TL;DR: If you're experiencing skin problems, digestive discomfort, headaches, or sleep troubles, you may have histamine intolerance. Your body could be struggling to break down histamine properly, leading to frustrating symptoms. The good news? With the right diet, lifestyle changes, and targeted supplements, you can support your body's ability to process histamine and feel your best.†
What Is Histamine Intolerance?
Histamine is a natural compound that plays a vital role in digestion, immune responses, and nervous system function. However, when your body has more histamine than it can efficiently break down, it can lead to symptoms like:(1)
- Skin problems like itching, rashes, and eczema
- Irregular and/or painful periods
- Allergic asthma and difficulty breathing
- Motion sickness (boat, car, amusement park)
- Runny nose, sneezing, nosebleeds, or red face
- Bloating, excessive gas, abdominal cramping, or nausea
- Food intolerances and sensitivities
- Dizziness
- Feelings of unease
- Headaches or migraines
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Pregnancy complications
- Acid reflux, stomach and digestive problems
- Heart palpitations
The Two Main Histamine Genes
Genes make enzymes. Enzymes do the work. The two main genes that produce the enzymes that break down histamine are DAO and HNMT (2). When these enzymes don’t perform, histamine levels stay high. We call a gene that is unable to perform its job a Dirty Gene. A Dirty Gene does not have the tools it needs to get the job done.
What Causes Histamine Intolerance?
Several factors can contribute to histamine intolerance, including:(3,4)
- Weak digestion
- Inflamed intestines
- Bacterial infections (especially in the gut)
- Eating things that harm your gut, such as processed food
- Food allergies and food intolerances (especially gluten and cow dairy)
- Microbiome imbalance
- Nutrient deficiencies
- An overactive immune system
- Weakened adrenals (low cortisol)
- Chronic viral infections
- Mold exposure
- Fragrances
- Mood imbalances
- Overtraining and excessive exercise
- High estrogen levels
If your body isn’t effectively clearing histamine, it continues to circulate, causing widespread discomfort. The good news? You can take proactive steps to support your body's ability to process histamine properly.
How to Reduce Histamine Naturally
Looking for ways to support healthy histamine levels? Small lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Try these simple strategies to help your body stay balanced:
Slow Down
- Support feelings of patience and calm with deep breathing, yoga, or time in nature.
- Avoid over-exercising, which can trigger histamine release.
- Reduce high-histamine foods like aged cheeses, fermented foods, and leftovers.
- Cut back on caffeine and processed foods, which can worsen symptoms.
Avoid Triggers
- Identify and remove food allergens.
- Limit exposure to fragrances, mold, and smoke.
- Minimize WiFi and Bluetooth exposure while sleeping.
- Use healthy fats like avocado oil or ghee instead of highly processed oils.
Nurture Your Body
- Eat fresh, nutrient-rich foods to support enzyme function.
- Stay hydrated to help flush excess histamine.
- Get enough sleep and engage in light-to-moderate exercise.
- Consider working with a healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
Histamine Support Supplements from Seeking Health™†
Explore our range of histamine-supporting supplements and take control of your well-being today! Seeking Health offers science-backed solutions formulated by Dr. Ben Lynch to support healthy histamine metabolism. With carefully selected ingredients, our supplements are designed to support healthy enzyme function, gut health, and overall balance—helping you feel your best every day. You can trust our expertly crafted formulas to meet your needs.†
Histamine Digest supports your DAO enzyme directly by providing you with the DAO enzyme right in the capsule. The patented DAOgest® enzyme supports healthy histamine levels in the small intestines, colon, uterus, bladder, prostate, and breast milk.†
Histamine Nutrients supports healthy mast cell stability and inflammatory responses, promoting immune health and comfort during the changing seasons. This helps keep histamine inside your cell vs getting out into the blood.†
ProBiota HistaminX is a histamine-friendly probiotic specially formulated to exclude strains known for high histamine production. Supports a balanced microbiome and promotes a healthy gut response to dietary histamine.†
HistaminX supports healthy mast cell stability and inflammatory responses, promoting immune health and comfort during the changing seasons. This helps keep histamine inside your cell vs getting out into the blood. Do not use if pregnant.†
Liposomal Vitamin C supports cell membrane stability thereby reducing the release of histamine, while also supporting healthy inflammation levels related to mast cell activation.†
Glutathione Plus Lozenge helps support histamine intolerance through its antioxidant properties, support for immune function and methylation, enhancement of histamine metabolism, and promotion of enzyme activity necessary for breaking down histamine.†
Stress Nutrients supports a healthy stress response. High stress increases mast cell activation and increases histamine levels. Do not use this if pregnant.†
Fish Oil assists with mast cell stability, thereby reducing the unnecessary release of histamine. This is achieved by serving as essential building blocks for membranes and supporting healthy levels of inflammation.†
DIM+I3C supports healthy estrogen levels. If estrogen levels are elevated, more histamine is released. Consider using this during the higher estrogen levels during your menstrual cycle - typically about 4-5 days before ovulation to a day after. Then stop using it if your histamine levels feel healthy. Do not use this if pregnant.†
For comprehensive support, the Histamine Bundle includes four top supplements at a discounted rate, plus a free Histamine Workbook to help you identify and remove histamine triggers.†
The StrateGene® Histamine Report
Want to find out what’s causing your symptoms once and for all? Our Histamine Report is the most comprehensive tool to help you identify and improve your genetic vulnerabilities to histamine.It uses your genetic raw data from 23andMe, Ancestry®, and SelfDecode. Order yours today!
The Bottom Line
Histamine intolerance can cause a wide range of symptoms, but you don’t have to live with them. By adjusting your diet, reducing triggers, managing stress, and supporting your body's natural histamine breakdown, you can take control of your health and feel your best.
If you're looking for extra support, Seeking Health™ offers targeted supplements designed to support healthy and functioning histamine pathways so your body stays balanced. Ready to get started? Explore our histamine support products and consider ordering your personalized Histamine Report today!
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7463562/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8945898/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22510431/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22435405/
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.