Cure histamine intolerance? Tackle the causes & live symptom-free

Delicious cheese, Parma ham, a glass of wine - pure enjoyment! If it weren't for an unpleasant pressure in the upper abdomen after eating. Because certain foods have it all: histamine intolerance (histamine intolerance) can be to blame, responsible for a wide range of potential complaints - from digestive problems to migraines to skin rashes. But what happens in your body? And can histamine intolerance be cured?

You can no longer tolerate fruits such as strawberries, bananas or pineapples, your skin reacts with hives and redness ? If you are now wondering whether you have a fruit allergy : too much histamine could be the problem. Histamine intolerance is not an allergy , but a metabolic disorder that causes sudden food intolerance . If histamine metabolism gets out of hand, people with acquired histamine intolerance (HIT) can no longer break down histamine properly.

Why is histamine intolerance not the same as allergy?

The cause of a food allergy is an incorrect reaction of the immune system, which produces antibodies against individual food components such as: B. forms proteins. Even the smallest amounts can trigger anaphylactic shock - a life-threatening acute reaction of the immune system. Food intolerance, on the other hand, means that the body does not digest certain food components optimally. Such as lactose (milk sugar) in the case of lactose intolerance, where there is a lack of corresponding enzymes and transport substances in the intestine.

Which metabolic processes are affected?

Histamine intolerance is not a food intolerance , but rather a breakdown problem. Two enzymes are responsible for breaking down histamine: the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) is produced in the intestinal mucosa and the enzyme N-methyltransferase is produced in the liver. If the intestines and liver weaken, this enzyme production also stops - and thus the breakdown of histamine and related substances (biogenic amines) in the intestine. The result : Excess histamine accumulates in the body.

It is estimated that more than two million people in Germany suffer from histamine intolerance, the majority of them women. Symptoms that occur immediately after eating up to several hours after a meal - and often last half a day. Only those who know the typical symptoms can cure complaints in a targeted manner .

These allergy-like symptoms may indicate histamine intolerance:

• stomach pain
• Diarrhea
• nausea
• dizziness
• flying pulse
• Shortness of breath
• swollen eyelids
• itching
• Skin rash/redness of the skin with feeling of heat
• Canker sores (ulcers of the oral mucosa)

But do foods with a lot of histamine cause headaches and does histamine trigger migraines ? There may be a connection here too.

Not that easy, because the symptoms are as varied as they are unspecific: Just because you show the symptoms mentioned does not mean that you have histamine intolerance . Before you take any measures to heal it, you should first rule out other food intolerances and illnesses with similar symptoms.

These could be:

• Celiac disease (gluten intolerance)
• Ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammation of the colon)
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

And now? None of the currently available diagnostic procedures can 100 percent detect histamine intolerance. Your family doctor will measure the diamine oxidase (DAO) activity in blood serum as well as the histamine content in blood plasma, urine or stool. If histamine is applied to the skin in a so-called prick test, a wheal should appear there.

All of these are snapshots, which is why the path to a confirmed diagnosis leads through diet and provocation: You leave out certain foods for a few weeks - and then eat exactly those foods (provocation). If your body reacts to it, your diagnosis is made .

What are the benefits of medications such as antihistamines?

Unfortunately, you can't always avoid foods containing histamine. Antihistamines can relieve your symptoms by reducing or blocking the release of histamine. However, medications cannot cure your intolerance - and are not good for your intestinal mucosa in the long term. They also put a strain on the liver because it helps break down your antihistamine.

Which foods contain a lot of histamine?

The bad news first: almost every food contains histamine. The good news: To cure histamine intolerance, you can avoid products with high histamine content! Such as foods that have to ripen or ferment for a long time or whose production or ripening process uses bacterial or yeast cultures.

These include:

• Cheese
• Salami, ham
• smoked fish
• Soy sauce
• sauerkraut
• Beer, wine, sparkling wine

But bananas, pineapples, strawberries, tomatoes or nuts can also cause problems. The reason is not always a fruit allergy, but rather substances in it that fuel your body's own histamine production. Flavor enhancers such as glutamate (yeast extract) can also disrupt histamine breakdown.

