Histamine intolerance

Histamine Intolerance is a condition characterized by an imbalance between the accumulation and degradation of histamine, a biogenic amine. This imbalance can lead to a variety of symptoms, including headache, flushing, hypotension, pruritus, urticaria, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, dysmenorrhea, and asthma.

Causes

Histamine intolerance is primarily caused by a deficiency in the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), which is responsible for breaking down histamine in the body. Other causes can include the consumption of histamine-rich foods, the intake of histamine-releasing medications, and the presence of gastrointestinal diseases that interfere with the function of DAO.

Symptoms

The symptoms of histamine intolerance can vary greatly from person to person, but they often include headache, flushing, hypotension, pruritus, urticaria, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, dysmenorrhea, and asthma. These symptoms can occur immediately after the consumption of histamine-rich foods or can be delayed for several hours.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of histamine intolerance is often challenging due to the nonspecific nature of the symptoms and the lack of a definitive diagnostic test. However, a diagnosis can be made based on the patient's history of symptoms following the consumption of histamine-rich foods, the improvement of symptoms following a low-histamine diet, and the recurrence of symptoms following the reintroduction of histamine-rich foods.

Treatment

The primary treatment for histamine intolerance is a low-histamine diet, which involves avoiding foods that are high in histamine or that can trigger the release of histamine. In some cases, medications such as antihistamines or DAO supplements may be used to help manage symptoms.

See Also

• Diamine oxidase
• Histamine
• Low-histamine diet

References

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  HNMT methylation of histamine

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  Emmental cheese, a food high in histamine