Histamine Intolerance: What It Is, How to Know If You Have It, and What You Can Do About It

Histamines are natural chemicals your body makes — but when they build up faster than you can break them down, they can create a storm of symptoms that most people mistake for allergies, inflammation, gut issues, or even anxiety.

Many clients suffer from histamine intolerance without knowing it, and understanding this overlooked issue can completely transform your health.
Let’s break it down clearly and clinically.

What Are Histamines?

Histamines are chemical messengers involved in:

• Immune responses
• Digestion
• Stomach acid release
• Brain and neurotransmitter function
• Inflammation
• Allergic reactions

Your body naturally produces histamine, but you also consume it in food.


The issue isn’t histamine itself — it’s your ability to break it down.
What Is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine intolerance occurs when the body accumulates more histamine than it can break down.
This overwhelms receptors and triggers symptoms.

The main enzyme responsible for clearing histamine is DAO (diamine oxidase).
If DAO levels are low — or histamine load is high — histamine builds up.
Research:
Maintz & Novak, “Histamine and histamine intolerance,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007).
Schwelberger, “Histamine intolerance caused by impaired histamine degradation,” Inflammation Research (2010).


How to Know If You Have Histamine Intolerance
Here are the most common research-supported symptoms:

Skin Symptoms

• Itching
• Hives or rash
• Eczema flares
• Redness or flushing
• Swelling
• Wöhrl et al., Allergy, 2004

Digestive Symptoms

• Bloating
• Gas
• Cramping
• Diarrhea
• Heartburn
• Nausea after high-histamine foods
• Wiedermann et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1999

Cardiovascular Symptoms

• Heart palpitations
• Drop in blood pressure
• Dizziness
• Maintz et al., AJCN, 2007

Neurological Symptoms

• Headaches or migraines
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• “Fight or flight” feeling
• Kovacova-Hlinkova et al., Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2021

Hormonal Symptoms

• Worsened PMS
• Estrogen dominance symptoms
• Temperature swings
• Santiago et al., Horm Metab Res, 2017

Respiratory Symptoms

• Congestion
• Sneezing
• Chronic post-nasal drip
• Kumar et al., Allergy & Asthma Proceedings, 2019

If you react to foods like:

• Fermented foods
• Wine
• Leftovers
• Aged meats
• Cured foods
• Tomatoes
• Avocado
• Citrus…or feel worse during allergy season → histamine intolerance is likely.

How Do You Test for Histamine Intolerance?
There’s no single perfect test, but research supports using:


DAO Enzyme Blood Test
Low DAO levels indicate impaired histamine clearance.
(Hervas et al., J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol, 2010)


Plasma Histamine Levels
Elevated levels indicate overload.
(Maintz & Novak, AJCN, 2007)


Elimination + Reintroduction Diet (Gold Standard)
Symptoms improve when histamine foods are removed and return when reintroduced.
(Reese et al., Nutrients, 2017)


Mast Cell Activation Testing (MCAS)
Sometimes histamine issues come from mast cell instability.
(Afrin et al., J Hematol Oncol, 2016)


What Causes Histamine Intolerance?

1. Gut Imbalances

• SIBO
• Candida
• Dysbiosis
• Leaky gut
• All reduce DAO enzyme production.

Research:
Schink et al., “The microbiota and histamine,” Pharmacological Research (2018).


2. Liver Overload
The liver must metabolize histamine. A sluggish liver = histamine buildup.

(Wang et al., Hepatology, 2018)


3. Estrogen Dominance
Estrogen increases histamine release and decreases DAO.
(Kaliner et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1981)


4. Mold Exposure
Mold elevates histamine and destabilizes mast cells.


(Hope et al., Toxins, 2013)

5. Certain Foods
High-histamine foods can push someone over their threshold:

• Aged meats
• Fermented foods
• Sauerkraut
• Kombucha
• Leftovers
• Alcohol
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Eggplant

Rooted in Wellness, Guided by Nature,
Natasha Baker,BS,LMBT,CTT,FMT,RYT