Histamine: what is it and what can you do about excess levels?

Do you sometimes experience symptoms such as itching, headaches, bloating or tiredness without knowing exactly what is causing them? If so, you may have come across the term histamine. But what exactly is histamine? And when does it get out of balance?

Contents

• What is histamine?
• What does histamine do in your body?
• When does too much histamine build up?
• What is histamine intolerance?
• Symptoms of histamine intolerance
• Histamine in food: where is it found?
• What is a low-histamine diet?
• Low-histamine foods
• Natural support for histamine sensitivity
• Antihistamines: how do they work?
• When is it sensible to seek help?

What is histamine?

Histamine is a substance your body makes from the amino acid histidine. It is not a foreign invader, but part of your own system. In fact, your body could not function properly without histamine.

It is stored in cells known as mast cells, which are found in places including your skin, lungs and gut. When your body detects a trigger, such as an allergen, an infection or an injury, histamine is released. This sets off a response intended to protect your body. Histamine is often seen in a negative light, but it is, at heart, a useful and even essential substance.

What does histamine do in your body?

Histamine is involved in several processes at once. It helps your immune system respond quickly to intruders, but also plays a part in digestion and the nervous system.

For example, it causes your blood vessels to widen so immune cells can reach the right place more quickly. This explains why you may experience redness or swelling during a reaction. It also stimulates the production of stomach acid and acts as a messenger in the brain, influencing sleep and alertness. Many symptoms we find unpleasant are therefore part of a natural, protective response.

When does too much histamine build up?

Too much histamine usually builds up not because your body makes too much of it, but because it is not broken down effectively. Your body has its own systems for clearing it away.

Your body uses two important enzymes to break down histamine:

• DAO (diamine oxidase): this enzyme breaks down histamine in the gut
• HNMT (histamine N-methyltransferase): this enzyme is active in other tissues in the body

When these enzymes do not work as well, histamine can build up. This may happen, for example, when your gut is out of balance, when your body is under prolonged stress or when certain factors affect how these enzymes work. There is rarely one clear cause. Often, a combination of factors shifts the balance and symptoms can develop.

What is histamine intolerance?

With histamine intolerance, the body has difficulty breaking down enough histamine. As a result, even normal amounts can cause symptoms.

It is important to distinguish this from an allergy. With an allergy, the body actively releases histamine in response to a specific substance. With an intolerance, the difficulty lies mainly in processing it. Histamine intolerance is not always straightforward to identify medically. Even so, many people recognise the symptoms and a connection with food and lifestyle.

Symptoms of histamine intolerance

Because histamine is active in so many parts of the body, symptoms can vary widely. Often, people experience a combination of symptoms.

Common symptoms include:

• Headaches or migraines
• Skin reactions such as itching, redness or hives
• Digestive symptoms such as bloating, cramps or diarrhoea
• A blocked or runny nose
• Sneezing and watery eyes
• Tiredness
• Sleep problems
• Palpitations or dizziness

What makes these symptoms difficult is that they often come and go, and are not always easy to trace to a single cause.

Histamine in food: where is it found?

As well as making its own histamine, your body takes it in through food. The amount depends greatly on how a product is processed and how fresh it is. Foods that are fermented, aged or stored for a long time often contain more histamine. Examples include:

• Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, yoghurt and kefir
• Mature cheeses
• Alcohol, especially wine and beer
• Processed meat such as salami and smoked products
• Fish that is not completely fresh

Some foods may also stimulate the release of histamine in the body, including chocolate, tomatoes and citrus fruits.

The effect of freshness is often underestimated. The longer food is stored, the more histamine can form. Fresh, minimally processed food is therefore an important starting point. Choose fresh products where possible and try not to store food for too long. Generally, the fresher a product is, the lower its histamine content remains.

What is a low-histamine diet?

A low-histamine diet, also known as a histamine-restricted diet, is used temporarily to reduce symptoms. By lowering the amount of histamine your body has to deal with, you give it a chance to regain its balance. The aim is not to follow this diet strictly over the long term. Gradually reintroducing foods helps you discover your own limits. Everyone responds differently, making this a personal process of learning to listen to your body.

At the same time, it is important to look beyond the diet while following it. Why is the body having difficulty breaking down histamine, allowing it to keep building up? Where can you support the body so it can break down histamine more effectively in future?

Low-histamine foods

While following a low-histamine diet, many people temporarily choose fresh, simple and minimally processed foods. Foods that are often better tolerated include:

• Fresh vegetables such as broccoli, courgette, cauliflower and carrots
• Gluten-free grains such as rice and quinoa
• Fresh chicken or turkey
• Eggs
• Fruits such as apples, pears and blueberries
• Healthy fats such as olive oil and coconut oil
• Fresh herbs

It is important to remember that histamine sensitivity is very individual. What works well for one person may still cause symptoms for someone else. It helps to pay attention to your body and make changes gradually.

Natural support for histamine sensitivity

If you notice that you are sensitive to histamine, there are several ways you can support your body. The gut is often the starting point. Because much of the breakdown of histamine takes place there, gut health has a direct influence on how your body handles histamine. A varied diet with enough fibre and as few processed foods as possible helps support this.

Nutrients also play a role. Nutrients such as vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper and zinc are involved in the enzymes that break down histamine. Eating a varied, balanced diet gives your body what it needs.

Lifestyle deserves attention too. Stress can increase histamine release and make your body more sensitive to triggers. Enough rest, relaxation and sleep are therefore important.

A natural approach sometimes also considers herbs and plant compounds. These have a long history of traditional use, but it remains important to approach them carefully and thoughtfully. Everyone is different, so the same approach will not benefit everyone.

Antihistamines: how do they work?

Antihistamines block the action of histamine and are often used for allergy symptoms. They can be effective at reducing symptoms. At the same time, they mainly focus on suppressing the reaction rather than addressing its cause. From a holistic perspective, we therefore prefer to look at how you can support the body itself in regaining its balance.

When is it sensible to seek help?

Are your symptoms persisting or getting worse? If so, it is sensible to discuss them with a qualified professional. Particularly if you have strong reactions to food or are unsure whether you have an allergy or an intolerance, it can help to explore what is going on together.

Written by Danielle  , last updated 12/05/2026