Almost everyone knows what an intolerance towards certain foods or their compounds means. A family member, friend or acquaintance is lactose or gluten intolerant. This does not imply that his life is in danger, although he suffers from discomfort and must be careful with what he consumes. We also know of people who suffer from allergies and we are more or less aware that food allergies are the most dangerous, even capable of ending our lives, while those caused by animal hair or mites, among others, are Bothersome but rarely lead to fulminant anaphylactic shock.
Although they are often confused, allergies are not intolerances. In order to be considered an allergy, immunoglobulin E (IgE) must be involved, while in intolerance it does not occur. Intolerance towards some foods is much less serious, but its effects on our health should not be ignored.
To further complicate the issue, we have that some diseases, such as celiac disease, which we always tend to relate to gluten, are neither an intolerance nor a food allergy per se. In fact, it is an autoimmune process that affects several organs and appears in genetically predisposed individuals. And although the celiac cannot consume foods rich in gluten, there are also individuals who, without being celiac, have an intolerance towards gluten, something that causes them discomfort but is not as dangerous as celiac disease.
When the mess is already huge is when we talk about histamines. Histamines are substances that our body generates being vital for various processes in our body. They are involved in the functions of the stomach and also act as neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. The big problem with histamine is that it generates reactions that seem allergic but are not (because, as with intolerances, IgE is not generated) and that often originate due to the consumption of foods rich in histamine. They can cause many symptoms that often confuse the doctor, but the most common are:
- rashes, hives
- headache, migraines
- diarrhea
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Itchy eyes and nose, runny nose
- Abdominal pain, cramps
That it is cumulative would explain why symptoms often cannot be directly related to the intake of a certain food. That is, we always eat shellfish or nuts without having problems because of it, but one day, just after eating them, we begin to suffer from histamine intolerance. Most likely, we have previously consumed foods also rich in histamine and the intake of a few nuts has taken our body to a limit for which we begin to have a reaction.
Foods regarding histamine can be of two types: rich or releasing of it. The former contain high levels of histamine while the latter allow its release. A third classification could still be made, which would be those that cause a blockage of the DAO enzyme, which, as we have seen before, is responsible for breaking down histamine.
If you suffer from any type of symptom such as those described above, the first thing is to go to the doctor for a diagnosis. If you confirm that you suffer from histamine intolerance, in principle, you do not need to take medication unless directed by your doctor. The general rule would be to reduce the consumption of products rich in histamine and/or prevent them from accumulating.
Making a list of products rich in histamine is complicated because there is still controversy about it. However, it is usually considered that fermented, smoked, pickled or cured products are rich in them.
Rich in Histamine:
- Not very fresh fish, smoked
- highly cured cheeses
- Nuts, strawberries, citrus
- cinnamon and chocolate
- yogurt, kefir
- tomato and spinach
- Sauerkraut, pickles in vinegar, soy sauce
- Alcoholic drinks
- Chickpeas, soybeans and peanuts
- Wine, cava and beer
Histamine releasers:
- Nuts, citrus (orange, lemon, grapefruit), pineapple, egg whites, additives
DAO enzyme blockers:
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tea
The intake of some medications can also temporarily inhibit the DAO enzyme, causing an accumulation of histamine. The best known are aspirin, ambroxol, codeine, diazepam and naproxen, among many others.
In summary: to avoid the problems derived from histamine intolerance, it is advisable not to accumulate foods rich in histamine in the daily diet and, above all, go to the doctor to find out the cause that causes it.