Histamine Intolerance

Histamine intolerance is a condition where the body struggles to break down histamine efficiently, leading to a wide range of symptoms — many of them digestive.
Importantly, histamine intolerance is not an allergy but an imbalance between:

  • histamine intake

  • histamine release

  • histamine breakdown

Understanding this helps avoid unnecessary fear around food.

Why Histamine Becomes a Problem

Histamine intolerance is rarely caused by food alone.
It often reflects deeper changes in:

  • gut microbiome balance

  • enzyme activity (especially DAO)

  • intestinal permeability

  • immune activation

  • stress and nervous-system regulation

  • hormone fluctuations

  • SIBO or dysbiosis

  • chronic inflammation

Histamine is produced naturally in the body — the goal isn’t to eliminate it but to restore balance.

Common Symptoms

Digestive symptoms may include:

  • bloating

  • diarrhoea or urgency

  • abdominal pain

  • nausea after meals

  • reflux or burning discomfort

Whole-body symptoms can include:

  • flushing or warmth

  • headaches or migraines

  • hives or skin sensitivity

  • congestion

  • anxiety or restlessness

  • heart palpitations

  • menstrual pain or worsened PMS

Histamine intolerance often fluctuates — you may tolerate a food one week and react strongly the next.
This variability is a key sign.

Gut Conditions Linked to Histamine Intolerance

Many people with histamine intolerance have underlying digestive patterns such as:

  • SIBO (especially hydrogen or hydrogen sulphide types)

  • Dysbiosis

  • Leaky gut / intestinal permeability

  • Low DAO production due to mucosal irritation

  • Post-antibiotic microbial changes

Supporting the gut lining and restoring balance often improves histamine tolerance dramatically.

Stress & the Nervous System

Stress increases histamine release — particularly when the body is in fight-or-flight.
This is why:

  • symptoms worsen during overwhelm

  • anxiety increases during reactions

  • sensitivities fluctuate based on emotional load

Regulating the nervous system is a crucial part of rebuilding tolerance.

Nutrition & Lifestyle Support

Long-term improvement often involves:

  • reducing inflammation in the gut lining

  • supporting the microbiome (especially Bifido species)

  • improving digestive secretions

  • stabilising motility

  • supporting hormone balance

  • restoring DAO activity

  • temporarily reducing histamine load only when needed

  • gently reintroducing foods

The aim is not lifelong restriction — but restoring flexibility and resilience.

This Page in One Sentence

Histamine intolerance is a whole-body, gut–brain–immune pattern — not simply a food list — and it improves most when the root drivers are supported.