Not responding to diet....could be due to histamine levels

[cwendyhawk]

Seems I am always finding information that my doctors should be finding and passing along.....such as the fact that if you are allergic to sulfur....it is found in food. A minor detail that my 1st bad doctor over the years left out. Some very kind person on the Internet helped pointed that out to me...months ago. I am very grateful for the info.

I however, had not run across any postings that explained why some people respond to the diet and others don't........ except for the main reason..... that there is hidden gluten out there......but then many of the people that are not responding to the diet are severe enough .....that they will educate themselves a great deal on cross-contamination...in hopes that they might start feeling better if they find some magical hidden gluten that is lurking in one of the supposedly safe foods.

So what..... I ask, are the chances that all the ones that are not responding are all just not careful enough. Mistakes will happen time to time.....since we are human and we make mistakes and God knows those darn manufactures aren't labeling their products well enough yet......but come on......there has got to be a better explanation as to why there are some people that "just do not respond to the diet."

Some of the doctors just shrug and say that the diet does not work for everyone. Well....there actually may be a reason...much better than a shrug.....which I'm sure someone has already figured out somewhere.......but I thought I would post anyway...........since if I can't find much about it on the Internet...it is likely that other people could be at an even worse disadvantage.

Many advised on forums to get checked for other intolerances and allergies. Many advised that people that are responding to the diet should get checked for the nurmerous diseases/conditions that are unfortunately connected to sub-clinical gluten intolerance.


After my doctor.......told me that she wasn't all too convinced that the sub-clinical gluten intolerance was the actual thing that was directly causing my numbness and weakness and fatigue.....I started thinking about it and looked over Dr. Fine's comments on the Internet about how lactose tends to put too much stress on some of our systems and I got to thinking about the fact that I have pretty severe allergies and that the histamines in my blood must be putting some stress on my system.......and then.....low and behold.....I found in an encylopedia ...OF ALL PLACES......that said histamines cause ..NEUROLOGICAL problems......muscle aches...joint pain.....extreme fatigue....depression.....and on and on......and then I found other articles on the Internet mentioning the link to MS and neurological problems and histamines......hmmmm.....gluten intolerance and MS......histamine and MS......

Now, I'm not saying that my symptoms are all histamine related. I do think the sub-clinical gluten intolerance is causing ..in some way.....the majority of the damage......the numbness that I have had for a whole year...../muscle weakness/likely atrophy /extreme fatigue/balance issues/foot drag/and "slurring words slightly"......(perhaps due to damage that it has already caused or some other crappy disorder it has already given me)......however.....I'm off gluten and am extremely careful about the gluten and I know that I get fooled every now and then and definitely can feel the "pain of the getting fooled part".......however....I do think....as do a few others (likely homeopathic doctors).....that if a person has severe allergies (which is one of the symptoms of sub-clinical gluten intolerance)......that they have moderate to high levels of histamine so yes....the gluten is gone.....but by that time...the body is pretty messed up and can't take the stress of all the histamine....which by the way...I heard......actually increases.....every time you accidentally get "glutenated"......so double trouble.....so...perhaps some of the symptoms can be eliminated .....perhaps......if histamine levels decreased......

perhaps....you never know.......

Personally, I know that I have rather severe allergies....and had cut back my anti-histamine meds.....about 4 months or so....prior to my toungue going numb last year(which was only the beginning unfortunately....of my troubles..)....Why did I cut them back (I listened to a doctor).....Shouldn't have.....but those doctors seem to not like people taking much antihistamines......which I'm sure their reasons are medically valid but as for how much you can take........I am sure that has to be somehow linked to the level of histamines in your blood......but then again....I may be off the mark.

