Histamine intolerance symptoms and treatment

PRIMARY SYMPTOMS

The primary symptoms of histamine intolerance are:

• low blood pressure (fainting, dizziness ; hypotension) is the common symptom of histamine intolerance, especially when young.

One or more other symptoms usually occur:

• diarrhea,
• headache which becomes worse when moving (in contrast with tension-type headache),
• heart rhythm problems (cardiac arrhythmia),
• acid reflux from stomach,
• running nose (rhinitis),
• asthma, chronic cough
• hives (urticaria),
• flushing,
• itch (pruritis),
• painful periods (dysmenorrhoea) ,
• tiredness.

Symptoms are coming with some delay to the trigger.

SECONDARY SYMPTOMS

After the primary symptoms of histamine intolerance have disappeared you may suffer from symptoms like:

• sleep disturbance (being awake, insomnia),
• anxiety,
• panic attacks etc.

HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE

When the histamine levels in your body rise above your personal threshold this results in the cited primary symptoms of histamine intolerance. Histamine levels may rise because of several reasons:

(1) histamine in food,
(2) histamine liberators in food,
(3) histamine liberators in medicines,
(4) DAO blockers in food,
(5) DAO blockers in medicines,
(6) DAO competitors in food,
(7) allergic reaction,
(8) infection.

See also the list with histamine in food and medicines list.

DAO (diamine oxidase) is the enzyme which breaks down histamine in your body.

ADRENALINE PRODUCTION

Your body reacts to high histamine levels by producing adrenaline to increase the blood pressure. Adrenaline is causing these secondary symptoms of histamine intolerance.