raised eggs, fresh wild-caught fish and seafood, and wild game. Drink plenty of water, at least ten glasses per day

Move your body throughout the day. You may try dancing to your favorite songs, taking a stroll in the park, stretching regularly, and playing with your kids or pets. Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes five days a week and move your body regularly. I recommend getting 10 to 15K steps in a day if you can. Add resistance and strength training to your routine.

To reduce stress and improve sleep, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body. Make sure to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night.

Recover Your Body from Histamine Intolerance and MCAS

As you’ve learned, histamine intolerance is a common consequence of mold exposure or mold-related gut health issues and a common underlying issue behind POTS. If you are dealing with histamine intolerance, addressing mold toxicity and eating an anti-inflammatory diet won’t be enough.

If you have histamine intolerance or MCAS, I recommend that you follow a nutrient-dense and low-histamine diet. Eliminate all histamine foods for one to three months. After this Elimination phase, slowly re-introduce them one by one following The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan. To understand each step of this simple yet refined system, I recommend that you read my book, The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan: Getting to the Root of Migraines, Eczema, Vertigo, Allergies and More where I explain everything about histamine intolerance and each phase of the plan in detail. You will also find my favorite low-histamine recipes to nourish your body.

To support your body and reduce histamine intolerance, I recommend HistoRelief. It is a synergistic blend of nutrients, including Tinofend®, quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salts, that provides natural support to balance your immune response, inflammation reduction, and histamine release.

Final Thoughts

Mold can be found in our indoor and outdoor environment, especially in warm, damp, and moist areas. Mold toxicity can trigger MCAS, increase histamine production, and lead to histamine intolerance and related symptoms. Follow my natural solutions to overcome mold toxicity, histamine intolerance, and MCAS.

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance and mold illness, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.

Sources:

1. Maintz L, Novak N, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 1185–1196. Link Here

2. Afrin LB, Self S, Menk J, Lazarchick J. Characterization of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Am J Med Sci. 2017;353(3):207-215. Link Here

3. Frieri M, Patel R, Celestin J. Mast cell activation syndrome: a review. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2013;13(1):27-32. Link Here

4. Akin C, Valent P, Metcalfe DD. Mast cell activation syndrome: Proposed diagnostic criteria. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Dec;126(6):1099-104.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.08.035. Epub 2010 Oct 28. PMID: 21035176

5. Petra AI, Panagiotidou S, Stewart JM, Conti P, Theoharides TC. Spectrum of mast cell activation disorders. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2014;10(6):729-739. Link Here

6. CDC – Mold: Basic Facts. Link Here

7. Gray M. Molds and mycotoxins: beyond allergies and asthma. Altern Ther Health Med. 2007;13(2):S146-52. PMID: 17405693

8. Bush RK, Portnoy JM, Saxon A, Terr AI, Wood RA. The medical effects of mold exposure. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006;117(2):326-33. PMID: 16514772

9. Afrin LB. Presentation, diagnosis, and management of mast cell activation syndrome. University of Minnesota. Link Here

10. Marí M, Morales A, Colell A, García-Ruiz C, Fernández-Checa JC. Mitochondrial glutathione, a key survival antioxidant. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2009 Nov;11(11):2685-700. doi: 10.1089/ARS.2009.2695. PMID: 19558212

11. Hope J. A review of the mechanism of injury and treatment approaches for illness resulting from exposure to water-damaged buildings, mold, and mycotoxins. ScientificWorldJournal. 2013 Apr 18;2013:767482. doi: 10.1155/2013/767482. PMID: 23710148

12. Rodriguez RR. Headache and liver disease: is their relationship more apparent than real? Dig Dis Sci. 2004 Jun;49(6):1016-8. PMID: 15309894

13. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

How Histamine Intolerance Affects Your Brain

Histamine intolerance affects your entire body. It may be the root cause of your migraines, headaches, allergies, sinus issues, digestion troubles, eczema, acne, and so on. It’s not surprising that histamine plays a critical role in your brain function as well. Histamine intolerance can compromise your cognition, concentration, mood, and overall brain function.

In this article, I will explain what histamine intolerance is and how it affects your brain. I will also offer some simple natural solutions for histamine intolerance and brain health issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyCbp2ICMrA

What Is Histamine Intolerance

Histamine is responsible for a variety of important bodily functions, including communicating with your brain, fighting off allergens as part of your immune response, and promoting stomach acid release to aid digestion. While histamine is absolutely essential for your health, too much histamine is not healthy. Histamine intolerance means that you have too much histamine which can result in various symptoms and health issues, including brain health problems (1).

Histamine Intolerance and Your Brain

Your brain is a complex yet fascinating organ. When it receives signals from your environment, it doesn’t just process everything through the same channel. Your brain has four systems, called the aminergic system, which makes sure that everything gets processed through the correct channel.

One of the four aminergic systems is called the histaminergic system. You’ve guessed it right. The histaminergic system involves a histamine-mediated process to ensure healthy processing and function. Histamine helps your brain to achieve homeostasis or balance. It helps to regulate stimuli related to the following important brain-related activities (2):

The sleep-wake cycle
Stress response
Pain perception
Neurotransmitter regulation
Satiety, taste perception, and feeding behaviors
Addictive behaviors
Memory formation
Motivation and goal-setting behaviors

But how exactly histamine affects these things? Histamine in your brain can come from either mast cells or neurons. However, since there aren’t many mast cells in your brain, most of them come from histamine-releasing neurons in your hypothalamus. From there, histamine can travel to other areas and affect your entire brain. Histamine can attach to different receptors in a variety of other regions of your brain. This can lead to over-stimulation and histamine intolerance all over your brain (3, 4).

In other parts of your body, the diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme is responsible for breaking down excess histamine. In your brain, however, the histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) enzyme is responsible for breaking down histamine. It first forms t-type methylhistamine, which gets broken down by monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) and aldehyde dehydrogenase. If histamine doesn’t get broken down properly, it can increase histamine intolerance and related symptoms (5).

Brain Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance

Now that you understand how histamine functions in your brain, let’s take a deeper look at how histamine intolerance may affect various brain-related functions and activities.

The Sleep-Wake Cycle

Did you know that over half of the over-the-counter medications that promote sleep contain a histamine blocker agent? This is not surprising. Histamine intolerance can increase your risk of sleeplessness, insomnia, and other sleeping disorders. Healthy histamine levels on the other hand promote healthy sleep and energy during the day (6).

Stress Response

One of the most well-known allergic and histamine reactions is itching, which is your body’s stress response to an allergen. When your body encounters an allergen, it will increase stress in your body to trigger histamine production and produce symptoms to signal a problem. Reducing histamine, however, may decrease this stress response and as a result, lower symptoms as well. This is the reason why allergy medications have anti-histamine effects (7).

Pain Perception

Histamine intolerance can increase inflammation, pain, and various symptoms in your body. However, your brain is responsible for how you perceive and interpret pain. If there is an imbalance in your brain due to histamine intolerance, you may end up perceiving pain stronger than under normal circumstances (8).

Neurotransmitter Regulation

Histamine is a neurotransmitter or chemical messenger, that affects the function of other neurotransmitters. Therefore, histamine plays a key role in neurotransmitter regulation. Histamine intolerance may increase the risk or amplify the symptoms of neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, ADHD, and schizophrenia (9).

Satiety, Taste Perception, and Feeding Behaviors

Hunger is important for our survival. It triggers food-seeking behaviors to increase energy, help metabolic function, and support our health. However, histamine intolerance can interfere with our normal feeding cycle. It may increase your appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods. It may also alter your feeding behavior, and may increase binging, emotional eating, unhealthy snacking, and disordered eating habits (10).

Addictive behaviors

Histamine may play a role in addictive behaviors. Research studies on rats found that higher brain histamine levels may influence alcohol dependence. Blocking brain histamine receptors, however, helped recovery from alcohol addiction. While more research is needed, addressing histamine intolerance may play an important role in the treatment of alcohol addictions and possibly other addictive behaviors (11).

Memory Formation

While histamine intolerance can certainly compromise your memory and cognition, low histamine levels are also a problem. Higher brain histamine levels within the healthy range may help your memory and help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (12).

Motivation and Goal-Setting Behaviors

If you have trouble staying motivated to achieve your goals, histamine may play a role in that. Histamine may help to increase goal-seeking behaviors and motivation. However, it is important that your histamine levels don’t end up too high since that can lead to fatigue and low-energy interfering with your ability to achieve these goals (13).

Solutions for Brain Health and Histamine Intolerance

If you want to improve your brain health, it is important that you address histamine intolerance. Here is what I recommend:

Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet

Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your health. Reducing inflammation itself may help to reduce brain and mental health issues. Reducing histamine may help to decrease histamine-related symptoms.

Remove inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oils, canned and processed meat, artificial ingredients, junk food, and highly processed foods. Avoid high-histamine foods, such as fermented food (e.g., sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented vegetables, kombucha, etc.), aged food (e.g., aged cheese, processed meat, canned fish, etc.), over-ripe fruits and vegetables, leftovers, and foods that are naturally high in histamine (e.g., avocadoes, eggplant, spinach, dried fruits, etc.). Avoid foods that may trigger histamine releases, such as tomatoes, most citrus, bananas, most nuts, and dairy. Avoid foods that may block the DAO enzyme, including black tea, green tea, alcohol, and energy drinks.

Eat a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory, and low-histamine diet rich in greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits, healthy fats, and organic meat. Low-histamine foods include most fresh leafy greens and vegetables, non-citrus fruits, such as apples, pear, papaya, and grapes, fresh grass-fed meat, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, and wild-caught fish, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, ghee, coconut oil, leafy herbs, and herbal tea. My book, The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan includes an extensive list of foods that you can eat and should avoid on a low-histamine diet.

If you are new to a low-histamine diet, remember to have fun experimenting with new foods and recipes. I promise low-histamine meals can be delicious. I recommend all the low-histamine recipes in The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan and my new recipe book, Fifty One Low Histamine Air Fryer Recipes. They are all simple, easy to make, low-histamine, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and super healthy. Not to mention how delicious they are — your family will love them too.

Support Your Gut

Your gut health affects your entire body. Gut flora imbalance can trigger both histamine intolerance and migraines. Supporting your gut health is critical for your recovery. Along with a gut-friendly, low-histamine, anti-inflammatory diet, I recommend that you take a high-quality probiotics supplement, to support your gut microbiome balance.

Support Your Liver and Hormone Levels

Your liver is a major detoxifying organ that’s critical for your recovery from histamine intolerance. This is why I recommend Optimal Reset Liver Love, a powerful blend of botanical and mushroom extracts and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) for optimal liver function, detoxification, hormonal health, and brain function (14).

Reduce Histamine Intolerance

I recommend HistoRelief. It is a synergistic blend of nutrients that provides natural support to balance your immune response. This blend features Tinofend®, a patented and clinically researched extract derived from the plant Tinospora cordifolia, which has a powerful ability to support immune regulation and immune response. As a result, it boosts your body’s ability to fight histamine-related symptoms. It includes quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salt to help inhibit histamine release, support normal histamine metabolism, and improve immune health (15).

Reduce Your Histamine Bucket

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance, reducing high-histamine foods is not enough. High stress, poor sleep, not moving your body, and high toxin exposure may add to your histamine load. Improving these areas of your lifestyle may help to reduce your histamine bucket and lower the risk of histamine-related issues.

Remove Toxins

Toxin overload can increase inflammation, histamine intolerance, and related brain or mental health issues. It’s critical that you lower your daily exposure to environmental toxins. Choose purified water over tap water. Use a high-quality air filtration system for better indoor air. Choose natural, organic, and homemade cleaning, personal hygiene, and beauty products instead of conventional brands loaded with chemicals. Choose glass, bamboo, wood, organic cotton, silicon, and other natural alternatives instead of plastic. Avoid BPA plastic completely. Choose organic food whenever possible and avoid overly processed packaged foods. If you must buy non-organic produce, follow the Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list, and always wash and peel non-organic vegetables and fruits.

Reduce Your Stress Levels

Chronic stress may increase mast cell activation and histamine intolerance and histamine-related symptoms. To decrease your stress levels, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body.

Get Enough Sleep Sleep

Inadequate and poor sleep may also trigger histamine and histamine-related issues. Improving your sleep is absolutely essential for your health. Your goal should be to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night. Lower your stress levels throughout the day but especially in the evening time to support sleep. Take a bath, read a good book, listen to some music, journal, try coloring, and spend time with your family. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and heavy food in the evening. Sleep on a supportive mattress with comfortable and supportive pillows and blankets, and quality, organic cotton sheets.