So for everyone that is still going through "the pain of sub-clinical gluten intolerance".....I would advise you.....if you are wanting to get someting checked.....like I was....just a few days ago......to get your histamine levels checked.....and ask your allergist how much anti-histamines that you can safely take depending on your histamine level...... My allergist was extremely horrible....had a God complex.....and didn't tell me anything about sulfur being in food.....though I clearly stated on the workup that I was allergic to sulfur.....nor did he test for food allergies/intolerances. Nor did he offer me much of anything but the shots that made me feel worse and worse as I went along with the treatment.......could only stand 5 1/2 months of pain.....no more.....anyway...hope you have a better allergist than the one I had......

And did you also know.....that there is something you can take that actually breaks down histamines.......I think anti-histamines just blocks it....maybe? I don't know.....didn't go to med school but I'm the one that figured out from cross-checking symptoms (present sysmptoms and the ones I had back when I was in college....when I had another bad doctor)....that I was likely sub-clinical gluten intolerance a month after my neuro .....a suppossed specialist......wrote me off as a head case......and then I got if confirmed through Enterolab.....and now....I am learning that something can actually break down histamines......why the heck have I had such a bad time with doctors.....I have had allergies all of my life......the sub-clinical gluten intolerance activated when I was a child.....and I was a real sick kid......temporarily lost hearing and had years and years of speech therapy because I couldn't even hear good for a long time......good grief......something can break down histamines.....why the heck didn't I ever hear about that......


Anyway...just wanted to pass on the info that I had run across .....might be wrong...might be right.......but information is power.....so be advised.....and come to your own conclusions........about possible improvement of sub- clinical gluten intolerant people....(with neurological symptoms)......who are not responding to the gluten free diet...throught the use of anti-histamines and the stuff that also breaks down histamines.........for those that have lots of allergies.....(high levels of histamine)...


***If anyone wants me to look for other articles/more info on...I would be happy to do it for you......

***I also advise you to work with a doctor if you choose to change your current medications/supplements that you are taking since I am not a doctor...and your health is too important to be taking anyone's advice off the Internet........especially someone like me.....who is not a doctor...... :)...therefore...... can not give you actual medical advice........
------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histamine

"Histamine is a biogenic amine chemical involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter. New evidence also indicates that histamine plays a role in chemotaxis of white blood cells.

Histapenia (deficiency of histamine) and histadelia (abundance of histamine) can cause both neurological and physical disorders.[citation needed] Histapenia may be caused by excess copper levels, as this decreases blood histamine.

Histadelia (histamine abundance)
hyperactivity, obsessive-compulsive disorders, inner tensions, mind blanks, phobias, chronic depression, suicidal tendencies, pain intolerance, rapid metabolism, lean build, profuse sweating, seasonal allergies, frequent common colds, urticaria."

" Iarosh OO, Kanevs'ka SA
Lik Sprava 1992 Jan;(1):75-6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PMID# 1364615; UI# 95027875
Abstract
The authors investigated the amount of blood Histamine in 92 patients with Multiple Sclerosis, depending on the length of the disease and its clinical form. The biopsies of the Gastric Mucosa were studied in 32 patients.

It was established that the patients showed a high level of blood Histamine (disease length - under 5 years) and a low level (disease length - over 5 years). The histologic changes were pronounced in the Gastric Mucosa which is evaluated as a complication of Multiple Sclerosis."


http://www.diagnose-me.com/treat/T205248.html


"Dr. George Gillson, M.D., Ph.D., reports that after six weeks of treatment with histamine in 19 individuals with multiple sclerosis
11 noted dramatic improvement
3 reported one or more significant improvements in symptoms, including reduced numbness, better motor control, improved speech, much better sleeping, and more energy
1 had no change
4 had no change due to poor absorption of the histamine, poor patch adhesion, or an interfering drug.
The nurse responsible for the revival of the use of histamine, Elaine DeLack, MS, RN, has collected verbal reports from over 200 individuals diagnosed with multiple sclerosis who have used histamine: 72% report at least one significant improvement in symptoms, and some many more.

[jcc]

Thanks for your post! I know I have seen histamine come up in discussions here (unfortunately lost to the "big crash" we had here this summer.) I have never really dug into the information too much myself, because of the whole brain overload thing. There are days I definitely feel I have maxed out...lol.

