Understanding Histamine

Histamine is a natural chemical produced by your body—and it plays an important role in your immune system. But when histamine levels get too high or your body struggles to break it down, symptoms can show up in surprising ways.

What Is Histamine?

Histamine is involved in many body functions:

• Dilating blood vessels (which can cause flushing or headaches)

• Stimulating stomach acid (important for digestion)

• Communicating between the gut and brain

• Triggering allergy symptoms like sneezing, hives, or congestion

Normally, your body produces histamine in response to allergens and breaks it down using enzymes like DAO (diamine oxidase). But when there's too much histamine—or not enough DAO—you may experience histamine intolerance.

Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance May Include:

• Nasal congestion, hives, or rashes

• Digestive upset or bloating

• Headaches or migraines

• Anxiety or heart palpitations

• Menstrual cycle changes

• Fatigue and brain fog

These symptoms are often misdiagnosed or dismissed—especially when allergy tests come back negative.

How Naturopathic Doctors Can Help

At the Marsden Centre, we help identify whether histamine intolerance is playing a role in your symptoms and build a plan to bring your system back into balance.

🔍 We may assess:

• ^Specific enzyme levels and nutrient cofactors (like B6, copper, and vitamin C)

• Gut health (since histamine is broken down in the digestive tract)

• Dietary sources of histamine (including leftovers, fermented foods, and alcohol)

• Triggers that may be increasing your histamine load (like mold, stress, or hormonal shifts)

🌿 Treatment may include:

• A low-histamine diet (personalized to your needs—not a lifetime restriction!)

• Targeted supplements to support histamine breakdown

• Gut healing protocols to improve tolerance over time

• Natural therapies to regulate immune response and inflammation

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🎯 Our goal is to reduce your reactivity and build resilience—so your body can handle more, with fewer symptoms.

👉 Ready to explore whether histamine intolerance is affecting your health? Book an assessment or visit www.marsdencentre.com today.

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