Move Your Body

A lack of movement may also increase the risk of histamine intolerance and related symptoms. Moving your body is a great way to reduce stress, improve detoxification, and improve your overall health. Move your body throughout the day. Stretch regularly. Take a stroll in the nearby park. Find creative ways to incorporate movement, such as an impromptu dance session, learning a new TikTok dance, playing with your kids or pets, taking the stairs, trying a treadmill desk, or practicing chair yoga. Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes five days a week and move your body regularly. I recommend getting 10 to 15K steps in a day if you can. Add resistance and strength training to your routine.

Final Thoughts

Histamine intolerance affects your entire body. Your brain is not an exception. Histamine intolerance may lead to poor sleep, increased stress response, increased pain perception, compromised neurotransmitter regulation, unhealthy feeding behaviors, increased, addictive behaviors, poor memory, and low motivation.

The good news is that reducing histamine intolerance is simple. Follow my natural solutions for histamine intolerance and brain health issues to improve your brain health and overall well-being.

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance and related symptoms, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.

Sources:

1. Maintz L, Novak N, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 1185–1196. Link Here

2. Brown, R. E., Stevens, D. R., & Haas, H. L. (2001). The physiology of brain histamine. Progress in Neurobiology, 63(6), 637–672. Link Here

3. Shan L, et al. Interactions of the histamine and hypocretin systems in CNS disorders. Nat Rev Neurol . 2015;11(7):401–413. Link Here

4. Bolam, P., & Ellender, T. Histamine and the striatum. Neuropharmacology. Volume 106, July 2016, Pages 74-84. Link Here

5. Haas HL, et al. Histamine in the nervous system. Physiol Rev . 2008;88(3):1183–1241. Link Here

6. Naganuma F, et al. Histamine N-methyltransferase regulates aggression and the sleep-wake cycle. Sci Rep . 2017;7(1):15899. Link Here

7. Kim, H., et al. How stress triggers itch: a preliminary study of the mechanism of stress‐induced pruritus using fMRI. International Journal of DermatologyVolume 55, Issue 4. 2015. Link Here

8. Rosa AC, Fantozzi R. The role of histamine in neurogenic inflammation. Br J Pharmacol. 2013 Sep;170(1):38-45. doi: 10.1111/bph.12266. PMID: 23734637

9. Sadek, B., et al. Histamine H3 receptor as a potential target for cognitive symptoms in neuropsychiatric diseases. Behavioural Brain Research. Volume 312, 1 October 2016, Pages 415-430. Link Here

10. Provensi G., et al. (2016) Histamine and Appetite. Histamine and Appetite. In: Blandina P., Passani M. (eds) Histamine Receptors. The Receptors, vol 28. Humana Press, Cham. Link Here

11. Panula, P. Histamine, histamine H3 receptor, and alcohol use disorder. British Journal of Pharmacology. 2019. Link Here

12. Zlomuzica, A., et al. 2016. Neuronal histamine and cognitive symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. Neuropharmacology. 106, 135e145. Link Here

13. Loy, B. D., & O’Connor, P. J. (2016). The effect of histamine on changes in mental energy and fatigue after a single bout of exercise. Physiology & Behavior, 153, 7–18. Link Here

14. Rodriguez RR. Headache and liver disease: is their relationship more apparent than real? Dig Dis Sci. 2004 Jun;49(6):1016-8. PMID: 15309894

15. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

MTHFR and Histamine Intolerance: What’s the Connection?

Your genetic make-up is what makes you unique. This doesn’t mean, however, that all your genes are perfect. Genetic mutations and variations may occur. MTHFR gene mutation is one of the more common issues that people may experience. While MTHFR mutations may increase your symptoms of histamine intolerance and related symptoms, you shouldn’t be worried if you have MTHFR issues. Through natural dietary and lifestyle strategies, you can support your body and regain your health even with MTHFR mutation.

In this article, I will discuss what genes and enzymes are involved in histamine regulation. You will learn what MTHFR is and everything you need to know about MTHFR mutation. You will understand the connection between MTHFR mutation and histamine intolerance. I will explain how to get tested for MTHFR mutation. I will also offer some natural solutions for MTHFR issues and histamine intolerance.

Genes and Enzymes Involved in Histamine Regulation

Before I jump into talking about MTHFR and its connection to histamine intolerance, I first want you to understand the genes and enzymes that are involved in histamine regulation.

MTHFR: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is necessary to make the MTHFR enzyme. This enzyme is necessary to convert homocysteine into methionine and plays a critical role in methylation and detoxification as well. You will learn more about MTHFR later in this article.
HNMT: HNMT is a gene that is needed to process, regulate, and break down histamine.
SAMe: S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) is a cofactor of HNMT. It helps the formation, activation, and breakdown of a variety of hormones, proteins, and drugs in your body. Supplementing with SAMe is often beneficial for those with anxiety, depression, PMS, premenstrual dysphoria disorder, and fibromyalgia when their body is unable to naturally produce SAMe.
MAO: Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme that helps the breakdown of histamine.
DAO: Diamine oxidase (DAO) is an enzyme that is critical for the breakdown of histamine.

What Is MTHFR?

MTHFR is an enzyme that is the catalyst of various critical biochemical reactions that occur in your body. It is responsible for methylation, which is the process of converting vitamin B9 (folate) into methyl-folate. Methylation is important for your body for repairing damaged cells, processing hormones, detoxification, optimizing DNA cell function, regulating neurotransmitters, and metabolizing B vitamins. Clearly, MTHFR and methylation are absolutely critical for all areas of your health, including hormonal health, mental health, behavior, and sleep.

Converting homocysteine into methionine is one of the most important functions of methylation. Methionine is important for detoxification, repairing cells, building protein, processing fats, and supporting your body’s healthy inflammatory response. Methionine also produces a potent detoxifier, glutathione. Your liver breaks down methionine into SAMe, and anti-inflammatory superhero that helps to break down neurotransmitters and repair cellular damage (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

What Is MTHFR Mutation?

Your MTHFR gene is one of the 20 to 25,000 genes you have in your body. It is responsible for the production of the MTHFR enzyme.

As with any gene, genetic mutations or variations may occur. In fact, MTHFR mutations are incredibly common affecting about half of the population. They often lead to methylation issues and a variety of health issues, including histamine intolerance, allergies, hormonal issues, food and chemical sensitivities, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and more. MTHFR genetic mutations are referred to as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). One SNP represents one single DNA building block difference. SNPs are fantastic biomarkers that can help us identify the genes that are associated with your symptoms and disease. The more MTHFR SNP mutations you have, the less effective your MTHFR enzymes will be resulting in decreased methylations and more health issues (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

So how is this all related to histamine intolerance? Great question. Let’s learn more about genetic links to histamine intolerance.

MTHFR: Genetic Links to Histamine Intolerance

If you remember from earlier, HNMT is a gene that is absolutely critical for histamine processing. It also requires SAMe as a cofactor to do its job. However, SAMe requires a functioning MTHFR enzyme in order to be produced. Now you can understand that if your body is dealing with MTHFR genetic mutation, it will lead to lower MTHFR function and disrupt the HNMT’s work. This can slow the removal of histamine from your body leading to an array of symptoms associated with histamine intolerance, including anxiety, skin problems, digestive troubles, headaches, migraines, fatigue, and an abnormal menstrual cycle.

Moreover, MTHFR gene mutation also interferes with methylation. Methylation is critical for detoxification. Methylation problems may lead to your body’s inability to effectively remove toxins creating a build-up of histamine, which increases histamine intolerance and symptoms. Furthermore, mutations may occur in DAO, MAO, and HNMT as well, which can further interfere with removing histamine from your body and further increasing histamine intolerance and symptoms (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

Testing for MTHFR Mutations

Your healthcare provider may be able to order an MTHFR blood test for you. However, these tests are usually not covered by insurance, can cost up to a thousand dollars, and are also less definitive and less comprehensive than cheaper alternatives.

As of right now, 23andMe test is the standard test for genetic mutations using SNP testing. While your results do not include all the genetic SNPs listed earlier, you can enter your results into a third-party company for a throughout the genetic report to determine that you have MTHFR or other genetic mutations. Be vary of the list of supplements these companies may try to sell you. Having a genetic SNP does not necessarily mean that you have a health condition. I prefer StrateGene genetic analysis from Dr. Ben Lynch for accurate results you can trust. I recommend that you go over your results with a functional health practitioner, like myself for treatment and supplementation protocol as needed.

Solutions for MTHFR Mutations and Histamine Intolerance

If you have an MTHFR mutation and histamine intolerance, don’t worry. There are natural solutions you can try to start feeling better and live a healthy life free from symptoms.

Focus on Natural Folate

MTHFR mutations interfere with your body’s ability to methylate and convert B vitamins. I recommend that you consume natural folate and stay away from folic acid. Dark leafy vegetables are a fantastic source of folate and are low in histamine. Asparagus, broccoli, and avocados (unfortunately high in histamine) are also great options. If you are taking B vitamins, make sure to always take pre-methylated forms.

Support Your Digestive Health Issues

Digestive health issues, including leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome, can increase histamine intolerance and its symptoms. Supporting your gut with healthy nutrition and probiotics is critical. To learn more about leaky gut syndrome and how to support your gut health, read this article.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress can increase mast cell activation and histamine intolerance and histamine-related symptoms. To decrease your stress levels, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body.

Improve Sleep

Inadequate and poor sleep may rigger histamine and histamine-related issues. Improving your sleep is absolutely essential for your health. Your goal should be to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night. Lower your stress levels throughout the day but especially in the evening time to support sleep. Take a bath, read a good book, listen to some music, journal, try coloring, and spend time with your family. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and heavy food in the evening. Sleep on a supportive mattress with comfortable and supportive pillows and blankets, and quality, organic cotton sheets.

Support Detoxification

Reduce your toxic load and support detoxification. Choose purified water over tap water. Use a high-quality air filtration system for better indoor air. Choose natural, organic, and homemade cleaning, personal hygiene, and beauty products instead of conventional brands loaded with chemicals. Choose glass, bamboo, wood, organic cotton, silicon, and other natural alternatives instead of plastic. Avoid BPA plastic completely. Choose organic food whenever possible and avoid overly processed packaged foods. If you must buy non-organic produce, follow the Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list, and always wash and peel non-organic vegetables and fruits. Support your detoxification pathways through hydration, exercise, infrared sauna, dry-brushing, and eating lots of low-histamine vegetables.

Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet

Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your health. Reducing inflammation itself may help to reduce symptoms. Reducing histamine may help to decrease histamine-related symptoms.

Support Your Liver and Hormone Levels

Your liver is a major detoxifying organ that’s critical for your recovery from histamine intolerance. I recommend Optimal Reset Liver Love, a powerful blend of botanical and mushroom extracts and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) for optimal liver function, detoxification, hormonal health, and brain function (8).

Reduce Histamine Intolerance with Supplementation

Final Thoughts

MTHFR is a very common genetic mutation. While it may increase your risk of histamine intolerance and related symptoms, you can support your body with the help of natural dietary and lifestyle strategies. Follow my tips to support your body, regain your health, and live a happy life with MTHFR mutation.

Sources:

1. Tsaffir J. MTHFR, Methylation and Histamine in Psychiatric Conditions. Link Here

2. Lynch B. Histamine Intolerance, MTHFR and Methylation. MTHFR. Link Here

3. Matosin, N., Cruceanu, C., & Binder, E. B. (2017). Preclinical and Clinical Evidence of DNA Methylation Changes in Response to Trauma and Chronic Stress. Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Link Here

4. Reilly, R., McNulty, H, Pentieva, K, Strain, J. J., Ward, M. (2014). MTHFR 677TT genotype and disease risk: is there a modulating role for B-vitamins? The Proceedings of The Nutrition Society. 73(1):47-56. Link Here

5. Dean L. Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Deficiency. 2012 Mar 8 [Updated 2016 Oct 27]. In: Pratt VM, McLeod HL, Rubinstein WS, et al., editors. Medical Genetics Summaries [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Center for Biotechnology Information (US); 2012. Link Here

6. Liew SC, Gupta ED. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism: epidemiology, metabolism and the associated diseases. Eur J Med Genet. 2015;58(1):1-10. Link Here

7. Lynch B. MTHFR Mutations and Associated Conditions. Link Here

8. Rodriguez RR. Headache and liver disease: is their relationship more apparent than real? Dig Dis Sci. 2004 Jun;49(6):1016-8. PMID: 15309894

9. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

Understanding Histamine Intolerance

If you are experiencing frequent headaches, migraines, digestive problems, fatigue, anxiety, menstrual issues, bladder problems, or other uncomfortable or unexplained symptoms, you may be dealing with histamine intolerance. Histamine intolerance refers to a build-up of histamine in your body that is the common underlying cause of many of our modern-day chronic health issues.

