My patients with gut health issues, such as leaky gut syndrome, Candida overgrowth, SIBO, other gut infections, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, often experience symptoms of histamine intolerance as well. This is not surprising.
Your gut is connected to everything in your body. Gut health issues, including leaky gut syndrome, gut infections, and inflammatory bowel disease can trigger histamine intolerance. If you have symptoms of both gut health problems and histamine intolerance, it is critical that we address both so you can recover your health and reclaim your life.
In this article, you will learn everything about leaky gut syndrome, gut infections, and inflammatory bowel disease. You will understand what they are, what their symptoms are, and what causes them. I will discuss the connection between your gut, gut health issues, and histamine intolerance. Lastly, I will offer my best natural solutions for gut health and histamine intolerance.
What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leaky gut is a condition in which the barrier of your intestines becomes ‘leaky’. A healthy gut lining has tiny holes that allow nutrients to pass through but block toxins and invaders. However, in people with leaky gut syndrome, these holes become too large and allow undigested food, bacteria, and toxins to pass through.
When these harmful and foreign substances pass through your intestinal barrier, it can increase inflammation, trigger an autoimmune reaction, and cause a variety of symptoms and complaints from fatigue to digestive discomfort. Leaky gut syndrome can make it difficult to absorb nutrients and lead to mineral and vitamin deficiencies. Leaky gut syndrome can also cause low DAO enzyme production. DAO is responsible for breaking down excess histamine in your body. Not having enough increases your risk of histamine intolerance.
Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome
Symptoms of leaky gut syndrome may include:
- Various food sensitivities
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Weight gain
- Skin problems
- Joint pain
- Thyroid issues
- Anxiety & depression
Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome
The causes of leaky gut syndrome include:
- Dietary: Alcohol, gluten, sugar, processed food, casein, lectin
- Infections: Bacterial overgrowth, yeast overgrowth, parasites, and H. pylori
- Medications: Antibiotics, antacids, corticosteroids
- Stress: Increased cortisol
- Hormonal: Decreased thyroid hormones and sex hormones such as estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone
- Autoimmune disease & inflammation: Autoimmune disease and intestinal inflammation are also known contributors
- Bacterial imbalances: Gut dysbiosis, an imbalance between the healthy as well as the pathogenic bacteria in the gut
What Are Gut Infections
Microbial and fungal infections are one of the top potential underlying causes of histamine intolerance. Helicobacter Pylori infection, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Candida, small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO), and parasites are some of the top gut infections that you need to be aware of.
Helicobacter Pylori
Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori is a common strain of bacteria that nearly half of our population carries, often without knowing about it. H. pylori can infect your stomach lining and lead to ulcers and other gastrointestinal issues. H. pylori can also decrease your stomach acid levels. It has been linked to autoimmunity, fatigue, mineral deficiencies, and liver problems. H. pylori infection can trigger increased histamine release that your body won’t be able to keep up which may cause histamine intolerance.
Symptoms of H. Pylori
Symptoms of H. pylori infection may include:
- Nausea
- Frequent burping
- Bloating
- Unexplained weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Abdominal pain
- Aching or burning sensation in your abdomen
Causes of H. Pylori
Causes of H. pylori infection may include:
- Contaminated food and water
- Person to person contact (saliva, vomit, and fecal matter)
SIBO
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) refers to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines. Under healthy circumstances, your small intestines have relatively few bacteria, but if you have SIBO, there is an overgrowth. SIBO can lead to stomach acid issues, improper digestion, and digestion symptoms. Certain bacteria, including the one connected to SIBO, can also produce histamine leading to histamine release and too much histamine that your body won’t be able to keep up with setting you up for histamine intolerance.
Symptoms of SIBO
Symptoms of SIBO may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Malnutrition
- Weight loss
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and rashes
- Asthma
- Depression
Causes of SIBO
Causes of SIBO may include:
- Aging
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Diabetes
- Diverticulosis
- A structural defect in the small intestine
- Injury
- Fistula
- Intestinal lymphoma
- Scleroderma
- Recent abdominal surgeries
- Immune system disorders
- Celiac disease: Can be a major trigger as it leads to poor small intestinal functioning
- The use of certain medications: Immunosuppressants, PPI’s
Candida and SIFO
Candida and other fungal overgrowth is another top underlying cause of histamine intolerance. Candida is a fungus that in small amounts is beneficial for your health. It helps nutrient absorption and digestion. However, in excess, it can break down your intestinal lining, cause leaky gut syndrome, lead to toxin release, increase inflammation, and cause a variety of symptoms. Candida and fungal overgrowth can occur anywhere in your gut. Small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO) refers to a specific overgrowth that occurs in your small intestines. Candida and fungal overgrowth may trigger histamine release. If the DAO enzyme is unable to keep up with excess histamine, it can lead to histamine intolerance and a list of health issues.