BUT.. one thing I had noticed in my own daughter way back when five years ago is that whenever she was taking Zyrtec for seasonal allergies, her diarrhea problems improved. I reported it to the doctor, and he said, if it helps her...just give it to her every day...lots of kids take Zyrtec every day. At the time, I wasn't so sure that was a long term fix for her GI problems....but I have since wondered about whether it might help her. Her seasonal allergies aren't a problem anymore...so we haven't used an antihistimine for her in years. I have always meant to investigate this~ so maybe this will be the time I follow through. In fact, I meant to ask for a script for Zrytec last time she had a physical just to trial it for a week or two out of curiosity.

I have also seen histimine levels discussed on two of my favorite sites:
Alternative Mental Health (http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/default.htm)
Nutritional Healing (http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/content/home.php)

This entire index is worth reading, but there is a little blurb on histimine.
http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/walshFL.htm#Hi

On the Nutritional Healing Site it comes up within many of the indiviual sections...not as a category in its own right.

Thanks for bringing the subject up, and I hope others who know more on the subject will post soon. Nice to meet you!

Cara

P.S. There is also a page in The Gluten File called Not Celiac? that covers "other things" that may causing celiac like symptoms or preventing people from being well. Have you been tested for B12 deficiency or have you tried taking it? Those neurological symptoms you descrived may potentially be a result of B12 deficiency.

[cwendyhawk]

Yeah, my B12 levels are fine............which is why I was referred to a neuro......not that he was any help. Wasted several months of my time which probably caused lots more damage in the long run.... I also later found out on my own that I am sub-clinical gluten intolerant and I'm pretty convinced I likely have leaky gut syndrome (because of my full-dody scan I did when I was trying to figure out what the heck was wrong)...that showed moderate fluid in the Cul-D sac....area (though my doctor says that I'm wrong and it was more likley just a cyst that busted...maybe.....maybe not)........and candidasis...which likely caused the leaky gut to begin with........which is bad stuff when combined together and can be causing lots of my symptoms although I have been trying to get rid of the candidasis......not much luck though....

as for the anii-histamines......since I upped my dosage back to what I used to take......this week....I'm happy to report that my poop "is looking pretty darn good." Still to early yet.....but I'm happy to be solid again.......for the majority of outings to the bathroom...... I even seem to be tingling in places that had long since been numb......so I am hopeful that I may regain some of my sensation. Might not work for everybody with neurological symptoms who are not responding to the diet......but I am happy to try anything that might bring some of the numb parts back to life......kind of like Frankenstein.......he...he...

but I do think that histamine levels play a major part in the damage since many of us do have severe allergies whether they know it or not.(its on the symptom list).....I happen to be one that did not have so many symptoms of allergies (normal symptoms)....except when I was a little kid.........but I didn't really get fully checked for severe allergies until I started having lots of sinus infections after college.....I was taking very low dose antihistamines up to then....1 pill ...60 mg.......ha...ha....ha....(my doctor was a joke)......so some allergy patients are likley suffering out there with few recognizable symptoms.....people that might be just taking something if they start sneezing.......seems like I would always be sneezing (me being allergic to everything common in the air except one thing)......but I'm not......I guess you could say it is "sub-clinicical allergies"....he...he...he......

I do remember that years ago when I did have lots of joint pain/muscle aches and regular chronic fatigue...that I had told my regualar doctor (that I really like) that she shouldn't look into the causes of the joint pain since it was linked to my allergies since I noticed that if I forgot to take my allergy medicine then it would cause the joint pain......since I already knew at that time that I had severe allergies......I knew something else was likely also a factor but I didn't want her to look and not find anything since I had run into about 3 bad doctors before I got to her......and a few bad doctors after her.......since my insurance had changed....and had to go to someone else:( all during this last year (when sadly...the neuro problems started erupting)....