In this article, I will help you understand the science of histamine intolerance. You will learn about biogenic amines and histamine. You will understand what histamine intolerance is and its common causes. I will explain why histamine intolerance affects more women than men and how histamine intolerance may affect your mental health. I will also share my top natural solutions for histamine intolerance to help resolve your symptoms and regain your health.

What Are Biogenic Amines

If you want to understand the science of histamine intolerance, you have to understand the alchemy of biogenic molecules. Histamines are part of a class of molecules called biogenic amines. These molecules are made up of amino acids, which are the building block of proteins. The amino acid in histamine is called histidine. Other biogenic amines include cadaverine (lysine), tyramine (tyrosine), putrescine (ornithine), tryptamine (tryptophan), and agmatine (arginine).

Biogenic amines help to manage important bodily functions in plants, animals, and humans. Your cells create and release biogenic amines to attach to certain target cells to deliver a message and trigger a response. Once they serve their function, your body sends neutralizing enzymes to destroy them.

Your body turns amino acids into biogenic amines by removing its carboxyl group with the help of special enzymes called decarboxylases. It can create biogenic amines, such as histamine to perform essential functions. The problem is that biogenic amines are not only created by your body but also can come from food.

There are certain yeast and bacteria that also contain decarboxylases and they are able to make biogenic amines using the proteins in certain foods, including meat, fish, poultry, and dairy, we consume. Microorganisms may attach to these proteins and start fermenting it by breaking them down into smaller compounds, including biogenic amines.

Why is this a problem? Great question. The issue is that while in living tissues inside your body, biogenic amines get destroyed quickly, in non-living tissue, such as in fermented meat, these biogenic enzymes don’t get destroyed, instead, they accumulate. The older these foods are, the more biogenic amines they have. The good news is that many biogenic amines come with an unpleasant smell alerting you that your food is bad. The bad news is that histamine is an odorless and flavorless biogenic amine, so you won’t know if there is an excess. Not to mention that in our culture we actually purposely make and love fermented foods, including cheese, yogurt, wine, and salami.

When it comes to histamine, the problem is that it can come from both inside and outside the body. While consuming high-histamine foods, such as hard cheese or yogurt, may be tasty, it can lead to a histamine build-up, histamine intolerance, and consequent health problems. But what is histamine anyway and how can it harm you? Let’s look into it.

What Is Histamine

Histamine is a specific compound that your cells release as a response to any injury, inflammation, or allergic reaction. Histamine is created only in specific cells. In your immune system, they are created by mast cells and basophils, in the digestive system by gastric enterochromaffin cells and some gut bacteria, and in the nervous system by histaminergic neurons. However, because it can be created in various areas, histamine can affect a variety of bodily functions. Histamine helps to regulate your digestion, sleep, blood pressure, brain function, and sexual function among many other tasks (1, 2).

what is histamine

Removal of Histamine

Under normal circumstances, once it reaches its target cell, histamine gets destroyed quickly. Your small intestine and ascending colon send diamine oxidase (DAO) enzymes to prevent histamine access from high-histamine foods and drinks. If any histamine passes the DAO, histamine-N-methyltransferase (HNMT) enzymes will kill them in your gut lining. However, if the activity of these enzymes is inadequate or compromised, not all histamine will be destroyed. This leads to histamine intolerance or excess histamine that can enter your bloodstream and cells (3).

Reaction to Histamine

You have to understand that a small amount of histamine in your body is normal and safe, however, abnormal and excessive amounts of histamine can lead to various histamine reactions and health issues. Histamine reactions may include (4, 5, 6, 1):

Anaphylaxis: This happens when you have an allergic reaction to something. For example, if you are allergic to peanuts, eating peanut butter will create a histamine reaction putting your body into crisis mode. In some cases, this can be deadly.
Scombroid poisoning: This reaction is a form of food poisoning from bad seafood that contains over 500 mg/kg of histamine. Symptoms of scombroid poisoning tend to include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rashes, hives, swelling, and anxiety.
Localized allergic reactions: As a reaction to allergens, such as pollen, you may experience localized allergic reactions, including hives, sinus congestion, watery eyes, rashes, and more.
Histamine overload: Most people can only include 50 to 100 mg/kg histamine in one meal. If you eat more than that, you may experience symptoms of histamine overload. Some people are more sensitive than others, so tolerance levels and reactions may vary.
Histamine intolerance: Histamine intolerance results in uncomfortable symptoms even when consuming low doses of histamine. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, hives, puffy eyes, sinus issues, menstrual problems, heart palpitation, low blood pressure, and more.

Causes of Histamine Intolerance

Histamine intolerance often develops due to low levels and activity of the DAO enzyme. Without enough functioning DAO enzymes, your body cannot keep up with all the histamine in your body and cannot destroy it (2).

Compromised DAO function and histamine intolerance may develop as a result of:

Mast cell activation syndrome
Gluten intolerance
Leaky gut syndrome
Gut infections, including Helicobacter Pylori, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Candida and other fungi overgrowth, and parasites
Nutrient deficiencies, including vitamin C and B, zinc, and copper that may lead to DAO dysfunction
Genetic mutations, including MTHF, HNMT, SAMe, MAO, and DAO mutations
Certain medications, including NSAIDs, antidepressants, immune modulators, antiarrhythmics, antihistamines, and histamine blockers

Histamine Intolerance and Women

Women are particularly affected by histamine intolerance. In fact, about 80% of people with intolerance happen to be women. The reason behind this is the histamine-estrogen connection. Histamine may increase estrogen production triggering a variety of issues affecting women, including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual migraines, pre-menstrual and menstrual cramps, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). You may learn more about the histamine-estrogen connection in this article (1, 2, 7).

Histamine and Mental Health

Histamine intolerance may affect your mental health and lead to anxiety, depression, fatigue, insomnia, and related other issues. The reasons are that histamine acts as a neurotransmitter in your brain. It affects your stress response, memory, learning, attention, sleep-wake cycle, alertness, and sexual function. Access histamine can disrupt these functions. Histamine intolerance may increase adrenaline, the fight-or-flight hormone in your body leading to physical symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, including sweating, racing heart, shaking, shortness of breath, nausea, and insomnia. By increasing estrogen levels, histamine intolerance may also lead to mood swings, changes in energy, and concentration problems (8).

Histamine versus Other Biogenic Aminos

As you know, histamine is not the only biogenic amine. As a matter of fact, histamine is always accompanied by other biogenic amines in food. This may lead to more complex and often unpredictable symptoms. For example, putrescine and cadaverine, two other biogenic amines may also interfere with DAO activity making it even more difficult for your body to break down histamine effectively. Tyramine is another biogenic amino. Instead of DAO, it is broken by monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes. However, if tyramine accumulates, it can lead to headaches and high blood pressure, which may affect your histamine intolerance symptoms.

When it comes to histamine intolerance, it may not be as simple as paying attention to your good choices. Stress, alcohol, certain medications, your estrogen levels, gut flora imbalance, and environmental toxicity may increase your risk of histamine intolerance and your symptoms. Symptoms of histamine intolerance may also vary from person to person. Therefore it is very important that you pay attention to your symptoms, your body’s reactions, and take a holistic approach to histamine intolerance (9, 10, 11).

Natural Solutions for Histamine Intolerance

If you suspect that you have histamine intolerance and want to improve your health naturally, I have some simple natural solutions for you. This is what I recommend to my patients with histamine intolerance:

Follow the 4-Phase Histamin Reset Plan: To improve histamine intolerance, it is critical that you follow an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense, and low-histamine diet which starts by removing all histamine foods for one to three months, then slowly add them back one by one following The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan. To understand each step of this simple yet refined system, I recommend that you read my book, The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan: Getting to the Root of Migraines, Eczema, Vertigo, Allergies and More where I explain everything about histamine intolerance and each phase of the plan in detail and share delicious low-histamine recipes to nourish your body and support your health. Pick up a copy, today to learn more about the plan and my recommendations.
Making healthy lifestyle choices: Along with your diet, it is important that you make healthy lifestyle choices. Eliminate toxic personal care and cleaning products as well and instead use organic, natural, or homemade products. Reduce stress, get plenty of sleep, and spend time in nature.
Support your liver: Supporting your liver is critical for your recovery, this is why I recommend Optimal Reset Liver Love, a powerful blend of botanical and mushroom extracts and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), a derivative of the amino acid cysteine. It supports healthy liver function, allows optimal estrogen detoxification, and helps hormonal health naturally.
Reduce histamine build up: To improve histamine intolerance, I recommend HistoRelief, a synergistic blend of nutrients that provides natural support to balance your immune response. This supplement includes Tinofend®, quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salts and offers anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support while naturally inhibiting histamine release.

Final Thoughts

Histamine intolerance refers to a build-up of histamine in your body that is the common underlying cause of many of our modern-day health issues, including headaches, migraines, fatigue, digestion problems, menstrual issues, and anxiety. Follow my top natural solutions for histamine intolerance to help resolve your symptoms and regain your health.

If you are experiencing symptoms of histamine intolerance, I invite you to schedule a consultation with me. I can help to identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here.

Sources:

1. Kovacova-Hanuskova E, Buday T, Gavliakova S, Plevkova J. Histamine, histamine intoxication and intolerance. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2015 Sept; 43(5):498-506. PMID: 26242570

2. Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007; 85(5):1185-96. PMID: 17490952

3. Kovacova-Hanuskova E, Buday T, Gavliakova S, Plevkova J. Histamine, histamine intoxication and intolerance. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2015 Sept; 43(5):498-506. PMID: 26242570

4. Hungerford JM. Scombroid poisoning: a review. Toxicon. 2010; 56(2):231-43. PMID: 20152850

5. Byun BY, Mah JH. Occurrence of biogenic amines in Miso, Japanese traditional fermented soybean paste. J Food Sci. 2012; 77(12):T216-23. PMID: 23140362

6. Komericki P, Klein G, Reider N et al. Histamine intolerance: lack of reproducibility of single symptoms by oral provocation with histamine: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2011; 123(1-2):15-20. PMID: 21165702

7. Yoshizawa M, Tashiro M, Fukudo S et al. Increased brain histamine H1 receptor binding in patients with anorexia nervosa. Biol Psychiatry. 2009; 65(4):329-35. PMID: 18814859

8. Haas HL, Sergeeva OA, Selbach O. Histamine in the nervous system. Physiol Rev. 2008; 88(3):1183-241. PMID: 18626069

9. Ruiz-Capillas C, Jiménez-Colmenero F. Biogenic amines in meat and meat products. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2004; 44(7-8):489-99. PMID: 15969322

10. Wackes C, Herwald M, Borck H et al. Histamine in selected beer samples. Inflamm Res. 2006; 55 Suppl 1:S67-8. PMID: 16547807

11. Vlieg-Boerstra BJ, Van Der Heide S, Oude Elberink JN, Kluin-Nelemans JC, Dubois AE. Mastocytosis and adverse reactions to biogenic amines and histamine-releasing foods: what is the evidence? Neth J Med. 2005; 63(7):244-9. PMID: 16093574

by Peter Saydak

Migraines and Histamine Intolerance

Did you know that there is a migraine warrior in one of every four households? Migraines affect about 12% of the US population. I was one of them. I had migraines for years before I discovered that histamine intolerance was causing them (1).

In this article, I will explain what migraines are. You will understand what histamine intolerance is and how it plays a role in your migraines. I will also share some of my best natural tips for migraines and histamine intolerance.

What Are Migraines

Migraines are actually a syndrome that consists of different symptoms, like a debilitating headache characterized by throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation. While they often occur on one side of the head only, it can also affect both sides. Migraines often also cause nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound as well. They may come with an aura, which includes visual or other disturbances, such as light flashes, blind spots, tingling, or speech difficulties.

Migraines can last anywhere from a few hours to days. While some people only suffer from occasional migraines, many experience regular or chronic migraines.

