Did you know that we have histamines in our mast cells and in our stomachs. Have any of you discovered that ongoing problems were causing by your body overproducing histamines or reacting to them e.g. in wine, cheese etc
Reactions can include: Headache is felt as a pulsating, whole-head pain, often with a sense of pressure.
- Fast heart, blood pressure falls, irregular beats with alarming palpitations.
- Skin sensations local itching or burning sensation, flushing and a disagreeable heat eg red rash on face and neck after a glass of wine!
- Stomach pain acid secretion increases; small intestine contracts with crampy pain
- Respiratory - nose swelling, congestion, sneezing and wheezing
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This article maybe of interest, histamine is produced by the body as well as alcohol and many foods. I can take up to 6 piriton a day to ease symptoms, these can also be used for Dermatitis Herpetiformis along with a good moisturiser
That was very interesting Tony as I've also seen Histamines linked to stomach problems in Coeliacs and non-Coeliacs. These quotes from your link were interesting...
1. 'The number of mast cells, the principal cells in which histamine is stored, is increased in the intestinal mucosa of active CD patients (9)'
I wonder how long we're classed as 'active CD patients' ? Does this include the 1 - 5 years it can take for many Coeliacs to heal after going GF? If we continue to eat processed free from foods at 20ppm or even 200ppm vs naturally gf foods does that mean that we'll be perpetuating the mast cell (our body's histamine store) response?
2. 'In the gut, in addition to the histamine secreted by mast cells within the mucosa, intestinal histamine may also come from food, such as fish, dairy products, and red wine (21).'
In effect digesting those foods and drinks can raise the histamine levels in the body (which may already be higher than normal in Coeliacs as we store more histamines in our mast cells than non-coeliacs). Which in turn maybe why many Coeliacs often have hayfever, dust allergies etc compared to non-coeliacs as we're more sensitive and producing more histamines to certain allergens than other non-coeliacs?
HISTAMINES:
Plus I've seen some more interesting information on the Allergy UK site which says:
High in Histamine foods:
Dried apricots
Spinach (raw)
Shell Fish
Red Wine
Plus the link with Sulphites:
Red and White wine
(often high in natural sulphites & histamines)
Plus that...
Anti-histamines block vs stop histamines being released. Therefore they have limited impact on histamines released in the gut both naturally within mast cells and due to eating foods / drinks high in histamines.
Natural Anti-Histamines are:
B6
Magenesium
Vitamin C
These can all increase Histamine levels...
Zinc, Manganese, Niacin, Vitamin B12* and folic acid
* Very interesting for anyone with CD and Pernicious Anemia who receives a life long B12 shot!
The common reactions cited on the Allergy UK site by other members to histamines include:
'Typical events for me have been asthma like symptoms after drinking red wine, getting hives after eating prawns, and swelling up like a balloon after eating a dried apricot.'
See Allergy UK's Forum.
In addition it seems there is another little known condition that people can suffer from which can have similar symptoms...
HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE and HISTAMINOSIS:
'Cellular Histaminosis is also a possible cause of adverse reactions and/or dysfunction of the immune system, but is not well researched.
Patients very often feel:
severe fatigued
flu-like symptoms
fibromyalgia/unidentified joint and muscle pain'
As many Coeliacs know to well joint pains and triedness post GF diet can linger for ages. So if there's not a sign of being glutened could they be a sign of Histaminosis?
(check out the picture on the page - do you look like that after drinking red wine?)
RANDOM THOUGHTS...
What I find interesting is that histaminsosis can also be attributed to these symptoms...many of which many Coeliacs like myself I am sure can related to.
'Digestive problems (prolonged diarrhoea or constipation), bloating, stomach pain, heartburn, belching, acid reflux but also tension/cluster headaches, migraines, palpitation, low blood pressure, urticaria, eczema, hay fever and asthma can be signs of a histamine intolerance (HIT) or a problem with other Biogenic Amines (BA) like Tyramines (very much connected with Migraines and Cluster Headaches).'
Plus as we know that Thyroid and Coeliac auto-immune diseases go hand in hand there are also these links:
'Altered thyroid function can lead to histamine release – or does histamine release trigger altered thyroid function? Some studies show, that chronic urticaria (CU) – an over-expression of histamines – is related to changes in thyroid function.'
WHAT DO YOU THINK ?
Food for thought?
So I guess the killer question is...if you can't afford to go private and you've done a food diary, noted symptoms and believe that you have a problem with histamines in some way what can you do next?
HOW TO BE TESTED?
Well I guess the simplest answer would be to go see your GP and ask for a referral to an immunologist who specialises in such matters.
However, in these tough times will GPs (who are now moving to manage their own budgets) be willing to do so if you're problems aren't deemed life threatening?
Or will your Gastro team at your Coeliac Clinic be happy to investigate further for you?
LINKS: Proving histamine receptors have been discovered in the brain and linked to allergies and auto-immune diseases
Research proves that women may react to many allergens mid-cycle, worth bearing in mind if you have a skin prick test planned. This may explain why bloating, problems associated with PMT appear ahead of menstruation as the female body appears more sensitive to allergens at this time
Hi, I am suffering from high levels of histamine in my body, I have been to a skin allergy specialist and now am on a food restrictive diet ( which helps if I stick to it) and I am taking antihistamine tablets ( texa 10 mg) I just wanted to share my recent experience of Folic Acid...
I have recently been told that I should not take any medication as I might be pregnant...so I have stopped taking Texa 10 mg...and started taking Folic Acid supplement...I am so itchy...all over...all the time...Its driving me crazy!
But now I have to keep taking Folic Acid ( as it is a neccessary pre natal vitamin)
and can't take my anti histamines out of fear that it might cause abnormalities in the baby ..if I am pregnant...
interesting that you know a lot about it thank you for all those important tips!
Well I'm sensitive to histamine as well and so one more tip. I'm using a dietary supplement called Daosin. It avoids all my allergic reactions and I can eat everything. So maybe some of you will give it a try
Thank you for posting this Fiona - really interesting.
It helps explain why I often had migraine with aura after having red wine, cheese, chocolate and tomato on the same day or sometimes a combination of three of these.
Strangely though, since supplementing with high dose B12, it appears to have improved.
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thank you for all those important tips!
gluten intolerance and yeast sensitivity?
Does Your Wine Contain Gluten?
ILL from gluten free food. Again.
Identifying how you've been glutened