The Histamine-Estrogen Connection
It may come as a surprise to hear that histamine intolerance and estrogen dominance can be closely intertwined, but as we know well in holistic medicine, everything in the body is connected! If you experience horrible PMS symptoms and find that high histamine foods make symptoms worse, you might be dealing with this duo — estrogen dominance and histamine intolerance. So let’s dive in!
In this post, we’ll explore:
What is histamine?
What is estrogen?
How are estrogen and histamine connected?
How to support histamine intolerance and estrogen dominance.
What is histamine?
Histamine is a chemical released by your immune system. While it is mainly known for it’s central role in allergic reactions, this signaling chemical wears many hats and regulates numerous physiological processes.
Histamine Roles
stimulates the secretion of gastric acid in the stomach — vital for digestion.
regulates inflammation associated with allergic reactions, vasodilatation (widening of blood vessels for increased blood flow), and bronchoconstriction (tightening of muscles around bronchi to constrict breathing)
serves as a neurotransmitter that promotes waking and suppresses rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
impacts many cellular processes in both the gut and immune system (which are extremely intertwined)
Histamine is mainly stored in mast cells, a type of white blood cell in tissues and basophils in blood. Mast cells are abundant in your skin, lungs, GI tract, and uterus. Given the nature of this blog topic, it’s important to spotlight that histamine appears to be important for normal ovulation and pregnancy.
Histamine Reactions
Histamine is most commonly associated with allergic reactions. Whether it be a certain food, dust, pollen, or pet fur, your body’s immune system will activate and release histamine to promote inflammation and flush the allergen out of the system. This often results in symptoms like coughing, sneezing, hives or itchy skin, irritated eyes, runny nose, and in more severe cases, anaphylaxis.
Histamine Intolerances
Histamine levels can become especially problematic when they are chronically elevated. Unlike histamine reactions that present with typical allergic reaction symptoms, histamine intolerances can be more ambiguous. Symptoms of histamine intolerance include:
Dizziness or vertigo
Headache or migraine
Nausea or vomiting
Intestinal cramps, gas
Diarrhea
Abnormal menstrual cycle
Shortness of breath
Abnormal heart rate
High blood pressure
Poor memory
Body temperature
Circadian rhythm issues
Learning problems
None of those symptoms are enjoyable. That’s is why it’s vital to keep histamine at a healthy level. Diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) are key enzymes that break down histamine and keep levels low. When these enzymes can’t keep up with histamine production and are unable to break down histamine, you may experience symptoms of a histamine intolerance.
Want to learn more about histamine? See our Histamine Hub of blog posts covering all things histamine!
What is estrogen?
Estrogen is a hormone (think of it as a chemical messenger) that is produced by both men and women and vital for sexual health and reproduction, particularly in women. When estrogen levels are unbalanced, bothersome symptoms ensue.
Symptoms of high estrogen or estrogen dominance include:
Mood swings
Tender breasts
Water retention
Nervousness
Irritability
Anxiousness
Fibrocystic breasts
Uterine fibroids
Weight gain in hips (hips are most common area, weight gain can be anywhere)
Bleeding changes (usually more bleeding)
Infertility
Estrogen dominance occurs when estrogen levels are elevated, relative to progesterone. Interestingly, progesterone, which is typically low in estrogen dominant individuals, inhibits histamine release in mast cells. That means that with low progesterone levels, one’s histamine load can quickly get out of hand.
How are estrogen and histamine connected?
Mast cells release histamine, but they also have estrogen receptors. When estrogen binds to these receptors, the mast cells release more histamine. To further contribute to elevated histamine levels, studies also suggest that estrogen may decrease DAO production in the gut, thus hindering histamine breakdown. This means estrogen causes higher histamine levels as more histamine is produced and less is broken down.
The relationship between histamine and estrogen is bidirectional. So while estrogen can contribute to higher histamine levels, histamine can stimulate estrogen production. Histamine can raise endogenous estrogen levels (estrogen produced within the body) through H1 activation by inducing dose-dependent estradiol synthesis by ovarian granulosa cells. In this way, a vicious cycle of high histamine and excessive estrogen can occur.
See our Instagram post with graphics that break down this complex relationship.
How to support histamine intolerance and estrogen dominance:
Popping an antihistamine or Midol may alleviate symptoms, but this is merely a band-aid fix. It’s important to explore the root cause of excess histamine and estrogen. Functional labs are great place to start. Evaluating hormone levels, gut health, and immune system activation are vital pieces of the puzzle and offer a bigger picture of what dysfunction is occurring. The body’s intricacies are complex, so working with a holistic health practitioner is recommended. At Wholistic Renewal, we create custom protocols and supplementation guides for clients dealing with complex hormonal issues and histamine intolerance. Trust us, you don’t need to rely on antihistamines for the rest of your life!
In the meantime, you can get started on supporting your body with diet, lifestyle, and supplements.
We recommend:
Limit high histamine foods
Check out this detailed list of low histamine foods. This will help lower your histamine load.
As a rule of thumb, avoid:
Aged foods
Fermented
Preserved and processed foods
Alcohol, especially wine
Support gut health
When addressing histamine overload, supporting the gut mucosa is a top priority. A compromised intestinal lining activates the immune system, leads to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and triggers food sensitivities.
Since imbalances in gut bacteria can lead to histamine release, it’s important to
Lower alcohol intake
Alcohol is not only high in histamine and destructive to your gut, but it has also been found to increase estrogen production.
Lower stress levels
Stress contributes to histamine release and directly corresponds to hormonal imbalances. Elevated levels of cortisol (our main stress hormone) can wreak havoc on sex hormones, exacerbating estrogen excess and progesterone deficiency.
Work with a holistic practitioner
Looking to run functional labs and explore the root cause of your histamine and/or estrogen excess? We’ve got you covered. Schedule a discovery call and we’ll get started:
Explore your health history so we can piece together a comprehensive picture of what’s happening to you and why.
Explain what’s happening and answer all your questions. Our goal is to make YOU the expert in your health.
Customize a protocol suited to your unique needs. We’ll make lifestyle, diet, and supplement recommendations that go beyond treating your symptoms and address root causes.
Provide 1-on-1 support through calls and messaging. We’re here for you and invested in your health.
Fed up with unanswered questions about your health?
At Wholistic Renewal, we dig deep to uncover the root causes of your concerns. Our programs combine comprehensive functional lab testing with personalized protocols and dedicated support from a nutritional practitioner. Through one-on-one guidance and education, you can finally find the answers you've been searching for and renew your health.
*The information provided above is intended for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related questions or concerns you may have. Reliance on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk.