Migraine medications tend to come with a long list of side effects and tend to not offer much help at all. Natural approaches, including lifestyle changes, supplements, and nutrition are much safer and often more beneficial (1, 2, 3).

Migraine Characteristics

Histamine and Histamine Intolerance

Histamine is responsible for various bodily functions, including fighting off allergens as part of your immune response, communicating with your brain, and promoting stomach acid release to aid digestion. While histamine plays an important role in your health, too much histamine can become a serious problem. Histamine intolerance means that you have too much histamine which can result in various symptoms and health issues. Migraines are one of them.

As a natural part of your natural immune response, your body releases certain enzymes to break down any histamine build-up. The problem is that if your body has too much histamine from food or other sources, it simply won’t be able to break down the excess histamine effectively and completely. Histamine intolerance is a full-body issue that can affect all parts of your body, including your gut, brain, lungs, cardiovascular system, and hormonal health. Histamine intolerance can show up in your body in various ways, including migraines, headaches, skin problems, hormonal issues, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, bladder problems, anxiety, seasonal allergies, and more (4).

what is histamine

Migraines and Histamine Intolerance

The link between migraines and histamine is not new. Many health practitioners suggest eliminating chocolate, coffee, tomatoes, and other high-histamine foods as potential triggers. Keeping a migraine diary, migraine warriors often find that certain high-histamine foods may be the trigger. Thanks to research, however, we finally have more understanding of how migraines and histamine are connected.

Research has found that people with chronic migraines have higher levels of histamine in their plasma and increased histamine-releasing brain mast cells. Scientists have found that up to 90% of migraine patients have a deficiency in Diamine Oxidase (DAO), an enzyme responsible for histamine breakdown. Studies indicate that DAO deficiency may also increase the risk of migraines, while DAO supplementation may decrease the length of migraine attacks (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11).

While researchers have found that eating high-histamine foods can trigger migraines in both chronic migraine patients and in those who normally don’t have migraines and a low histamine diet can help migraineurs. One study has found that 73.3% of migraine patients experienced relief when following a low-histamine diet (7, 12).

histamine and migraine cycle

Menstrual Migraines and Histamine Intolerance

“But, Dr. Becky, I only get migraines around my period. Can it still be from histamine?” Great question! You are not alone, millions of women experience migraines before or during their period. While most women believe that they can’t do anything about these menstrual migraines, it is far from the truth. Histamine intolerance may play a role in your menstrual migraines.

If you read my article on the connection between estrogen and histamine intolerance, and histamine intolerance and PCOS, you will understand that histamine intolerance can seriously impact your hormonal health and lead to premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, including migraines.

Hormonal imbalances are one of the main causes of histamine intolerance. Estrogen dominance occurs in your body when your estrogen and progesterone levels get out of balance and you end up with too much estrogen. Estrogen dominance plays a key role in hormonal issues and symptoms of a variety of issues that affect women, including migraines, headaches, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual cramping, decreased libido, weight gain, hot flashes, and more. If you are experiencing migraines or headaches before or during your period, there is a high chance that it’s from histamine intolerance (13).

menstrual cycle & histamine

Headaches and Histamine Intolerance

Migraines are not the only form of headache that millions of people are dealing with worldwide. Even if you are not a migraines warrior, there is a good chance that you experience other types of headaches on a regular basis. You may wonder whether or not a low-histamine diet can help you.

The answer is yes, histamine intolerance may be behind non-migraine headaches. Histamine intolerance can lead to inflammation, muscle tension, and gut flora imbalance which may contribute to headaches. Research has shown that eating a low-histamine diet a large number of non-migraine chronic headache patients have experienced decreased headaches. I often hear from my patients that they’ve noticed less or no headaches since adopting a low-histamine diet (12).

Natural Solutions

If you are a migraine warrior like I was, I bet you want to hear some natural solutions that can help you to experience freedom from migraines. Here is what I recommend:

Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet

Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your health. Reducing inflammation itself may help to reduce migraines and headaches. Reducing histamine may help to decrease histamine-related migraines and headaches.

Reduce Your Histamine Bucket

Remove Toxins

Toxin overload can increase inflammation, histamine intolerance, and related migraines. It’s critical that you lower your daily exposure to environmental toxins. Choose purified water over tap water. Use a high-quality air filtration system for better indoor air. Choose natural, organic, and homemade cleaning, personal hygiene, and beauty products instead of conventional brands loaded with chemicals. Choose glass, bamboo, wood, organic cotton, silicon, and other natural alternatives instead of plastic. Avoid BPA plastic completely. Choose organic food whenever possible and avoid overly processed packaged foods. If you must buy non-organic produce, follow the Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list, and always wash and peel non-organic vegetables and fruits.

Reduce Your Stress Levels

Chronic stress can increase muscle tension and related migraines or headaches. It may increase mast cell activation and histamine intolerance and histamine-related migraines or headaches. To decrease your stress levels, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body.

Get Enough Sleep Sleep

Inadequate and poor sleep may also increase stress, muscle tension, and related migraines or headaches. It may also trigger histamine and histamine-related issues. Improving your sleep is absolutely essential for your health. Your goal should be to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night. Lower your stress levels throughout the day but especially in the evening time to support sleep. Take a bath, read a good book, listen to some music, journal, try coloring, and spend time with your family. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and heavy food in the evening. Sleep on a supportive mattress with comfortable and supportive pillows and blankets, and quality, organic cotton sheets.

Move Your Body

A lack of movement may also increase the risk of histamine intolerance and related migraines. Moving your body is a great way to reduce stress, improve detoxification, and improve your overall health. Move your body throughout the day. Stretch regularly. Take a stroll in the nearby park. Find creative ways to incorporate movement, such as an impromptu dance session, learning a new TikTok dance, playing with your kids or pets, taking the stairs, trying a treadmill desk, or practicing chair yoga. Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes five days a week and move your body regularly. I recommend getting 10 to 15K steps in a day if you can. Add resistance and strength training to your routine.

Support Your Gut

Try Some Supplements

Final Thoughts

Histamine intolerance is a common underlying issue behind migraines and headaches. Addressing histamine intolerance and reducing your histamine load is critical for improving your symptoms. I recommend that you follow the strategies outlined in this article to improve your health.

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance, migraines, or headaches, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.

Sources:

1. Migraine Research Foundation. Link Here

2. Migraine. Medline Plus. Link Here

3. Migraine. Mayo Clinic. Link Here

4. Maintz L, Novak N, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 1185–1196. Link Here

5. Gazerani P. A correlation between migraine, histamine and immunoglobulin E. Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. Volume57, Issue3. March 2003. Pages 286-290. Link Here

6. Theoharides TC, Donelan J, Kandere-Grzybowska K, Konstantinidou A. The role of mast cells in migraine pathophysiology. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 2005 Jul;49(1):65-76. PMID: 15960987

7. Kaliner M. Effects of infused histamine: correlation of plasma histamine levels and symptoms. Link Here

8. Izquierdo-Casas J, Comas-Basté O, Latorre-Moratalla ML, Lorente-Gascón M, Duelo A, Vidal-Carou MC, Soler-Singla L. Low serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity levels in patients with migraine. J Physiol Biochem. 2018 Feb;74(1):93-99. PMID: 28624934

9. Keller MD. Migraine attacks shortened by diamine oxidase supplements. Medscape. Link Here

10. Migraine and headaches caused by DAO deficiency. D rHealthcare. Link Here

11. Migraines appear more likely to be caused by histamine rather than ethanol. DrHealthcare. Link Here

12. Wantke F, Gotz M, Jarisch M. Histamine‐free diet: treatment of choice for histamine‐induced food intolerance and supporting treatment for chronical headaches. Clinical & Experimental Allergy. Volume23, Issue12. December 1993. Pages 982-985. Link Here

13. Arduc A, Aycicek Dogan B, Bilmez S Imga Nasirouglu N, Tuna MM, Isik S, Berker D, Guler S. High prevalence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: does the imbalance between estradiol and progesterone play a role? Endocrine Research. 2015;40(4):204-210. PMID: 25822940

14. Rodriguez RR. Headache and liver disease: is their relationship more apparent than real? Dig Dis Sci. 2004 Jun;49(6):1016-8. PMID: 15309894

15. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

COVID-19: What You Need to Know + Natural Solutions

It seems like that there’s not a minute that goes by without someone mentioning COVID-19, formerly known as the novel coronavirus. The United States has declared a national emergency. Schools are moving online. Events are getting canceled. Places of arts and recreation are closed.

But what is COVID-19? Should you really panic (hint: Don’t panic!!).

In this article, I will explain what COVID-19 is, what are the symptoms, how it spreads, and who is at risk. I will share my top natural solutions to boost your immune system, prevent illness, and support recovery.

What Is COVID-19?

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new or novel coronavirus. Coronaviruses a group of viruses. Different strains cause different symptoms from the common cold to more serious illness, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012. COVID-19 is new strain that we haven’t previously seen before (1, 2, 3).

Since the initial outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019, COVID-19 has spread resulting in a global pandemic. As of March 19, 2020, we have 228,451 cases worldwide, including 9,357 deaths and 86,254 recovered cases. China, South-Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, and the United States has the most cases. While China and South-Korea seem to be over the tipping point and are seeing a decline in cases, it is just hitting Europe and North-America with numbers rapidly increasing. The United States has 9,521 confirmed cases, including 160 deaths and 108 recovered cases (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12).

Since the virus is spreading and we are facing a national emergency, it is important that you stay informed. For up-to-date information, including travel warnings, you can check updated statistics here, the CDC’s, and the WHO’s website.

Symptoms of COVID-19

COVID-19 has a long incubation period lasting up to 2 weeks. This means that you may not experience symptoms for as few as 2 or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus.

Main symptoms include:

Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath

Symptoms may range from mild (even no symptoms in some) to severe. In serious cases, people may develop more severe illness, such as pneumonia or bronchitis. In severe situations, it may result in death (13, 14, 15).

COVID-19 symptoms

Who Is at Risk

COVID-19 spreads via respiratory droplets coming from the cough or sneeze of an infected individual in close contact or within 6 feet. You may also catch it by touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your face, mouth, nose, or eyes.

While it seems that the virus is the most contagious when it’s the most symptomatic, it may also be contagious during the asymptomatic stage. This is why it is particularly important to practice good hygiene and social distancing.

In most cases, people experience mild to moderate symptoms and can expect a full recovery. The good news is that children are the least vulnerable. However, more severe symptoms and complications are more likely to occur in older generations and those with a seriously compromised immune system or chronic illness. It is important that we all take preventative measures and boost our immune system, not only to protect ourselves but to protect those around us.

Natural Solutions

It is critical that we follow appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Here are the CDC’s recommendations (16):

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds.
Avoid touching your mouth, nose, eyes, and face.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Practice social distancing.
Stay at home if you are sick.
Cover your coughs and sneezes into a tissue or inside your elbow.
Use paper tissues and throw them into the trash after using them.
Disinfect surfaces regularly.
Use face masks if you are sick, they can protect others.
Do not use face masks if you are not sick unless you are caring for someone who is sick.

CDC

Currently, we don’t have vaccines or anti-viral medication to prevent or treat COVID-19. Treatment includes supportive care to improve symptoms and to support vital organs in serious cases. This makes natural immune-boosting strategies incredibly important for both prevention and treatment.

Lower Your Stress Levels

I know that this is a time of uncertainty. However, stressing and panicking about the situation are counterproductive. Stress and panic can be increase inflammation, compromise immune function, and make you more vulnerable to illness.

Keeping your stress levels down is critical for your immune system. Keep the news to the minimum. It’s important that you are informed, but constantly reading and thinking about the virus is going to keep you at a state of stress. Designate a specific time for it, then move on. Instead, engage in activities that relax your body, calm your mind, and uplift your soul. I recommend meditation, breathwork, journaling, arts and crafts, yoga, dancing, and play. Spend time in nature while keeping a social distance from others.

Eat an Immune-Supporting Diet

Eating an anti-inflammatory, immune-supporting, nutrient-dense diet is the best way to support your immune system and is especially critical as we are facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Eliminate inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oils, artificial ingredients, processed foods, and junk food. Instead, eat plenty of nutrient-dense greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits, healthy fats, and clean protein. Specific immune-supporting foods I recommend, include citrus, garlic, onions, turmeric, ginger, and medicinal mushrooms.