Anyway.....I always have to be dosed up on a couple of pills of Zyrted D unless I want a .........really bad sinus infection which turns quickly into a respiratory infection.... for the next 3 weeks to a month...even on high powered antibiotic medication....which is why...when they suggested I reduce medication.....that I took the Allegra off.....180 mg...I was taking at that time......

Someone told me though later on.......that Zyrtec D (it's called Reactine in Canada)....wasn't very strong when it comes to Allergy medicine but somehow it prevents my sinus infections so it's definitely a keeper for that alone.......but I probably really hurt myself quite a bit by going off the more high-powered allergy medicine........stupid Insurance companies don't even want to pay for 2 allergy meds.....will only pay for one...which is why I got pissed off at them and just order all my meds through Canada......did have some trouble getting my hands on Allegra 180 though.....but I did finally buy the Allergra 24 hour instead.....120mg I think ...maybe? Did ya'll know that most allergy medicine over there is "over-the counter."...no prescription required......don't know why that makes me so happy :)

Anyway....hope she does a lot better and forgoes the problems that I have been having over the last year..........and it's rather nice to be more solid........am rather happy now.........kind of like a kid at show and tell.........

[halsgluten]

Dear cwendyhawk,

I'm reponding to the "Not responding to diet" part rather than to the hystamine part, so forgive me I take this not quite where you intended (I can delete if I have, let me know if I've gaffed).

Sounds a lot like me, (thanks for saving me some typing ;) ). So the concerns you have are much what I have, and what I have been studying. and thank you for the suggestions.

Similar history,
I have an IBS Dx and was “referred to counseling”. :rolleyes:

The recent allergist spent the whole twenty minutes telling me why he didn’t do IgG and IgG tests, :mad: ut he did suggest sulfites.

The recent neuropsychiatrist said, “If you aren’t here to ask me for medication, then why *are* you here?” :mad: Um, looking for an expert in nerve research? But he did say it all sounded like Fibromyalgia and that I should look up all the alternative therapies for it.

I had many neurological and other symptoms resolved on the GFD, :D but the reasons I started the diet (fatigue and concentration) were not touched. :( And after four years, sleep disturbances and new deep muscle pain have returned and are worsening. :( Last August, I began a new search for causes.

To be brief, I have some areas of focus:
(histamine is related to some of this, but its presence may be a byproduct rather than cause)

1.) Non-gluten sensitive conditions that never the less have at least partial improvements with wheat removal: any liver, gallbladder, pancreas, stomach or intestinal problem, or the milder cystic fibrosis mutations.

2.) Concurent illnesses (2nd Tack Rule: pulling only 1 of 2 tacks stuck in your bottom does not give 50% relief.)

3.) Small Intestine Bowel Overgrowth : I’ll post more about this I hope, I was positive for methane and have just completed the antibiotic course and started the probiotics. (this was actually my doctor’s initiative! :) )

4.) Expressed polyglutamine diseases (like Huntington’s and ataxias) and Accumulated polyglutamine diseases (like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s), all have large numbersof very slow-sub clinical cases, each of which are accelerated to some degree by gluten consumption. (another future post)

5.) Fibromyalgia

6.) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the CDC is giving new attention :) to this Syndrome to see if is in fact an identifiable condition. :)
http://www.cdc.gov/cfs/

Interestingly enough, a significant fraction of CFS cases are actually cases mild Huntington’s Disease (based on the presence of huntingtin protein)! And it seems most if not all CFS cases have flaws in the Ubiquitin-Proteasome system, which results in accumulation of polyglutamine. This is importance because treaments for expressed and accumulated polyglutamine diseasesare in the works.

The CDC had started an initiative to study Chronic fatigue syndrome, to see if it is really a “wastebasket” collection of undiagnosed illnesses or if it in fact a specific, previously unknown malady or two or three. It looks like they are starting from a clean slate. An interesting feature of their program is gives guidance for diagnosis. One issue I have with is that they list as excluding conditions things like Bipolar Disaffective disorder, which itself is a wastebasket syndrome, not a single condition.

