Understanding Histamine, More Than Allergies

When most people hear ‘histamine,’ they think of hay fever or seasonal allergies. But did you know your body also produces histamine, and some foods contain it too?

We do need histamine; however, we want a balanced amount in the body. What does the body use histamine for?
Histamine plays many roles in the body: mediating allergic responses, stimulating stomach acid, acting as a messenger in the brain (influencing alertness and appetite), dilating blood vessels, and aiding wound healing.

Histamine imbalance happens when the amount of histamine ingested or released exceeds the body’s ability to break it down. This can cause symptoms similar to an allergic reaction.

Overproduction can be triggered by stress, gut imbalances like SIBO, and leaky gut, which allow more histamine to enter the bloodstream.

Reduced detoxification, especially if the liver isn’t functioning optimally, also contributes to histamine buildup. Low levels of enzymes like DAO (in the gut) and HNMT (in cells) reduce histamine breakdown, allowing more to circulate.

When these factors combine, even normally harmless foods (fermented, aged, ripened, or leftovers) can trigger symptoms.

Histamine isn’t the enemy. It’s about restoring balance: regulating your nervous system, healing the gut and reducing inflammation there, balancing gut bacteria, and supporting detox and methylation. Low methylation can reduce histamine breakdown, so addressing these factors helps keep histamine in check.