Symptoms of Candida and Fungal Overgrowth
Symptoms of Candida and fungal overgrowth may include:
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Brain fog
- Anxiety, depression, and mood swings
- Oral thrush
- Chronic sinus infection
- Vaginal and urinary tract infections
- Digestive issues
- Skin problems
- Hormonal imbalances
- Headaches and migraines
Causes of Candida and Fungal Overgrowth
Causes of Candida and fungal overgrowth may include:
- Unhealthy pH balance
- Weakened immune system
- Antibiotic use and certain medications
- Inflammatory and high sugar diets
- Blood sugar imbalance or diabetes
- Autoimmune disease
Parasites
Parasites include worms and protozoa that can trigger digestive issues, histamine release, and a variety of health issues. Worms are parasites that you may acquire from contaminated unwashed fruits and vegetables or uncooked or undercooked meat. Worms include roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. When you ingest their eggs, they end up hatching inside you. Their fecal matter can get absorbed in your bloodstream leading to an array of issues, including malnutrition and organ damage. Protozoa parasitic infections come from contaminated water and can lead to digestive issues and dehydration. If you have a parasitic infection, your mast cells will release histamine to fight the infection. Too much histamine, however, can lead to histamine intolerance.
Symptoms of Parasites
Symptoms of parasites may include:
- Digestive health issues (nausea, diarrhea, gas, constipation, yeast infection, etc)
- Chronic allergies
- Skin issues
- Anxiety, depression, confusion
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Appetite changes
- Anemia
- Rectal itching
- Circles under the eyes
- Bad breath
Causes of Parasitic Infections
Causes of parasitic infections may include:
- Contaminated water
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables
- Uncooked and undercooked meat
What Are Inflammatory Bowel and Digestive Diseases
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two common IBDs that people suffer from. Crohn’s disease can affect any of all areas of your gut and most commonly affects your colon and small bowel, whereas ulcerative colitis affects your colon or large intestine only. IBDs are closely linked to low DAO enzymes due to increased inflammation in the body. IBDs can also increase histamine release as a part of your body’s defense mechanism. No wonder that IBDs can increase your risk of histamine intolerance.
Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease
Symptoms of Crohn’s disease may include:
- Urgent need to move the bowels
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping
- Abdominal pain
- Rectal bleeding
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Fever
Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis may include:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal cramping
- Inability to have bowel movements despite the urge
- Rectal bleeding and pain
Causes of IBDs
Causes of IBDs may include:
- Poor inflammatory diet
- Unhealthy and inflammatory lifestyle choices
- Chronic stress
- Poor microbiome health
- Food sensitivities
- Genetics and family history
Histamine Intolerance and Your Gut: The Connection
I’ve mentioned throughout this article that all these gut health issues can trigger histamine release and cause histamine intolerance. To help you understand this further, I want to dig deeper a little bit.
Increase in Food Sensitivities and Histamine Intolerance
SIBO, gut dysbiosis, and gut health issues can increase food sensitivities. As your body’s defense to food sensitivities, it may increase histamine release and cause histamine intolerance. Food sensitivities can also increase your risk of leaky gut syndrome and inflammation, which can further trigger an inflammatory response and related histamine intolerance.
Dysbiosis, SIBO, and Histamine Intolerance
Your gut is full of histamine receptors. The problem is that if you are dealing with gut health issues and gastrointestinal diseases, the expression of these histamine receptors can be altered (1).
According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Physiological Pharmacology, both leaky gut syndrome and gut inflammation can lead to a gut bacterial imbalance that may contribute to histamine intolerance. In fact, a 2016 study published in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology has found that about 30 to 55 percent of people with digestive issues also have histamine intolerance due to the overgrowth of histamine producing bacteria (3, 4).
According to a 2010 study published in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, SIBO, which is a specific type of gut dysbiosis can lead to a lower or loss of tolerance to dietary histamine. A 2010 review published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology notes that the symptoms of histamines and SIBO often overlap indicating that at least some people have both conditions (4, 5).
Histamine Producing Bacteria, SIBO, and Histamine Intolerance
While SIBO can certainly trigger histamine intolerance, not everyone with SIBO has histamine intolerance. A build-up in histamine-producing bacteria in the small intestine can increase the likelihood of histamine intolerance. Certain bacteria, including L. bulgaricus and L. casei have been specifically linked to increased histamine production. Taking probiotics with lactic acid-based bacterial strains can add fuel to the fire if you have SIBO and histamine intolerance. If you have SIBO, opting for soil-based probiotics is a safer idea without feeding symptoms of SIBO (6).