Take Immune-Supporting Supplements

Eating a nutrient-dense diet is essential for preventing illness and supporting recovery. However, it is important that you support your immune health with immune-boosting supplements, especially during vulnerable times, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the best vitamins that support your immune system and benefits lung infections. I recommend that you take 2000 to 4000 mg of Vitamin C supplement daily, when your immune system needs extra support (25).

Vitamin D3/K2

Vitamin D is essential for your immune system. While sunshine is the best way to get vitamin D, our modern-world indoor lifestyle doesn’t allow us to meet all our needs. Considering that we may be spending even more time indoors as a result of COVID-19, I recommend that you take 5000 - 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3/K2 a day (26).

B-complex

B vitamins are incredibly important for supporting biochemical reactions in your immune system, energy levels, and cellular health. To optimize your B vitamin levels, I recommend a daily vitamin Methylated B-complex (27).

Zinc

Zinc is a vital mineral with an ability to boost your immune system and fight infections. I recommend supplementing with 30 mg of zinc per day (28).

Elderberry

Elderberry syrup is a fantastic immune-boosting supplement that may be effective for coughs and other respiratory issues. It also tastes delicious and even your kids will love it. I recommend a daily dose for prevention and support (29).

A note on elderberry and the conflicting information on it's affect on the virus.

The argument with elderberry and this virus is that elderberry can activate cytokines (basically activating the immune system). Just like estrogen, thyroid hormone & cortisol, cytokines are not a bad thing. It becomes a problem when there is too much.

I do not believe that is the case with elderberry. It MILDLY activates cytokines. Cytokines are part of the immune system that we need in order to fight off things like viruses. This is why it has been shown to be effective with the flu.

If you are torn on your thoughts on elderberry and this virus, then don’t take it.

Lauricidin

Lauricidin, also known as a pure sn-1 monolaurin, is a natural, plant-based medium chain fat derived from lauric acid that is used for the natural treatment of colds, the flu, and other viral infections. I recommend 1 scoop 3 times per day. Start with 1/4 scoop and work up slowly over at least a week’s period (30, 31).

Liver Love

Optimal Reset Liver Love is a powerful supplement that supports liver function, detoxification, and overall health. This bland contains two medicinal mushrooms, Reishi and Cordyceps, that are particularly powerful for immune function. I recommend 2 capsules twice a day for at least 4 weeks (22).

Additional Supplements:

After reviewing an article written by Dr. Kara Fitzgerald yesterday, I have added a few more supplements to this list. This is taken straight from her article:

Jade Windscreen. The top ingredient in Jade Windscreen is astragalus.[Wikipedia entry on Chinese patent medicine]. Please read Dr. Fitzgerald's article to fully understand the use of this.
Quenching the cytokine storm. In part, it might be our own immune system – made dysfunctional, imbalanced in its hyper response to certain viruses (COVID19, influenza) – that needs interruption. Two key interventions are topping my list:
- Omega 3 fatty acids for their ability to generate specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs). Or, since some of us who are vulnerable to COVID19, like diabetics, don’t make SPMs efficiently, take SPMs directly.
- Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA): 600mg daily for prevention; increase to 600mg tid at first sign.
Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders (Turkey Tail, Reishi, Maitake, Shitake, Chaga) providing >20% beta-D-glucans: 1 cap daily for prevention; increase to 2 caps twice a day with symptoms.

Immune system supporting supplements

**Please check with you doctor before starting any new supplements**

Final Thoughts

While we are facing the spread of COVID-19, it is important you don’t panic. This does not mean I am saying to take this lightly, but panicking will only add stress & reduce your immune system’s ability to fight off pathogens.

Work on reducing your stress levels, eat a nutrient-dense diet (I have written about this many times on my website), and follow my supplement recommendation to boost your immune system and protect your health.

If you are looking for personal guidance to improve your immune system and enhance your health, schedule your consultation here.

Sources:

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here
What is the coronavirus Johns Hopkins Medicine. Link Here
What is coronavirus and what should I do if I have symptoms? The Guardian. Link Here
Coronavirus: what other public health emergencies has the WHO declared? The Guardian. Link Here
China coronavirus outbreak: All the latest updates. Aljazeera. Link Here
Coronavirus: Live Updates. CNN. Link Here
Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports. World Health Organization. Link Here
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here
Travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here
COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.Woldometer. Link Here

11.Trump declares national emergency. CNN. Link Here

WHO declares the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Stat. Link Here
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Symptoms. Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention. Link Here
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). How COVID-19 Spreads. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here
Coronavirus infection. Medline Plus. Link Here
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Prevention and treatment. Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention. Link Here
Ware, M. How can lemons benefit your health. Medical News Today. Link Here
Arreola R, Quintero-Fabián S, López-Roa RI, Flores-Gutiérrez EO, Reyes-Grajeda JP, Carrera-Quintanar L, Ortuño-Sahagún D. Immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects of garlic compounds. J Immunol Res. 2015;2015:401630. PMID: 25961060
Bayan L, Koulivand PH, Gorji A. Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2014 Jan;4(1):1-14. PMID: 25050296; PMCID: PMC4103721
Yan, Fang; Polk, D. Probiotics and immune health. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology: November 2011 – Volume 27 – Issue 6 – p 496–501. Link Here
Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R, Askari G, Hariri M, Darvishi L, Mofid MR. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: review of current evidence. Int J Prev Med. 2013 Apr;4(Suppl 1):S36-42. PMID: 23717767
Olsen, N. 6 mushrooms that act as turbo-shots for your immune system. Healthline. Link Here
Friedman M. Chemistry, Nutrition, and Health-Promoting Properties of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) Mushroom Fruiting Bodies and Mycelia and Their Bioactive Compounds. J Agric Food Chem. 2015;63(32):7108-23. PMID: 26244378
Diling C, Chaoqun Z, Jian Y, et al. Immunomodulatory Activities of a Fungal Protein Extracted from Hericium erinaceua through Regulating the Gut Microbiota. Front Immunol. 2017;8:666. PMID: 28713364
Hemilä H, Louhiala P. Vitamin C may affect lung infections. J R Soc Med. 2007 Nov;100(11):495-8. doi: 10.1177/014107680710001109. PMID: 18048704
Aranow C. Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med. 2011 Aug;59(6):881-6. doi: 10.2310/JIM.0b013e31821b8755. PMID: 21527855
Axeiorod AE. Role of the B vitamins in the immune response. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1981;135:93-106. PMID: 7010964
Caulfield LA, and Black RE. Zinc Deficiency Link Here
Tiralongo E, Wee SS, Lea RA. Elderberry Supplementation Reduces Cold Duration and Symptoms in Air-Travellers: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2016; 8(4):182. Published 2016 Mar 24. PMCID: 4848651
Lieberman S. A Review of Monolaurin and Lauric Acid. Link Here
Monolaurin. WebMD. Link Here
COVID-19: Traditional Chinese Medicine & Western Options for the Non-TMC Trained Clinician. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

The Histamine-PCOS Connection

Did you know that there is a strong histamine-PCOS connection? If you have PCOS, you are all too familiar with irregular periods, hair loss, ovarian cysts, weight gain, and other symptoms. What you may not know is that if you have PCOS, you may also have histamine intolerance. The good news is that once you understand the connection between histamine and PCOS, you can start taking appropriate steps to regain your health naturally.

In this article, you will learn about PCOS. You will understand how histamine intolerance and PCOS are linked. I will also share the top natural strategies to improve histamine intolerance and PCOS.

What Is PCOS?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects about 5 million women of reproductive age in the US alone. Women with PCOS have excess levels of the androgen male hormone. Their ovaries tend to have small cysts that lead to hormonal imbalance and are unable to release eggs regularly. As a result, women with PCOS experience irregular, infrequent, or prolong menstrual cycles.

PCOS is the most common known cause of female infertility. PCOS also increases the risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, gestational diabetes, and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure. Besides menstrual irregularities, fertility issues, and pregnancy complications, PCOS also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, depression, anxiety, heart disease, and stroke (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Common symptoms of PCOS include (3, 5):

Missed, irregular, or light periods
Large ovaries
Ovaries with many cysts
Excess body hair, including on the stomach, chest, and back
Weight gain, especially belly fat
Acne or oily skin
Thinning hair
Infertility
Skin tags on the neck or armpits
Dark or thick skin patches in the armpits, on the back of the neck, or under the breasts

PCOS

The Histamine-PCOS Connection

When it comes to PCOS treatment and prevention, it is critical that we address both hormonal issues and related histamine intolerance.

What Is Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine is a chemical that is responsible for a variety of functions in your body, including getting rid of allergens as part of your immune response, communicating with your brain, and triggering stomach acid release to aid digestion. Histamine intolerance means that you have too much histamine which can lead to various health issues.

As a natural part of your immune response, your body releases enzymes to break down histamine build-up. If you have too much histamine, your body won’t be able to keep up and won’t be able to break down the excess histamine properly. Histamine intolerance affects your entire body, including your gut, brain, lungs, cardiovascular system, and hormonal health. Histamine intolerance can manifest in a variety of ways, including hormonal issues, headaches, skin problems, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, bladder problems, anxiety, fast heart rate, seasonal allergies and more. Let’s see how histamine intolerance is linked to PCOS (6).

Histamine Intolerance and PCOS

Hormonal imbalances are one of the main causes of histamine intolerance. Estrogen dominance happens when estrogen and progesterone get out of balance and you end up with too much estrogen. Estrogen dominance plays a key role in the development and symptoms of PCOS and other conditions, including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), uterine fibroids, and breast cancer (7).

Women who have PCOS also tend to have low progesterone levels. This is not surprising since progesterone is critical for ovulation and most women with PCOS don’t ovulate consistently. Progesterone is not only essential for your period and reproduction, but it also supports the diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme function. The DAO enzyme is essential for breaking down histamine in your food and excess histamine in your body. If your body is not producing sufficient progesterone, it cannot support the DAO enzyme function as well and will be unable to break down excess histamine efficiently either.

Another problem is that estrogen triggers the production of histamine from the mast cells in your ovaries and uterus. If you have too much estrogen, it means that your body has to make and release more histamine feeding the never-ending cycle of estrogen and histamine excess.

This estrogen-histamine connection is one of the reasons behind your PCOS symptoms. Estrogen dominance may increase PMS symptoms and may also cause bloating, gut issues, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, or irritability during the first part of your cycle or during ovulation when estrogen levels are higher.

PCOS-HISTAMINE

Natural Support for PCOS and Histamine Intolerance

If you have PCOS and histamine intolerance and want to improve your health naturally, I have some simple natural solutions for you. This is what I recommend to my patients with PCOS:

Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet

Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your health. Reducing inflammation through an anti-inflammatory diet can decrease your symptoms Following a low-histamine diet can help you reduce histamine intolerance and lower the risk of histamine-related problems.

Reduce Your Histamine Bucket

Reduce Your Stress Levels

Chronic stress can increase mast cell activation and histamine intolerance. To decrease your stress levels, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body.

Get Enough Sleep Sleep

Inadequate and poor sleep is another major underlying issue behind histamine intolerance. Improving your sleep is absolutely essential for your health. Your goal should be to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night. Lower your stress levels throughout the day but especially in the evening time to support sleep. Take a bath, read a good book, listen to some music, journal, try coloring, and spend time with your family. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and heavy food in the evening. Sleep on a supportive mattress with comfortable and supportive pillows and blankets, and quality, organic cotton sheets.

Move Your Body

A lack of movement may also increase the risk of histamine intolerance and chronic health issues. Moving your body is a great way to reduce stress, improve detoxification, and improve your overall health. Move your body throughout the day. Stretch regularly. Take a stroll in the nearby park. Find creative ways to incorporate movement, such as an impromptu dance session, learning a new TikTok dance, playing with your kids or pets, taking the stairs, trying a treadmill desk, or practicing chair yoga. Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes five days a week and move your body regularly. I recommend getting 10 to 15K steps in a day if you can. Add resistance and strength training to your routine.

Remove Toxins

Toxin overload can lead to mast cell activation, histamine intolerance, chronic inflammation, and related chronic symptoms. It’s critical that you lower your daily exposure to environmental toxins. Choose purified water over tap water. Use a high-quality air filtration system for better indoor air. Choose natural, organic, and homemade cleaning, personal hygiene, and beauty products instead of conventional brands loaded with chemicals. Choose glass, bamboo, wood, organic cotton, silicon, and other natural alternatives instead of plastic. Avoid BPA plastic completely. Choose organic food whenever possible and avoid overly processed packaged foods. If you must buy non-organic produce, follow the Dirty Dozen, Clean 15 list, and always wash and peel non-organic vegetables and fruits.