Histamine liberators such as certain types of yeast and citrus fruits, but also cocoa, caffeine or seafood can activate stored histamine. You can find an extensive list of groceries, for example: B. on the NDR Nutrition Docs website.

Enjoying peace of mind is quality of life. Would you like to know how much histamine is in it before consumption? In 2017, a team of scientists led by Dr. Christoph Pfefferle, University of Tübingen, to develop a rapid test . With the pen-sized gadget you can easily determine the histamine content of a food yourself.

To do this, use the test device tip to remove e.g. B. a small sample of cheese. Now a liquid releases the histamine.

After a few minutes the time has come : Similar to a pregnancy test , an integrated test strip tells you whether and how much histamine is in the food being tested.

This is a non-binding recommendation. Because the tolerable histamine level varies from person to person. What else you ate also plays a role. As a person with histamine intolerance , you always decide what you personally can tolerate based on your experience.

Cure histamine intolerance? change nourishment

Find out what your personal tolerance threshold for histamine is by keeping a food diary . There you record your diet and symptoms on the way to healing. What did you eat and when - and how did you tolerate it? In order to only eat low-stimulant foods in the future, you then draw up a diet plan for low-histamine foods.

Drinking more water also helps break down histamine more quickly, rather than encouraging your body to produce histamine by drinking too little. It is best to discuss your diet change with your family doctor. Not least because a diet that is too strict and excludes certain nutrients - such as: B. Vitamin C or omega-3 fatty acids - can lead to deficiency symptoms.

A healthy intestinal mucosa is the goal if you are serious about curing your intolerance. A healthy intestine produces more of the enzyme DAO - and a strong liver produces more of the enzyme N-methyltransferase. Both are crucial to effectively break down histamine from food and initiate healing.

Intestines and liver work hand in hand. Intestinal cleansing builds up the gut and microbiome. The healthier your intestines, the less detoxification work your liver has to do. Help her with this - with herbs and plants such as milk thistle, turmeric, yarrow or dandelion, as these support fat digestion.

What does your new menu look like?

The fresher, the better because it has less histamine : pay close attention to fish and meat, but also eat other foods as fresh as possible. You should never leave perishable food lying around unrefrigerated, freeze leftover food straight away - and use frozen food immediately.

From now on, low-histamine foods are on the table, such as: E.g.:

• fresh or frozen rather than smoked, salted or preserved fish
• Cream cheese instead of Camembert or mature hard cheese (here most of the histamine is in the rind)

Limit your alcohol consumption, especially red wine, and avoid flavor enhancers such as glutamate (E620 - E625) - many ready-made products such as packet soups, chips and sauces cannot be used without them.

What are the benefits of micronutrient treatments?

Can histamine intolerance be cured ? In order to compensate for nutrient deficiencies and strengthen the intestines, liver and immune system, micronutrients are intensively promoted. Carefully dosed treatments with vitamins, iron or medicinal plants such as ginger can have a supportive and anti-inflammatory effect. They are not a panacea: Only a consistent change in diet is the way to an intact microbiome and intestinal mucosa - a prerequisite for functioning histamine breakdown.

What are the benefits of a vegan lifestyle?

Living low in histamine yes, abstinence no. Ultimately, you want to eat a nutritious and enjoyable diet despite histamine intolerance. A vegan or vegetarian diet - rich in fiber and low in saturated fatty acids - can support you on your path to healing and freedom from symptoms. But how can we sensibly reduce meat consumption? You can also cook delicious meals with meat substitute products from Greenforce !

A plant-based diet has been proven to have positive effects on health. Furthermore, the production of plant proteins such as pea protein also conserves resources. For 100 g of beef protein you need about 7 times as much water.

Also positive : A veggie burger often only has half as many calories as its beef counterpart. In short, even if you have histamine intolerance, you don't have to go without balanced, delicious food!