Low Levels of DAO Enzyme and Histamine Intolerance
Intestinal inflammation and gut infections can contribute to decreased DAO enzymes. Since it’s responsible for breaking down histamine, the DAO enzymes are very important for preventing histamine intolerance and its symptoms. Past studies have found that low DAO enzyme levels and histamine intolerance may be associated with IBDs and leaky gut syndromes.
According to a 1990 study published in Agent Actions, low DAO enzyme levels are linked to Crohn’s disease, while a 1995 study published in the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology has linked low DAO enzyme levels to ulcerative colitis. According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, histamine intolerance may be associated with leaky gut syndrome (7, 8, 9).
High-Histamine Foods and Histamine Intolerance
If your diet is high in high-histamine foods, histamine-liberating foods, and DAO-enzyme-blocking goods, you may overstep your body’s boundaries and exceed your body’s ability to break down excess histamine. This histamine build-up that can cause histamine intolerance can contribute to increased inflammation and gut health symptoms that may further feed and trigger that cycle of gut health issues and histamine intolerance (10).
Stress, Mast Cell Stimulation, and Histamine Intolerance
Chronic stress can contribute to both histamine intolerance and gut health issues. Prolonged emotional stress can increase symptoms of SIBO, cause digestive discomfort, negatively affect your gut microbiome, and stimulate mast cell production. Mast cells are white blood cells that serve regulations of your immune system. They can be found throughout your body’s connective tissues and your gastrointestinal tract.
Your mast cells are responsible for the secretion of histamine and the release of other cytokines. As chronic stress stimulates mast cell production, it can also stimulate increased histamine release, especially in the gut. This can specifically contribute to the ongoing cycle of histamine intolerance, inflammation, gut infections, and gut health symptoms.
What Is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine is a chemical that is responsible for a number of functions in your body, including removing 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.
In a healthy body, as a natural part of your immune response, your body releases DAO enzymes to break down the build-up of histamine. If you have too much histamine, your body won’t be able to keep up and won’t be able to break down all the histamine build-up properly. Histamine intolerance affects your entire body, including your gut, brain, lungs, cardiovascular system, and hormonal health and can cause a variety of issues, including digestive problems, headaches, skin problems, hormonal issues, sleep disturbances, bladder problems, anxiety, and more.
Natural Solutions for Gut Health Issues and Histamine Intolerance
Are you dealing with leaky gut syndrome, SIBO, gut infections, parasites, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or other gut health issues and symptoms of histamine intolerance? Here is what I recommend to improve your health naturally:
Eat a Low-Histamine, Gut-Friendly Diet
To improve histamine intolerance and gut health issues, I recommend that you eat an anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense, and low-histamine diet. Start by eliminating all high-histamine foods for one month, then slowly re-introduce them one by one following The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan.
The 4-Phase Histamine Reset Plan is a plan that I developed to help people like you who are dealing with histamine intolerance and related health issues. It is a simple yet refined system and it is important that you understand and follow each step properly.
To understand each step and guide your recovery, 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.
For extra recipes to support a low histamine diet using an air fryer, try out my book Fifty-one Low Histamine Air Fryer Recipes.
Reduce Stress and Improve Your Lifestyle
Since chronic stress and poor lifestyle choices can trigger histamine intolerance and increase gut health issues, I recommend that you follow a healthy and anti-inflammatory lifestyle that doesn’t cause increased histamine. Get plenty of sleep. Exercise regularly. Reduce your stress levels through meditation, breathwork, journaling, yoga, time in nature, quality me-time, and uplifting activities with friends and family. Along with dietary changes, it’s important that you eliminate toxic personal care and cleaning products as well and instead use organic, natural, or homemade products.
For very sensitive people that seem to have trouble tolerating a lot of foods and/or supplements, I highly recommend this The Gupta Course, for brain retraining. Here is Ashok Gupta on our Health Babes podcast explaining his method. Take a listen!
Try Supplements for 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.
Final Thoughts
Having both gut health issues and histamine intolerance is common. I see it in my practice all the time. Gut health issues, including leaky gut syndrome, gut infections, and inflammatory bowel disease can trigger histamine intolerance. If you have symptoms of both gut health problems and histamine intolerance, it is critical that we address both so you can recover your health, regain your vitality, and reclaim your life.
If you are dealing with gut health issues and histamine intolerance, 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.
