Understanding Histamine Intolerance: Gut Health, Hormones, and Healing

If you struggle with allergies (seasonal or otherwise), hay fever, rashy skin, and watery, itchy eyes, you’ll be no stranger to this naturally occurring substance: histamine.

If you’re someone who eats clean, avoids processed food, drinks plenty of water, exercises regularly, and still finds yourself feeling bloated, foggy, and fatigued... this might be something no one has told you yet: it might not be what you're eating, but how your body is processing it.

For many women I work with, histamine intolerance is a missing piece of the puzzle. It can sneak up quietly, masked as "just another sensitivity," until one day your go-to healthy foods are suddenly making you feel worse.

What is Histamine?

Histamine is a natural compound involved in immune responses, digestion, and communication within your brain. You actually need histamine for your body to function properly. But problems start when your body can’t break it down effectively, leading to a build-up.

When histamine builds up faster than your body can clear it, that’s when symptoms begin.

Common Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance

Histamine intolerance can look like a lot of other things, which is why it often gets missed. If any of these feel familiar, you might want to explore this further:

• Bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort (especially after eating)

• Fatigue or brain fog

• Skin flushing or itching

• Headaches or migraines

• Sinus congestion or runny nose

• Irregular menstrual cycles

• Anxiety or feeling wired but tired

• Hives, rashes or eczema

• Heart palpitations

These symptoms are often dismissed as random or hormonal, but they may actually be rooted in your gut.

Gut Health & Histamine Intolerance: How They Connect

Histamine intolerance is often rooted in gut imbalances. Your gut is home to the majority of your immune system, and it's also where histamine is both produced and broken down. When the gut lining is compromised (think: leaky gut), or when the microbiome is out of balance (especially with an overgrowth of histamine-producing bacteria), your ability to process histamine gets disrupted.

This is why women with bloating, constipation, and gut inflammation often experience heightened histamine sensitivity. It's not just about what you're eating, but also about what your gut is doing with that food. A stressed or inflamed gut can amplify histamine-related symptoms, turning even healthy meals into uncomfortable experiences.

Antibiotics, birth control pills, chronic stress, and diets low in diversity can all contribute to this imbalance over time.

The Role of Estrogen in Histamine Intolerance

Hormones play a huge role in how our bodies respond to histamine — especially estrogen.

Estrogen actually stimulates mast cells (the immune cells that store and release histamine), causing them to release even more histamine into the body. And as histamine levels rise, it can in turn trigger even more estrogen release. This creates a vicious cycle of inflammation, bloating, mood swings, and heightened sensitivity.

This is one reason why many women experience worsened histamine-related symptoms around ovulation or just before their period — both times when estrogen levels naturally shift. If you've noticed your bloating, headaches, or skin flare-ups feel cyclical or hormone-related, it could be a sign that hormonal imbalances are exacerbating histamine issues.

Addressing estrogen dominance (often connected to gut health, liver detox pathways, and stress) can help calm histamine reactions long term.

How Do You Know If You’re Histamine Intolerant?

Histamine intolerance isn’t typically diagnosed through a single lab test. Instead, it’s often identified through symptom tracking and a temporary low-histamine food protocol to see how your body responds.

If you notice significant relief after reducing histamine-rich foods, your body may be struggling to clear histamine effectively.

This isn’t about eliminating foods forever. It’s about getting curious about your body’s needs and creating the right environment for healing.

Can HTMA Help with Histamine Intolerance?

While HTMA doesn’t measure histamine directly, it offers valuable insights into your body’s ability to manage it. Here’s how:

• Mineral Imbalances: DAO, the enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine, relies on minerals like copper, zinc, and vitamin B6. HTMA can show if these are out of balance, impacting your histamine clearance.

• Stress Patterns: Chronic stress depletes minerals and weakens adrenal function. HTMA reveals how stressed your body is by assessing ratios like calcium/magnesium and sodium/potassium — key markers of how well your body can tolerate histamine.

• Heavy Metals: Toxic metals like mercury, aluminum, or cadmium can block enzymes and increase inflammation. HTMA can uncover hidden burdens that may be contributing to symptoms.

• Metabolic Type: Your metabolic rate affects detoxification and histamine processing. A sluggish system means slower histamine clearance — something HTMA can help identify.

HTMA doesn’t diagnose histamine intolerance, but it does help us connect the dots and create a deeply personalized approach to healing your gut and calming your symptoms.

Low Histamine Foods to Include

If you’re exploring a low-histamine lifestyle, here are some gut-friendly staples to focus on:

• Freshly cooked meats (chicken, turkey, lamb)

• Cooked vegetables like zucchini, carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes

• White rice and quinoa

• Olive oil and coconut oil

• Herbal teas (chamomile, rooibos, ginger)

• Blueberries, apples, pears

• Fresh herbs (basil, thyme, oregano)

Note: Histamine content can increase the longer food is stored, even in the fridge. Prioritize fresh cooking when possible.

Best Tips for Navigating Histamine Intolerance

• Focus on gut healing first. Histamine intolerance is often a symptom of a deeper imbalance, especially in your gut lining and microbiome.

• Support your DAO enzyme. Diamine oxidase (DAO) is your body’s main enzyme for breaking down histamine. Some women need temporary support as they heal.

• Reduce stress. Stress depletes the very resources your body needs to manage histamine. Gentle breathwork, nature walks, and nervous system support go a long way.

• Avoid leftovers and fermented foods. These are high in histamines and can make symptoms worse.

• Track symptoms with food. Journaling what you eat and how you feel can give powerful insight over time.

Supplement Support for Histamine Intolerance

Supplements are never a replacement for foundational healing, but they can be a helpful bridge:

• DAO enzyme supplements (taken before meals)

• Vitamin C (a natural antihistamine)

• Quercetin (helps stabilize mast cells)

• Magnesium glycinate (supports gut and nervous system)

• Probiotics – but be selective. Some strains can worsen symptoms. (Reach out if you’re unsure.)

You Are Not Broken

I want you to know this: your body isn’t overreacting, it’s responding to something real.

You’re not crazy for being bloated after salad, or tired after a smoothie. Your body is asking for something different, something deeper. And there is a way to feel like yourself again.

Ready to Heal from the Root?

If you're nodding along to this and feeling both relief and overwhelm, you don't have to figure it out on your own. This is exactly what I help women with inside my private gut healing mentorship.

Together, we uncover the truth behind your bloating, constipation and fatigue, and create a custom path to healing that aligns with your body and life.

You don’t need another protocol. You need a partner.

To learn more and book in a free Q&A call, you can click, here.