Support Your Gut

Your gut health affects your entire body. Gut flora imbalance can trigger both histamine intolerance and PCOS. Supporting your gut health is critical for your recovery. Along with a gut-friendly, low-histamine, anti-inflammatory diet, I recommend that you take a high-quality probiotics supplement, to support your gut microbiome balance.

Try Some Supplements

I recommend HistoRelief. It is a synergistic blend of nutrients that provides natural support to balance your immune response. This blend features Tinofend®, a patented and clinically researched extract derived from the plant Tinospora cordifolia, which has a powerful ability to support immune regulation and immune response. As a result, it boosts your body’s ability to fight histamine intolerance-related symptoms. It includes quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salt to help inhibit histamine release, support normal histamine metabolism, and improve immune health.

Supporting your hormone levels is also critical for improving your symptoms. This is why I recommend Optimal Reset Liver Love. This supplement is a powerful blend of botanical and mushroom extracts and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC), a derivative of the amino acid cysteine. It supports healthy liver function, allows optimal estrogen detoxification, and supports your hormonal health naturally.

Check Out the Health Babes’ Guide to Balancing Your Hormones

To learn more about your hormones and learn how to improve your hormonal health naturally, I recommend our book (co-authored by Dr. Krystal Hohn and myself) The Health Babes’ Guide to Balancing Your Hormones: A Detailed Plan with Recipes to Support Mood, Energy Levels, Libido, and More. This book is not only full of information but with an easy-to-follow plan and easy-to-make, delicious hormone-friendly recipes.

Final Thoughts

Histamine intolerance is a common underlying issue behind PCOS. Addressing histamine intolerance and reducing your histamine load is critical for improving your symptoms. I recommend that you follow the strategies outlined in this article to improve your health.

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance or PCOS, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.

Sources:

1. PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here

2. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Hormone Health Network. Link Here

3. Polycystic ovary syndrome. US Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Women’s Health. Link Here

4. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Mayo Clinic. Link Here

5. Polycystic ovary Syndrome. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Link Here

6. Maintz L, Novak N, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 1185–1196. Link Here

7. Arduc A, Aycicek Dogan B, Bilmez S Imga Nasirouglu N, Tuna MM, Isik S, Berker D, Guler S. High prevalence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: does the imbalance between estradiol and progesterone play a role? Endocrine Research. 2015;40(4):204-210. PMID: 25822940

8. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here

9. Yang K., Zeng L., Bao T. et al. Exploring the pharmacological mechanism of quercetin-resveratrol combination for polycystic ovary syndrome: A Systematic Pharmacological Strategy-Based Research. Sci Rep 9, 18420 (2019). Link Here

10. Olanyan OT. Vitamin C suppresses ovarian pathophysiology in experimental polycystic ovarian syndrome. Pathophysiology. 2019 Sep - Dec;26(3-4):331-341. PMID: 31564389

11. Stinging nettle is a powerful plant for PCOS. PCOS. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

Relationship Between Estrogen Dominance & Thyroid Disease

You’ve made some lifestyle changes to improve your thyroid condition, yet your symptoms are not budging. You want to know why. I hear you. Let me take off the detective work off your shoulder.

The missing problem may be too much estrogen in your body. You may not be aware that one of the contributing factors of your thyroid disease is another hormonal issue, estrogen dominance. Once you understand this, you can finally address the root cause and support your thyroid naturally.

In this article, you will learn about estrogen dominance. You will understand its symptoms, its main causes, and its connection to thyroid disease. I will share with you my top tips to resolve estrogen dominance and thyroid disease naturally.

What Is Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen and progesterone are the two primary female sex hormones. Under healthy circumstances, they work together in a healthy rhythm and are responsible for your female cycle. Together with your thyroid and adrenal hormones, they are critical for your hormonal health.

Even though estrogen and progesterone are sex hormones, they are responsible for much more than reproductive health. Estrogen is critical for the reproductive cycle and childbearing in women, but it’s also important for bone health, healthy levels of cholesterol, brain health, mood, metabolism, skin health, thyroid health, and overall hormonal function. Progesterone helps to lower inflammation, balance the nervous system, and stimulate your thyroid hormone. When your estrogen and progesterone levels get out of balance it affects your entire body.

Estrogen dominance happens when estrogen and progesterone get out of balance. This may happen because your body is making too much estrogen resulting in estrogen excess. In other cases, progesterone levels drop too low leading to imbalance and estrogen dominance. In both cases, estrogen becomes the dominant hormone resulting in a variety of symptoms (1).

Symptoms of estrogen dominance include:

Pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS)
Endometriosis
Fatigue
Infertility
Miscarriages
Weight gain
Hot flashes
Menstrual cramps
Headaches
Decreased libido
Depression and mood imbalance
Excessive menstruation
Ovarian cysts
Uterine fibroids
Fibrocystic breasts
Tender breasts
Brain fog
Insulin resistance
Thyroid problems
Autoimmunity
Cancer

Estrogen Dominance and Thyroid Disease

Your body is a holistic system. Nothing happens in isolation. It’s not surprising that when one hormone is out of balance, it affects other hormones as well. Estrogen dominance can affect your thyroid hormones and contribute to Hashimoto’s disease, thyroid cancer, and other thyroid conditions (2, 3).

When it comes to estrogen and your thyroid, both too much and too little estrogen can lead to thyroid problems. Estrogen triggers your thyroid to create thyroglobulin, a thyroid precursor hormone. Too little estrogen will result in too little thyroglobulin, while too much estrogen can cause too much thyroglobulin creating an enlarged thyroid. Furthermore, estrogen also helps to increase the specific protein that transports your thyroid hormones in your blood. Too much of this protein can cause hypothyroidism even if you have appropriate levels of thyroid hormones.

Appropriate progesterone levels are also necessary for thyroid health. Progesterone and your thyroid hormone have a mutually beneficial relationship. Progesterone is essential for your thyroid health, but thyroid hormones are also important for your ovaries and progesterone production. Progesterone can help to lower the amount of protein that carries thyroid in your blood and can also increase your thyroid hormone levels. Essentially, it helps to counteract the effects of estrogen and to bring balance to your body. A healthy estrogen-progesterone balance is critical for your thyroid health.

Researchers have found that excess estrogen may lead to the elevation of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid antibodies. Too much estrogen may also increase inflammation, compromise your immune system, and increase the production of anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies contributing to autoimmune thyroid conditions, such as Hashimoto’s disease (4, 5).

thyroid-estrogen

Main Causes of Estrogen Dominance

Estrogen dominance may be caused by a number of dietary, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Let’s look at some of the top contributing factors.

Poor Diet

One of the top causes of estrogen dominance is diet. Commercially raised animal products have been injected with hormones and non-organic conventional produce is full of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Packaged processed foods are high in artificial ingredients and chemicals. These hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals are endocrine disruptors that can seriously interfere with your hormonal health (6).

Gut Imbalance

In a healthy gut microbiome, an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase helps to regulate circulating estrogen in your body. If your gut flora is out of balance, these enzymes won’t be able to metabolize estrogen efficiently increasing your risk of estrogen dominance and related issues (7).

Cleaning and Personal Care Products

Conventional cleaning products, soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, lotions, and cosmetics are loaded with chemicals. Parabens, phthalates, and other common compounds in these products all have estrogen activity and can lead to estrogen dominance (8).

BPA and Plastics

From water bottles to food and storage containers, plastics are everywhere. Unfortunately, these plastics contain hormone-mimicking xenoestrogens that can disrupt your hormonal balance and lead to estrogen dominance (9).

Heavy Metals

Municipal tap water, aluminum pots and pans, old paint residue, dental amalgam fillings, and conventional cosmetics are places where heavy metals may hide. Mercury, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, however, all possess estrogen-mimicking and endocrine-disrupting properties. (10).

Body Fat

Your body fat is the place where estrogen xenoestrogens get absorbed and stored. Excess estrogen also urges your body to create more fat cells further feeding into the cycle of excess fat and estrogen dominance (11).

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Birth Control

Oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy medication contain a lot of synthetic estrogens. Without the necessary progesterone to balance it out, taking such medication increases imbalance and the risk of estrogen dominance.

Chronic Stress

When you are chronically stressed, your body produces excess cortisol to try to respond to and cope with the constant stress. Progesterone is the precursor of cortisol and increased demand for cortisol can result in estrogen dominance and hormonal imbalance (12, 13).

causes of estrogen dominance

Natural Solutions for Estrogen Dominance and Thyroid Disease

Estrogen dominance and thyroid disease are certainly concerning. The good news is that you can reduce estrogen dominance and repair thyroid issues naturally by following a few simple steps.

Get a Full Thyroid Panel

I recommend that you work with a functional medicine practitioner (hint: call our office and schedule your consultation here).

A full thyroid panel checks for:

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
Thyroxine (Total & Free T4)
Triiodothyronine (Free T3 & total T3)
Reverse T3
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO)
Thyroglobulin antibodies

Why should you work with a functional medicine doctor instead of your regular healthcare provider? Most healthcare providers don’t use a complete thyroid panel and only look at your TSH. This doesn’t tell the full picture, and many issues may be missed.

If your thyroid doesn’t make enough T4 or T3, you have an underactive thyroid. This may indicate an autoimmune thyroid condition, Hashimoto’s disease. If your thyroid makes too much T4 or T3, you have an underactive thyroid condition. In most cases, this is an autoimmune condition, Graves disease. Most doctors only test for TSH instead of ordering a full thyroid panel, and they fail to diagnose thyroid issues. Your TSH may still be fine, while your T3 or T4 may be off already.

Functional medicine doctors also use a slightly different range. This helps us to detect preclinical thyroid issues before full-blown thyroid disease.

Checking your thyroid levels will not only help us with the proper diagnosis. Your test results can guide us in creating an individualized treatment plan. Regular testing can help us check your progress and adjust your treatment plan if needed.

Eat an Anti-Inflammatory and Thyroid-Friendly Diet

I recommend following a anti-inflammatory, thyroid-friendly, nutrient-dense, whole-food diet. Eliminate inflammatory foods that may contain hidden estrogens, including conventional meat and dairy and non-organic food. Remove inflammatory foods, including refined sugar, refined oils, canned and processed meat, artificial ingredients, junk food, and highly processed foods. Eat lots of greens, vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits, healthy fats, and organic meat.

Add lots of thyroid-supporting foods to your diet, including organic vegetables, wild-caught fish, olive oil, coconut oil, low-sugar fruits, such as cherries, cantaloupe, and berries, grass-fed and pasture-raised animal products, seaweed, herbs, and herbal tea. My book, The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan: Disarming the 7 Hidden Triggers That Are Keeping Your Sick, has some great recommendations for thyroid-friendly foods and meals.

Reduce Chemical Exposure

Remove conventional cleaning and beauty products and use organic, natural, and homemade products instead. Replace plastic with glass or stainless steel bottles and containers. Filter your water.

Reduce Stress

Chronic stress can impact your thyroid health. To reduce stress and improve sleep, I recommend practicing breathwork, meditation, positive affirmation, journaling, yoga, grounding, and time in nature for stress and anxiety reduction. Taking an Epsom salt bath is another great way to relax your muscles, calm your mind, and detoxify your body.

Get Enough Sleep Sleep

Inadequate and poor sleep is another major root cause behind inflammation, hormonal imbalance, and thyroid issues. Make sure to sleep at least 7 to 9 hours a night. I recommend that you reduce your stress levels throughout the day but especially in the evening time to support sleep. Take a bath, read a good book, listen to some music, journal, try coloring, and spend time with your family. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and heavy food in the evening. I recommend investing in a supportive mattress, comfortable and supportive pillows and blankets, and quality, organic cotton sheets.

Move Your Body

A lack of movement may also increase the risk of thyroid issues and hormonal imbalance. Moving your body is a great way to reduce stress, improve detoxification, support hormonal health, support lymphatic flow, boost your mood, and support your overall health. Stay active throughout the day by taking a stroll in the park, stretching regularly, dancing to your favorite songs, playing with your kids or pets, and finding creative ways to incorporate movement. A standing desk or treadmill desk may be a great idea. Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes five days a week and move your body regularly. I recommend getting 10 to 15K steps in a day if you can. Add resistance and strength training to your routine.

