If your body can’t properly break down and metabolize histamine, it can cause symptoms such as headaches, digestive issues, skin problems, and respiratory difficulties. While there is no definitive medical test to diagnose histamine intolerance, there are several approaches that can help identify if you may be affected by it.
Here are some of the steps we take:
- Symptom diary: Keeping a detailed diary of your symptoms and how severe they are on a scale of 1-10. Write down the foods you eat and any other potential triggers. Look for patterns or correlations between symptom flare-ups and specific foods or situations.
- Elimination diet: Our step by step LOW-HISTAMINE NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM is designed to help you minimise foods that are known to be high in histamine or that can trigger the release of histamine in the body. These foods may include aged or fermented foods, processed meats, certain vegetables and fruits, alcohol, and certain medications. Monitor your symptoms during this period and assess whether they improve.
- Food challenge: After the elimination phase, you reintroduce potential trigger foods one at a time and observe if any symptoms reoccur. This can help you identify specific foods that may be problematic for you.
NOTE: DAO enzyme test.
Diamine oxidase (DAO) is the enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine in the digestive system. A deficiency in DAO can contribute to histamine intolerance. While a blood test for DAO levels is available, its accuracy and reliability are still under debate.