Do you suffer from dizziness or a runny nose after a glass of wine or a chocolate bar? What looks like an allergy or intolerance at first glance may be a histamine intolerance .
Here you will find further information on causes, symptoms and treatment options as well as specialists for the diagnosis and treatment of histamine intolerance.
Histamine is primarily a biogenic amine that is formed from the amino acid histidine. It is found in human, animal and plant organisms. The messenger substance has an important function and is essential for our immune system.
Mast cells mainly store histamine. It is known as a defense substance against harmful substances. Anyone who has ever come into contact with the stinging hairs of stinging nettles knows how strong the defense potential of histamine is. The skin becomes red, itchy, painful and swollen.
In some people, however, the body is not able to break down histamine quickly enough.
If histamine enters the body via food, it causes inflammation, which can lead to the following symptoms:
Doctors refer to this as histamine intolerance.
An intolerance to histamine occurs when the body cannot break down enough of it in the intestine. As a result, the histamine content in the blood rises. This is usually due to a low level of the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). This enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of digested histamine.
Histamine intolerance is relatively rare. It affects around 800,000 people in Germany.
Foods with a high histamine content include
Foods with a high histamine content @ Brigitte Bonaposta /AdobeStockIt is often difficult for a doctor to diagnose histamine intolerance. This is because the symptoms are very varied and overlap with symptoms of other diseases.
The symptoms can affect thelungs, skin and brain, for example, although gastrointestinal symptoms are the most common.
People with histamine intolerance often suffer from the following symptoms:
Reddening of the skin with histamine intolerance @ sarenac77 /AdobeStockHistamine intolerance means that the body has problems breaking down histamine.
Normally, DAO and, to a lesser extent, an enzyme called histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) break down ingested histamine. However, several factors can interfere with the functioning of DAO and HNMT.
If the body cannot break down the histamine from food, it leaks out through the intestinal mucosa. It then enters the bloodstream. This can trigger an immune response.
Many prescription medications can affect DAO and HNMT levels in the body.
Some examples of medications are:
In addition, high alcohol consumption and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can promote the development of histamine intolerance.
There are currently no proven tests for diagnosing histamine intolerance. It is possible to measure DAO activity and histamine levels in the blood. Typical blood allergy tests or skin tests do not work, as histamine intolerance is not an allergy.
As with all health problems, you should first speak to your GP if you suspect you have a histamine intolerance. As a rule, however, a histamine intolerance can only be diagnosed with an elimination diet.
This involves avoiding all harmful foods for a certain period of time. You then gradually reintroduce them to see how your body reacts to them.
People often consult their GP if they suspect they have a histamine intolerance. Depending on the symptoms, they are then referred to the following specialists:
The most important step in the treatment of histamine intolerance is to reduce histamine intake. This can be achieved by following a low-histamine diet. Doctors also recommend keeping a symptom or food diary. This allows you to document when symptoms occur and whether a change in diet reduces the occurrence of symptoms.
The aim of the low histamine diet should not be to simply draw up a list of forbidden foods. Rather, you should find out how much histamine you can tolerate in which foods (individual tolerance limit).
You should also pay attention to the composition of the food and the intervals between meals. It has been shown that it is not enough to simply eliminate histamine-rich foods from your diet. Rather, a diet that is low in starch and sugar and at the same time rich in plant-based foods, protein and fat has a better effect on symptoms. The histamine content of foods alone is not a very meaningful indicator of tolerance.
There is hope for sufferers, as research shows that a multi-pronged approach to managing symptoms is promising.
This includes
The course of the disease depends on how quickly you identify and eliminate the triggering factors. For example, if certain medications promote the symptoms, changing the active ingredients may be enough to alleviate the symptoms.
The Leading Medicine Guide's quality assurance is ensured by the following acceptance prerequisites.