Best Regards,

Hal

[Zonulin]

Concurent illnesses (2nd Tack Rule: pulling only 1 of 2 tacks stuck in your bottom does not give 50% relief.) - Halsgluten

Hahahaha thump (laughed me 'ead off) ;)

Cwendyhawk -
You've made some astonishing discoveries and probably should've gone to med school :D It took 22 doctors over 2 years to give us some inkling of what was making my (then) 9-year-old son constantly nauseated/vomiting/losing weight. They found:

high Antigliadin IgG antibodies;
low/deficient IgA (affects mucosal membranes in the body);
low immunogloulin panel (IgA, IgG, IgM) indicating compromised immune system;
elevated levels of mercury and lead;
an ELISA reaction to 25 different foods;
H. pylori, a bacterium that lives in the stomach lining and ultimately causes stomach cancer, which runs in my family;
C. albicans ("dividing on the slide");
malabsorption;
HLA DQ1 (Enterolab);
low levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter necessary to release digestive enzymes;
a multitude of "autonomic anomalies" which may have played a part in the nausea...

Whether they would've found MORE is debatable. He started feeling better, and we got sick of seeing doctors (so to speak). Eliminating gluten is usually the first step towards better health. But it just a small piece of the puzzle. There certainly may be people out there who only need to eliminate gluten, and then they're good to go. But I'd say that the majority of people who are feeling lousy have a multitude of things which are influencing the way they feel. And pulling out just one "tack" doesn't stop the other 15 from damaging us...Doctors can't wait to rubberstamp illness with one label - be it "schizophrenia" or "flu" or "some type of virus." But usually there are many, many problems which have finally overwhelmed our already overburdened immune systems.

So glad you posted about histamines - now I've got something new to research! :eek: :)

Karen

[pakisa100]

(2nd Tack Rule: pulling only 1 of 2 tacks stuck in your bottom does not give 50% relief.)

Bwaahahahahaaaaa!!!

...wiping my eyes... That one 'stuck' with me just the right way today. :D

Yes, we too are continuing to look for ways to help ds. Though he is no longer sick all the time, it is obvious that he is still reacting to stuff. The allergist that I spoke with was also no help at all. However, we do find that giving an allergy medicine, even when he's been glutened, seems to cut back on a lot of mucous and help guide his body back to a more 'restful' state. So, I found everyone's notes 'extremely' interesting.

[Razzle0]

Ok here's the connection between sulfur and histamine:

The same enzyme that processes sulfites (sulfur amino acids, sulfite preservatives) also processes histamines. This is part of the sulfur cycle, and it is proven to be messed up in those with CFS (and also possibly Fibromyalgia).

To fix the enzyme:

Take zinc, iron, molybdenum, and vitamin B12 daily, in high amounts for a while, then cut the doses back to the RDA range and see how you do.

Also, need to kill off bacterial, viral, and fungal infections because these critters will feed on the iron and B12 supplements.

To kill bacteria: Grapefruit Seed Extract (liquid or capsules), Clove, Tea Tree Oil, Myrrh gum (kills h. pylori when taken with Mastic gum - product called Bye-Lori works great).
To kill viruses: Elderberry, Vitamin C, and various other herbs.
To kill fungus: Biotin, Myrrh Gum, Usnea, Tanalbit (zinc tannates), Myrrh gum, other herbs.

Essential Oils can also help with this process. I use Myrrh essential oil daily.

Infections cause leaky gut, which then increases one's likelihood of developing allergies and other chronic illness. Allergies make leaky gut worse, so it is a vicious circle. Allergies (of all types - not just the "classic" IgE/immediate type) increase histamines in the body.

Annual fasting is helpful for my Mom, who is allergic to sulfur and has had times of CFS. I myself just completed a 10 week period of time where I ate nothing but an elemental formula (amino acid based, free of all food proteins) and a brand of organic vanilla ice cream (gluten free also). I had to do this because of a severe stricture in my small bowel. It was an interesting experience, and I will always probably remain convinced that food is the #1 cause of most illness.