Remove Toxins

Toxin overload can increase chronic inflammation and hormonal dysfunction. I recommend reducing your exposure to environmental toxins. Use a high-quality air filtration system for better indoor air. Drink purified water to avoid toxins from your tap water. Avoid conventional cleaning, hygiene, body, and beauty products as they are loaded with chemicals. Choose natural, organic, and homemade options instead. Reduce the use of plastic and avoid BPA completely. Choose glass, bamboo, wood, organic cotton, silicon, and other natural alternatives instead of plastic. Avoid overly processed food products that can contain artificial ingredients. Choose organic food whenever possible.

Improve Your Gut Health

Your gut health is connected to all areas of your body, including your hormonal health. Improving your gut health is critical for improving your symptoms and regaining your health. Along with a gut-friendly anti-inflammatory diet, I recommend that you take a high-quality probiotics supplement to support your gut microbiome balance. For further gut-supporting supplements and a specific gut-health protocol, I recommend working with a functional medicine practitioner, like us.

Try Thyroid-Supporting Nutrients

You may also try to add some thyroid-supporting nutrients to your regimen:

Selenium

Selenium is a great nutrient for thyroid function. It may help to protect your thyroid from too much iodine exposure. It may also be important for the conversion of T4 into T3. Selenium may also help to reduce inflammatory activity, which may reduce the risk or symptoms of autoimmune thyroid disease (12). The best part of selenium is that you don’t even need to supplement. Food form is usually better. Only two Brazil nuts a day should cover your selenium needs. Fish and organ meat are also great sources.

Iodine

Iodine is absolutely critical for thyroid hormone synthesis (13). Being a woman at child-bearing age, pregnancy, and being vegan may increase your risk of deficiencies. Children are also at a higher risk. Seaweed, fish, eggs, and beef liver may be good sources of iodine. Iodized table salt has also become popular in the past decades to reduce deficiencies.

However, too much iodine can also be a problem, especially if there is a selenium deficiency present too. It’s important that you only supplement with iodine if you have an actual deficiency and use a thyroid-specific supplement with a proper iodine-selenium balance.

I recommend that you start with your diet first instead of reaching for expensive supplements. I recommend that you work with a functional medicine practitioner and get some blood testing done before any supplementation. We can help you spot your actual nutrient deficiencies and specific needs. We can figure out what you may benefit from beyond your diet. This will prevent you from spending money on supplements that you may not need and only using the ones that actually support your health and well-being.

Cod Liver Oil and Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for your immune system, bone health, muscle health, brain and mental health, and other areas of your health (14). Vitamin D deficiency may also increase your risk of hypothyroidism (15). Sunshine is the best way to boost your vitamin D levels. However, with our indoor lifestyle, cold climates, and fear of harm from UV damage, most of us don’t meet our needs from sunshine alone.

Cod liver oil is a fantastic source of vitamin D, A, and E, and omega-3 EPA and DHA. These nutrients may all help to support your immune health and reduce inflammation. For some people, cod liver oil supplementation is enough. Others may require additional vitamin D supplementation.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that may also help to protect your body (16). Lemon, lime, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and other citrus are great sources of vitamin C. However, citrus may be triggering histamine intolerance. Other great and low-histamine sources of vitamin C include berries, pineapples, kiwi, bell pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.

Curcumin and Resveratrol

Curcumin is the active compound of the spice turmeric. Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in the skin of grapes, red wine, berries, and pistachios. They offer antioxidant, immune-supporting, and anti-inflammatory benefits that may help to reduce the risk and symptoms of autoimmunity (17, 18). Thus they may help with autoimmune thyroid issues (19, 20). You may benefit from consuming food rich in curcumin and resveratrol. You may also benefit from supplementation.

Iron

Iron deficiency may increase the risk of issues with thyroid hormone production It may reduce thyroid peroxidase activity in the thyroid. However, too much iron can also become an issue. Too much iron may increase the risk of thyroid issues and iron toxicity (21).

Don’t take iron supplements, unless you actually need it. Consume iron-rich foods, including beef, liver, oysters, clams, and venison. Get your iron levels tested. If your doctor finds iron deficiency, you may benefit from iron supplementation, usually only short-term.

Zinc

Zinc is a powerful mineral that is essential for your immune health and hormonal balance. Zinc plays a role in the conversion of T4 to T3 and supports normal T4 and T3 levels (22). Food rich in zinc include oysters, red meat, poultry, and lobsters. Broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, kale, and garlic also contain plenty of zinc.

Try a 30-Day Thyroid Reset

The 30-day Thyroid Reset Plan is an all-natural treatment plan, which includes a highly effective and easy-to-follow 30-day reset diet with foods that resolve estrogen dominance and support healthy thyroid function. My book, The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan: Disarming the 7 Hidden Triggers That are Keeping You Sick, outlines this plan carefully. It also includes dozens of delicious thyroid-supporting recipes.

Get the Thyroid Reset Kit

If you are serious about your thyroid health, I recommend my Thyroid Reset Kit. This bundle includes a copy of The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan, Liver Love, Ultimate Thyroid Support, a thyroid-friendly Paleo Protein Shake, and topical thyroid-supporting Glutathione Plus.

Check Out the Health Babes’ Guide to Balancing Your Hormones

Final Thoughts

Thyroid problems are on a rise. In order to repair your body and improve your thyroid health, you need to tackle one of its root causes, estrogen dominance. Following The 30-Day Thyroid Reset Plan and using appropriate supplements can help you to regain your health naturally.

If you are dealing with thyroid problems, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help to identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here.

Sources:

What does estrogen do? Link Here
Arduc A, Aycicek Dogan B, Bilmez S Imga Nasirouglu N, Tuna MM, Isik S, Berker D, Guler S. High prevalence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: does the imbalance between estradiol and progesterone play a role? Endocrine Research. 2015;40(4):204-210. PMID: 25822940
Manole D, Schildknecht B, Gosnell B, Adams E, Derwahl M. Estrogen Promotes Growth of Human Thyroid Tumor Cells by Different Molecular Mechanisms 1. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2001;86(3):1072-1077. Link Here
Sathi P, Kalyan S, Hitchcock CL, Pudek M, Prior JC. Progesterone therapy increases free thyroxine levels – Data from a randomized placebo-controlled 12-week hot flush trial. Clinical Endocrinology. 2013;79(2):282-7. Link Here
Wang SH, Myc A, Koenig RJ, Bretz JD, Arscott PL, Baker JR. 2-methoxyestradiol, and exogenous estrogen metabolite, induces thyroid cell apoptosis. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology.2000;165(1-2):163-72 Link Here
Mnif W, Hassine AI, Bouaziz A, Bartegi A, Thomas O, Roig B. Effect of endocrine disruptor pesticides: a review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011 Jun;8(6):2265-303. doi: 10.3390/ijerph8062265. Epub 2011 Jun 17. PMID: 21776230
Kwa M, Plottel CS, Blaser MJ, Adams S. The Intestinal Microbiome and Estrogen Receptor-Positive Female Breast Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2016 Apr 22;108(8):djw029. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djw029. PMID: 27107051
Golden R. A review of the endocrine activity of parabens and implications for potential risks to human health. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2005 Jun;35(5):435-58. PMID: 16097138
Bittner GD, Yang CZ, Stoner MA. Estrogenic chemicals often leach from BPA-free plastic products that are replacements for BPA-containing polycarbonate products. Environ Health. 2014 May 28;13(1):41. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-13-41. PMID: 24886603
Dyer CA. Heavy metals as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Link Here
5 hidden but common causes of estrogen dominance revealed. World Health. Link Here
Cortisol: The cortisol-stress connection & pregnenolone steel. Compounding Lab. Link Here
Herrera AY, Nielsen SE, Mather M. Stress-induced increases in progesterone and cortisol in naturally cycling women. Neurobiol Stress. 2016 Feb 11;3:96-104. doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.02.006. PMID: 27981182

by Peter Saydak

Interstitial Cystitis and the Histamine Connection

Living with bladder pain and the constant urge ‘to go’ can be rather frustrating. Yet, you are certainly not alone. Interstitial cystitis, a chronic bladder syndrome affects millions of people, mostly women, every day.

The good news is that you don’t have to struggle any longer. You can reduce your symptoms and recover from interstitial cystitis naturally following some simple steps.

In this article, you will learn what interstitial cystitis is and learn about its symptoms. I will explain what histamine intolerance is and why it may be the root cause of your bladder problem. I will share my natural interstitial cystitis recovery protocol, The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan along with proper supplementation.

What Is Interstitial Cystitis

You might have heard of interstitial cystitis being referred to as chronic pelvic pain (CPP), painful bladder syndrome (PBS), or bladder pain syndrome (BPS). It is a chronic bladder condition that affects between 4 to 12 million people in the United States. While it mostly affects women, it may occur in anyone regardless of gender, age, race, or ethnicity.

Interstitial cystitis causes bladder pain or pressure, pelvic pain, increased frequency in urination, or an urgency to urinate. Its severity may range from mild to severe. Needless to say, interstitial cystitis can be a rather uncomfortable condition that may have a very serious impact on the quality of your life (1, 2, 3).

Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis

The severity of symptoms varies from person to person. You may even experience symptom-free periods.

Symptoms of interstitial cystitis may include:

Pain in the pelvis
Pain in the vulva or vagina
Pain between the vagina and anus in women and between the scrotum and anus in men
Pain in the lower abdomen or lower back
Chronic pelvic pain
Pain similar to a urinary tract infection but without an infection
Frequent urination, up to 60 times a day, usually only in small amounts
Persistent, urgent need to urinate
Pain when the bladder is full and relief after emptying the bladder
Painful sexual intercourse

Histamine Intolerance and Interstitial Cystitis

You may be surprised to hear that the root cause of your interstitial cystitis has nothing to do with your bladder and much more to do with histamine. Let’s learn more about histamine intolerance and how it’s connected to interstitial cystitis.

What Is Histamine?

Histamine is a chemical in your body that is responsible for a variety of functions. Its main role is to help your body get rid of allergens as part of your immune response. This is why people commonly take antihistamines for allergy-symptom relief. Histamine also communicates with your brain and triggers stomach acid release to aid digestion affecting your entire body.

What Is Histamine Intolerance?

Histamine becomes a problem when it builds up in your body. Histamine intolerance is basically an indication that your body has too much histamine. As a natural part of your immune response, your body sends enzymes to break down histamine in order to prevent too much build-up. However, when there is too much histamine, it becomes difficult to break it down and to metabolize it.

Too much histamine can affect all parts of your body, including your gut, brain, lungs and cardiovascular system. It may lead to a list of unwanted symptoms, including skin problems, red eyes, low blood pressure, fast heart rate, anxiety, hormonal issues, headaches, seasonal allergies, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, bladder problems, and more. You can learn more about histamine intolerance, its symptoms, causes, and treatment options, in this article (4).

Histamine Intolerance and Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is one of the many health conditions linked to histamine intolerance. Research has found that people with interstitial cystitis have elevated mast-cell derived histamine levels and mast cell counts. One study of 33 women with interstitial cystitis has shown elevated histamine levels and the presence of a histamine producing bacteria in its participants. Another study found antihistamine therapy potentially beneficial for interstitial cystitis symptoms, suggesting that histamine intolerance is the root cause of the problem (5, 6, 7).

Natural Solutions for Interstitial Cystitis and Histamine Intolerance

Traditional treatment of interstitial cystitis may involve wearing loose clothing, bladder training, physical therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, pentosan polysulfate sodium medication, nerve stimulation, prescription medication dimethyl sulfoxide instilled into the bladder, and surgery.

Common alternative therapies include acupuncture and guided imagery. However, none of these options alone address the root cause of interstitial cystitis, instead, some (like the meds) mask your symptoms & others (like physical therapy & acupuncture) can be a great complement to the plan below to get you to full recovery.

Since histamine intolerance is a common underlying issue behind interstitial cystitis and bladder pain, you may need to address histamine intolerance to improve your symptoms. I recommend the following natural strategies for interstitial cystitis and histamine intolerance:

Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet

Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your bladder health. Reducing inflammation through an anti-inflammatory diet can reduce bladder symptoms. Following a low-histamine diet can help you reduce histamine intolerance and lower the risk of histamine-related bladder problems.

Reduce Your Histamine Bucket

Reduce Your Stress Levels

Get Enough Sleep Sleep

Move Your Body

Remove Toxins

Support Your Gut

Your gut health affects your entire body. Gut flora imbalance can trigger both histamine intolerance and intersitital cystitis. Supporting your gut health is critical for your recovery. Along with a gut-friendly, low-histamine, anti-inflammatory diet, I recommend that you take a high-quality probiotics supplement, to support your gut microbiome balance.

