with Dr. Charlie Fagenholz and Lauren Johnson, APRN
Anti-histamines are a common medication prescribed for allergies. Lauren mentions that histamine is a large factor living in today’s world. She makes the point to remember that histamine is required in the body for normal function, but it is needed in balance. Some of things it is involved in include: wound healing, immune system function and fighting a fever.
The DAO enzyme is an enzyme in the body that helps break down histamine. Without this is adequate amount, you will not break down histamine properly.
Charlie reminds us of the classic symptoms of histamine which include itching, rashes and hives. He also reminds us that is it involved in headaches, menstrual cramps and pain that people experience commonly that could be better if the body cleared histamine properly. In the nervous system, histamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that can cause insomnia, chronic headaches and irritability.
Lauren reminds us that there may be a genetic predisposition to histamine being an issue, but epigenetics show us that the gene can be switched on or off by things like your environment. MTHFR is one gene that can cause you to not methylate well and can affect your accumulation of histamine.
Other histamine issues may include: frequent urination, bladder pain or constant bed wetting.
Histamine causes the bladder muscle to constrict, leading to bed wetting.
The presence of parasites in the body can drive up histamine. EMF sensitivity can increase if you have high histamine. You may have dizziness or increased redness in your face with exercise as a side effect of histamine.
Charlie and Lauren connect the topics from previous podcasts of parasites, methylation, hormone balance, allergies and EMF to histamine, showing that they are all related and one can affect the balance of the other. These are all listed on their podcast channel.
Some other things that can increase histamine:
- Elevated estrogen. This may lead to increase in migraines and pain around the time of ovulation.
- Candida and yeast present.
DAO enzyme degrades histamine in the gut. You can take DAO but the nutrients you need to make this process work are vitamin C, iron, copper, B6 and B12. This does depend on anemia. Parasites can cause you to become anemic. Therefore, if you are anemic, you lack the proper mineral to allow your body to produce DAO properly.
High histamine foods like spinach, avocado and eggplant can be aggravating if you are estrogen dominant, have excess mental stress, live around mold or have parasites unaddressed in your system. These foods can tip you in the wrong direction. You may experience bloating and headaches. Flushing or swelling after drinking alcohol may be an indicator you have a histamine intolerance.
Charlie explains “breaking the seal” when drinking alcohol. You are depleting your B vitamins, which negatively affects the system of methylation. This also feeds the pathogens in your body if you are not detoxing properly because the liver is burdened.
Lauren reminds us that additives in foods liberate histamine – sodium benzoate, sulfite, nitrites, glutamate, food dyes.
Lauren lists environmental exposures that can decrease your ability to breakdown histamine. These include:
- BPA’s in plastic products.
- Seed oils that are inflammatory - allow oxidation that decrease your ability to break down histamines.
- Mold - secretes myocotoxins and this increases TH2 dominance in the body.
- Pesticides like glyphosate - increase TH2 dominance.
- Alcohol and caffeine – increase TH2 dominance.
- Parasites - increase TH2 dominance. This imbalance will cause mast cells to release histamine more easily. We can balance our immune system by decreasing the factors that elevated TH2.
You can check out Charlie’s membership program for detailed information on TH1 versus TH2 dominance.
Lauren mentions that certain drugs like NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen), metformin and birth control can increase histamine in the body.
Charlie reminds us that pharmacology is a business model. Consider the need for anti-histamine medication if these results occur from taking NSAIDS.
Lauren states that the US and New Zealand are the only countries in the world that allow pharmaceutical adds.
Charlie mentions the following to help clear histamine quicker:
- Foundationally – support methylation. Find out if you are an over or under methylator.
- Inspirocell - may be helpful with methylation and even panic attacks.
- Regenerzyme Heart - to help with methylation. This would be for if fatigue is more of an issue for you to support mitochondrial health.
- Address indoor air quality.
- Use more glass food storage. Do not heat up food in plastic. Do not use the microwave. Heat up in a stainless-steel air fryer or instant pot or use a toaster oven.
- Remove fragrances – body and room.
- Clean water source.
- Remove fluoride from toothpaste.
- Deodorant without chemicals.
- Astragalus supreme – help with immune system regulation by histamine regulation, adrenal support, helps with sperm motility.
- Petunia – mast cell regulation
- Camu supreme – vitamin c whole food source for histamine regulation
- Albizia supreme – for anxiety/ depression and allergy support. Anxiety can be a result of elevated histamine in the body.
- D-hist junior for kids and D-hist for adults
- Quercetin – can deplete you of iodine but can be helpful short term to stabilize
- Histamine Block by Seeking Health – to take before you eat something you might react to in restaurant foods with things like seed oil
- Chamomile
- Turmeric
- Lavender – has anti-histamine properties. Can be used on bee sting or burn if diluted and applied. Can lower high cortisol.
Charlie reminds us that balanced stomach acid will cause histamine overproduction to regulate. Alcohol will deplete B1 vitamin. B1 helps regulate heart rhythm. This is the interconnection of the body.
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