Sulfites are naturally occurring in a lot of foods - grapes, tomatoes, etc. - and are added to others as a preservative. Also, the sulfur amino acids Cysteine, Methionine, and Taurine break down into sulfites during metabolism. Unfortunately, most MD's do not recognize that sulfites can cause problems for a lot of people, especially those who already have allergies to other things (pollen, etc.). But Vitamin B12 directly binds to the sulfites and renders them unable to damage cells or trigger reactions in those who are sensitive. The enzyme the converts sulfites (harmful) to sulfates (not harmful) in the body is Sulfite Oxidase. The parent enzyme of this enzyme is Molybdenum Cofactor. Molybdenum Cofactor is made up of iron, molybdenum, zinc and some other elements, and the Sulfite Oxidase cannot do its job right if the Molybdenum Cofactor enzyme is not working right. Copper pulls Molybdenum and Zinc out of the body, which greatly impacts the function of Molybdenum Cofactor. This is why supplementing zinc and molybdenum is important to correct sulfur cycle problems.

Some people have genetic defects in the enzymes that process sulfur. Published literature says this is rare, but I believe it is far, far more common than recognized. The literature cases are just the most severe versions of the problem (molybdenum cofactor deficiency, or sulfite oxidase deficiency).

I hope this information is helpful for someone out there...I've been struggling with this stuff for years and years and have finally figured out with the help of some excellent doctors that I have a sulfite problem and believe it to be the basis for most if not all my other health issues that have gone misdiagnosed for years (everything from "all in my head" to "fibromyalgia" and "IBS" and "crohn's" - all of which have become wastebasket diagnoses in my opinion). Yes, I have the gene (DQ2) for Celiac, but have never tested positive by biopsy and only once had the elevated anti-gliadin IgG levels in my blood. Thankfully, Enterolab and a trail gluten-free diet have proven I cannot tolerate gluten (not even walking down the bread aisle in the grocery store :( ) and so I have no plans to attempt to eat it ever again.

Ok, 'nuff said...

-Razzle
Gluten Sensitivity; GF since 7/05
Sulfite Sensitivity
Allergies (foods, pollens, etc.)
Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder (another sulfur issue)
and who knows what is messing up my gut - one doc says Crohn's, one says fungal gut infection, others haven't decided whether it is small vessel Vasculitis, Lupus, an odd presentation of Crohn's, or something else. I do NOT think it's Crohn's...

[cwendyhawk]

Thanks for everyones comments and info......that ya'll shared (forgive my Texas accent)......:rolleyes:

Seems like I have learned more from everyone in the forums and on the Internet than I have ever gotten out of any doctor.....the medical community probably would benefit if we all had become doctors......he.....he...he

Anyway.....thanks again...for passing the info on......if it impacts just one person's life for the better......it was definitely worth the time.:)

[koz]

have you considered that chemical sensitivities could be contributing to your problems and not just food allergies ?

I suffer from both and the symptoms are exactly the same

koz

[copperhead]

cwendyhawk,

You sound like a high histamine type (histadelic). I have read that usually low histamine types (histapenia) will have food allergies or food sensitivies. But you can't always go by those conventions.

People with histadelia will need to supplement sulfur. Sulfur or sulfation is one method the body gets rid of histamine, but not the only one. Methylation is another way and is an important process in the body. Your body methylates billions of times a second. Every cell methylates. Methylation is just one cell donating a methyl group to another one. But this process is critical. Balancing your histamines levels can give you some insight if your body is methylating properly.

Methionine, a sulfur containing amino acid, is the orthomolecular method for getting extra sulfur in the right form. Histadelics can have a problem like the other poster said with sulfites. Their body can not convert sulfites into sulfates which can be exceted from the body. The sulfites can build up to levels that cause problems. In Enzymes for Austism, DeFelice recommends the use of epsom salts in different ways, like mixed in hand creams, because it has both the magnesium and sulfate that histadelics need.