Try Some Supplements

I recommend HistoRelief. It is a synergistic blend of nutrients that provides natural support to balance your immune response. This blend features Tinofend®, a patented and clinically researched extract derived from the plant Tinospora cordifolia, which has a powerful ability to support immune regulation and immune response. As a result, it boosts your body’s ability to fight interstitial cystitis symptoms. It includes quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salt to help inhibit histamine release, support normal histamine metabolism, and improve immune health.

Final Thoughts

Histamine intolerance is a common underlying issue behind interstitial cystitis. Addressing histamine intolerance and reducing your histamine load is critical for improving your symptoms. I recommend that you follow the strategies outlined in this article to improve your health.

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance and interstitial cystitis, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.

Sources:

1. Conquering IC. Interstitial Cystitis Association. Link Here

2. Interstitial Cystitis. Mayo Clinic. Link Here

3. What Is Interstitial Cystitis (IC)? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Link Here

4. Maintz L, Novak N, Histamine and histamine intolerance, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 85, Issue 5, May 2007, Pages 1185–1196. Link Here

5. Heßdörfer E. Painful bladder syndrome/Interstitial cystitis and histamine intolerance - is there a link? Bladder Centre Westend, Berlin, Germany. Link Here

6. Shan H, Zhang EW, Zhang P, Zhang XD, Zhang N, Du P, Yang Y. Differential expression of histamine receptors in the bladder wall tissues of patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis - significance in the responsiveness to antihistamine treatment and disease symptoms. BMC Urol. 2019 Nov 12;19(1):115. doi: 10.1186/s12894-019-0548-3. PMID: 31718622

7. Rudick CN, Bryce PJ, Guichelaar LA, Berry RE, Klumpp DJ. Mast cell-derived histamine mediates cystitis pain. PLoS One. 2008 May 7;3(5):e2096. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002096. PMID: 18461160

8. How does the liver work? Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Link Here

9. Balaban YH, Aka C, Koca-Caliska U. World J Hepatol. 2017 Jun 18; 9(17): 757–770. PMID: 28660010

10. Whitmore KE. Complementary and alternative therapies as treatment approaches for interstitial cystitis. Rev Urol. 2002;4 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S28-35. PMID: 16986031

11. Histamine intolerance. Vickerstaff Health Services. Link Here

12. Supplements. Interstitial Cystitis Association. Link Here

by Peter Saydak

The Eczema-Histamine Connection

You went out to eat the other night and had your favorite dinner: tuna tartare paired with sautéed spinach and a glass of your absolute favorite red wine. Overnight, you developed a huge rash that covers your entire chest, and today, you’ve noticed the start of several open sores, or at least a rash, on the back of both sides of your neck. What is the deal?! Come to think of it, the last time you came to this same restaurant, you had seafood and wine, and the next day, you remember a similar reaction. What does this mean? Today we are going to cover the causes, symptoms, and complications of eczema, it’s potential relationship to histamine intolerance, and what you can do to manage your eczema symptoms long-term.

What is eczema?

Eczema, also referred to as atopic dermatitis (AD), is a chronic skin condition that usually starts in infancy that is characterized by exacerbation and remission of episodes of skin lesions. Other symptoms of eczema include:

dry skin
itching, especially at night
red to brownish-gray skin patches
small raises bumps which may leak initially or when scratched and then form a crust
thick, cracked, or scaly skin patches
raw and/or sensitive skin.

Usually (not always) atopic dermatitis symptoms begin before age 5, but may continue up through adulthood. Unlike psoriasis, AD symptoms are not present all the time. Remission could even last for several years in some cases. The biggest issue with eczema is an increased risk of skin infection (look for white-yellow discharge, fever) and inability to get a good night’s sleep. If you suspect an infection or are so uncomfortable you can’t get a good night’s rest, follow up with a physician you trust (1).

Why do people have eczema?

The presence of eczema in some people can be traced back to a gene variation that affects your skin’s ability to provide protection from bacteria, irritants, and allergens. Without this inherent protection, your skin will be more affected by things you come into contact with in your environment. The primary risk factor for developing eczema is a family history of eczema, allergies, hay fever, or asthma (which can all be caused by histamine intolerance just FYI). However, as we will further discuss below, food sensitivities and a “leaky gut” can also play a huge role in whether you will have a flare-up or not (2).

Eczema triggers

If you know you have AD, you have to figure out what your triggers are. While they may be different for everyone, here is a list of commonly identified triggers that will give you a place to start.

Chemical Irritants: these are products that you use daily, including dish soaps, body wash, shampoos, laundry detergents, or other cleaning products. Similarly, some people can have a reaction to their jewelry or clothing, including both the fabric of the clothing as well as any irritation from a tag rubbing on your skin.
Environmental Irritants: when you have a hyperactive immune system, items like pet dander (cats > dogs), mold, dust mites, pollen, dandruff can cause your immune system to overreact, leading to a skin reaction.
Extreme temperatures: weather changes as well as temperatures greater than 80 degrees F or less than 30 degrees F as well as changes in humidity can cause an immune reaction and can trigger eczema symptoms for many people.
Stress: Symptoms of eczema can become more pronounced if someone is under mental and/or emotional stress.
Food sensitivities: There are many types of food allergens and sensitivities that can trigger an eczema flare-up. The most common include gluten, dairy, corn, eggs, chocolate, nuts, and soy. This will be further discussed below under “SIBO and Food Sensitivities.”
Hormone levels: Changes in your hormones levels can also aggravate eczema symptoms. For example, some women notice an increase in their eczema around the timing of their menstrual cycle.
Microbial overgrowth: An unhealthy gut and the presence of bacteria like E.coli and staph can increase eczema symptoms. This will be further discussed in “Eczema, Histamine, and Gut Health” (2).

Eczema and Gut Health

As we know, the purpose of our skin is to act as one of the first barriers to the outside from physical, chemical, and microbial stressors. Irritation of the gut, caused by microbial overgrowth, combined with the genetic variation discussed above can decrease the effectiveness of your skin’s barrier. This will diminish the number of antibacterial proteins produced in the skin and can lead to hyper-inflammation and potential infections, both of which are hallmark signs of eczema/AD (2,3).

Similarly, the gut flora can influence what the skin is generating for protection from the environment, including fatty acids and oil (sebum) production. A change in these skin components related to a high microbe count or increased inflammation from food sensitivities can result in more inflammation and infection of the skin cells in the area, causing the development of acne, redness, and eczema (2).

Eczema and Histamines

When the skin is irritated, it produces a message transmitter called substance P. This chemical will cause the release of histamine from mast cells in the area, which will result in an inflammatory response. People with poor bacterial balance in their gut have increased substance P production, which will result in more histamine release and a hyper-inflammatory response (2).

There is some research to suggest that oral intake of probiotics will reduce skin inflammation, reinforce the skin barrier, and decrease skin sensitivity more than a topical medication to reduce the symptoms (2,4). That being said, not all probiotics work well with those with histamine intolerance. I like probiota histaminX from seeking health. Treating the reason behind the eczema will be more effective than just treating the symptoms.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Food Sensitivities

An altered gut flora and an increase in intestinal permeability can cause an exaggerated immune response to specific foods. Research indicates that people dealing with eczema and other chronic skin conditions are irritated by certain foods (5,6).

The most commonly noted food sensitivities are wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, nuts, chocolate, and sugar (2).

Natural Solutions for Eczema and Histamine Intolerance

I recommend the following natural strategies for eczema and histamine intolerance:

Follow an Anti-Inflammatory and Low-Histamine Diet

Following an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and nutrient-dense diet is important for your skin health. Reducing inflammation through an anti-inflammatory diet can reduce skin inflammation and skin symptoms. Following a low-histamine diet can help you reduce histamine intolerance and lower the risk of histamine-related eczema and skin issues.

Avoid Irritants and Lower Your Histamine Bucket

Avoid allergens and irritants that may trigger your eczema. Remove conventional cleaning, hygiene, and beauty products, and use organic, natural, and homemade alternatives instead. Avoid fabric that may irritate your skin. If you are allergic to any metals, avoid wearing them, and choose surgical steel, silver, or gold instead. Make sure that your house is free from mold and use a high-quality air filtration system to reduce toxins in your indoor air. Beyond reducing exposure to environmental toxins, lower your histamine bucket by reducing stress, getting restful sleep, and moving your body regularly.

Support Your Gut

Your gut health affects your entire body. Gut flora imbalance can trigger both histamine intolerance and eczema. Supporting your gut health is critical for your recovery. Along with a gut-friendly, low-histamine, anti-inflammatory diet, I recommend that you take a high-quality probiotics supplement, such as ProBiota HistaminX probiotics, to support your gut microbiome balance.

Try Some Supplements

I recommend HistoRelief. It is a synergistic blend of nutrients that provides natural support to balance your immune response. This blend features Tinofend®, a patented and clinically researched extract derived from the plant Tinospora cordifolia, which has a powerful ability to support immune regulation and immune response. As a result, it boosts your body’s ability to fight eczema symptoms. It includes quercetin, nettle leaf, vitamin C, and bicarbonate salt to help inhibit histamine release, support normal histamine metabolism, and improve immune health.

Protect Your Skin and Use Natural Skincare

I have already covered that avoiding your triggers, such as chemicals, fabrics, and metals that may cause a problem, is important. There are others ways to protect your skin, though. If you live in a cold climate and are sensitive to cold weather, make sure to protect your skin with warm gloves and layers in sensitive areas.

Though proper hygiene, such as hand-washing, are critical for keeping infections, including skin infections, away, washing your hands too much can cause dry skin and trigger skin issues. You may want to use gloves when washing dishes. As I explained earlier, avoid conventional cleaning and personal hygiene products, such as chemical-filled soap, dish soap, body wash, or shampoo. Choose organic, natural, and homemade alternatives instead. You may learn more about my skincare routine in this article.

Though addressing underlying problems behind your eczema and dermatitis is key to recovery, it can take several months to improve those issues. In the meantime, you can reduce your symptoms naturally. Moisturizing and other topicals may help to reduce symptoms during flares. However, conventional topicals are filled with chemicals and can cause side effects and further skin issues. Instead, I recommend natural alternatives. The following options may help soothe your symptoms until you completely address your underlying problems. Coconut oil, colloidal oatmeal lotion and baths, aloe vera, and honey may all be great for eczema (7, 8, 9).

Final Thoughts

Eczema is an uncomfortable skin conditions characterized by inflamed, itchy, dry, scaly, and flaky skin. Histamine intolerance is one of the most common underlying issues behind eczema. Improving histamine intolerance may also help to improve your eczema symptoms. I recommend following the strategies outlined in this article to improve your symptoms and overall health.

If you are dealing with symptoms of histamine intolerance and eczema, I invite you to schedule a consultation with us. We can help identify the root cause of your condition and recommend a personalized treatment plan to repair your body and regain your health and well-being. Schedule your consultation here. I also recommend that you check out my Histamine Online Program.

Sources

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/atopic-dermatitis-eczema/symptoms-causes/syc-20353273.
https://drjockers.com/beat-eczema-acne-psoriasis/.
Slominski A. A nervous breakdown in the skin: stress and the epidermal barrier. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2007;117(11):3166-3169.
Benyacoub J, Bosco N, Blanchard C, Demont A, Philippe D, Castiel-Higounenc I, Guéniche A. Immune modulation property of Lactobacillus paracasei NCC2461 (ST11) strain and impact on skin defenses. Benef Microbes. 2014 Jun 1;5(2):129-36.
Eczema: Can eliminating particular foods help? Link Here.
Atopic Dermatitis and Disease Severity Are the Main Risk Factors for Food Sensitization in Exclusively Breastfed Infants Link Here.
Reynertson KA. JJD. 2015. Link Here
Zagórska-Dziok M, Furman-Toczek D, Dudra-Jastrzębska M, Zygo K, Stanisławek A, Kapka-Skrzypczak L. Evaluation of clinical effectiveness of Aloe vera – a review. J Pre Clin Clin Res. 2017;11(1):86-93. Link Here
Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F. Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research. Pharmacognosy Res. 2017 Apr-Jun;9(2):121-127. doi: 10.4103/0974-8490.204647. PMID: 28539734

by Peter Saydak