Probiotics for Histamine Management

Histamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate brain functions and endocrine responses. It also serves other important roles in the body, but too much histamine or difficulty breaking it down can lead to a variety of symptoms. The good news is that careful use of probiotics can support histamine management. Watch out, though, as some probiotics can actually increase histamine production!

What is histamine?

Histamine is one of five major biogenic amines that help organs, muscles, and nerves communicate with the brain and immune system. It is produced by the body’s connective tissues and plays a key role in various physiological processes, including:

1. Triggering the release of stomach acids to help us digest food properly
2. Alerting the immune system to damaged tissue that requires repair
3. Stimulating white blood cells to defend against allergens or other threats.

We need histamine to stay healthy, but when the body produces too much, or when we aren’t able to break it down efficiently, this can lead to histamine intolerance.

Symptoms of histamine intolerance

Excess, or poorly managed histamine can affect a whole slew of bodily systems. Effects and symptoms of histamine intolerance include:

·       Sinus inflammation, congestion, and other issues

·       Increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut)

·       Chronic headaches

·       Anxiety and mental cloudiness

·       Fatigue

·       Hives

·       Nausea

·       Digestive problems.

Millions of people are affected by histamine intolerance, often without realising it.

Causes of histamine intolerance

Some histamine issues are genetic, and some are triggered by a diet that contains excessive levels of histamine. In addition, some foods and drinks inhibit the enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine (diamine oxidase, or DAO).

To further complicate things, levels of DAO tend to be higher during different stages of the menstrual cycle (1). This may be why some individuals experience symptoms of histamine intolerance right before their period but don’t have the same reaction to high-histamine foods at other times of the month.

Increasingly, though, scientists are interested in how histamine intolerance is related to the gut microbiome. Research now suggests that probiotic supplementation can help reduce excess histamine in the body and relieve symptoms of histamine intolerance.

Foods high in histamine

Histamine levels vary wildly across different foods. In general, histamines are higher in:

·       Fermented foods

·       Processed animal-derived foods, including:

o   Processed meats and cured meats

o   Matured (aged) cheeses.

·       Shellfish

·       Certain fruits and vegetables, including:

o   Avocado

o   Spinach

o   Aubergine

o   Dried fruits.

It may also be helpful for some individuals to limit their intake of foods that can stimulate histamine release in the body. These include:

·       Cocoa products

·       Bananas

·       Tomatoes

·       Papaya

·       Citrus

·       Beans and pulses

·       Nuts

·       Wheat germ.

Probiotics for histamine management

In addition to managing diet and investigating any genetic issues, probiotics are becoming a key part of treatment for histamine intolerance.

The gut microbiome plays a significant role in histamine production and regulation. Some strains of bacteria naturally present in the human digestive tract can produce histamine, while others may help reduce it.

Probiotic strains have shown promise in lowering histamine levels and relieving symptoms of histamine intolerance. These "antihistamine probiotics" work by:

1. Activating anti-inflammatory agents in mast cells
2. Stabilizing mast cells
3. Down-regulating the sensitivity of histamine receptors.

Which probiotic strains lower histamine levels?

The most promising probiotic species for histamine-lowering effects include:

• Lactobacillus plantarum
• Bifidobacterium longum
• Bifidobacterium infantis
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

B. longum, in particular, has shown excellent potential for improving the gut barrier and supporting the timely breakdown and elimination of histamine.

In one study, the L. rhamnosus LGG and L. rhamnosus Lc705 strains suppressed mast cell activity and immunoglobulinE response (3). In another study, the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum D-103 strain was able to degrade up to 100% of the histamine in broth (4).

 

Probiotics to avoid

Just as some probiotics are better than others for constipation, allergies, and other applications, some are better for histamine intolerance.

In fact, certain probiotic strains actually appear to increase histamine production and are best avoided by anyone with symptoms of histamine intolerance as they could make things worse.

Research suggests that certain strains in the following probiotic species can increase histamine levels:

• Lactobacillus casei
• Lactobacillus bulgaricus
• Streptococcus thermophilus
• Lactobacillus delbrueckii
• Lactobacillus helveticus.

Probiotic strains are the lowest rank in the hierarchy of probiotics, coming after family, genus (e.g., Lactobacillus), and Species (e.g., bulgaricus).

So, while some research suggests that L. bulgaricus TISTR 895 increases histamine levels, other studies have not found an increase in histamine with other L. bulgaricus strains (2).

In addition, studies show that L. casei strains 4a and 5b enhance histamine breakdown, while other L. casei strains (such as L. casei TISTR 389) increase histamine levels (2).

Final thoughts on histamine intolerance and probiotics

Histamine intolerance is a complex problem, and probiotics are just one part of symptom management. A personalised approach to histamine management may involve:

·       Dietary modifications to avoid histamine-rich foods

·       Avoiding consumption of alcohol

·       Reducing intake of foods that inhibit histamine breakdown

·       Use of carefully selected probiotics.

The effectiveness of probiotic treatments can vary among individuals, depending on existing gut flora, overall health, and specific dietary habits.

In general, though, a high-quality probiotic supplement that contains viable, clinically tested strains of histamine-lowering bacteria can play a key role in histamine management.

References

1.         Hrubisko, M., Danis, R., Huorka, M., & Wawruch, M. (2021). Histamine Intolerance-The More We Know the Less We Know. A Review. Nutrients, 13(7), 2228.

2.         Priyadarshani, D., Mesthri, W., Rakshit, S.K. (2011). Screening selected strains of probiotic lactic acid bacteria for their ability to produce biogenic amines (histamine and tyramine). Int. J. Food Sci. Technol, 46, 2062–2069. 

3.         Oksaharju A., Kankainen M., Kekkonen R.A., et al. (2011). Probiotic lactobacillus rhamnosus downregulates FCER1 and HRH4 expression in human mast cells. World J. Gastroenterol, 17, 750.

4.         Kung H.-F., Lee Y.-C., Huang Y.-L., et al. (2017). Degradation of histamine by lactobacillus plantarum isolated from miso products. J. Food Prot, 80, 1682–1688.