Histadelics under methylate while histapenia's over methylate. Sometimes I can get these two distinctions confused myself.

But, yes I think of anti-histamines as blocking the action of histamine, whereas the right nutrients can actually balance your histamine levels.

Histamine plays so many roles in the body, like saliva production, other mucous menbranes, your sex drive, your ability to acheive orgasm, your sensitivity to pain, your skin's sensitivity, it is a neurotransmitter, sweat production, and a number of other things I can't remember.

I have low histamine levels and will usually feel when my histamine levels drop. The saliva in the back of my throat gets thick. The most obvious sign for me when my histamine levels go up is sneezing. I will now sneeze more often than I used to, especially multiple times without any irritant getting into my nose. Your histamine levels can make it easy to "listen to your body" because when it changes you are likely to feel it in some way.

I know that amylase, a digestive enzyme for carbohydrates, also lowers histamine levels. Vitamin C is also supposed to work like a natural anti-histamine. The vitamin C is not the main nutrient recommended by ortho for lowering histamine levels. So, I would assume C has an action more like blocking, but that is just a guess.

I don't have any allergies myself but do think that food allergies can be helped by the right nutrition and by dealing with inflammation too. Phillpott and Kalita in Brain Allergies recommend using some digestive enzymes for their anti-inflammatory properties. I think enzymes may help with other things, beside just digesting food. Dr. Philpott thinks that if vitamin b6 and some other nutrient levels are not adequate the allergic response may be more severe.

So, yes, your histamine levels will play a role in your allergic reaction. I think balancing your histamine levels is much better than just blocking the action of histamine. Balancing histamine levels with the right nutrients is best done with a qualified professional. But the right nutrition, and maybe the right digestive enzymes, can help to reduce the reactions most people (though not all) will have.

I would guess that the role that histamine plays in regard to copper might be the explanation why anti-histamine do reduce diarrhea in some. Copper can be a factor for diarrhea, but this is really a guess. I have read that some histadelics discovered that anti-histamines will help their headaches.

Histadelics are told to avoid b complexes and also multi-vitamins. Taking too much folic acid is not good for histadelics because it does raise histamine levels. The one nutrient that really raises histamine is nicotinic acid. The flush producing niaicin is how histapenia's raise their histamine levels. (That flush is actually the basophil and mast cells filling up with histamine.)Histadelics should supplement the other forms of niacin other than nicotinic acid.

And one simple way of testing your histamine levels is to get nicotinic acid in 50 mg. dose. Take this on an empty stomach to see if it causes a flush. If it does at only 50 mg. then you know you are a histadelic. If you flush from 100 mg. then you may actually have normal histamine levels. If you need more than 100 mg. then you have low histamine levels. A histapenia can take as much as 250 mg. to get that flush. (You should wait several hours before trying the flush again with a higher dose to make sure that you are not adding to that previous dose.) An aspirin is recommended if you find the flush annoying. I have never used this, but it is supposed to help.

[ODAT]

Histamine is produced in a type of cell called a mast cell. If your body produces too many mast cells you have a condition called mastocytosis. My husband was just diagnosed with it. It can range from a simple skin condition to leukemia or lymphoma. He was diagnosed with a skin biopsy of a rash. Some people do not have a rash. The only way to diagnose systemic mastocytosis (meaning throughout you body and not just your skin) is by a bone marrow biopsy. There are blood and urine tests that can be performed that will point your doctor toward a diagnosis. Most doctors are unfamiliar with mastocytosis. Only 20,000 people in the U.S. are currently diagnosed with it. There is a drug called Gastrochrom that stabilizes mast cells preventing them from degranulating and releasing too much antihistimine. It is a liquid that you take orally. There is also an asthma medication containing the same compound and a nasal inhaler (NasaChrom). My husband has been prescribed all three. Mastocytosis can cause anaphylatic shock so people should carry a epinephren pen. I am still learning about this disease. Thank goodness I have a biochemistry degree!:rolleyes:

ODAT