High Histamine

High Histamine

What is High Histamine Chemistry?

Histamine is the chemical commonly associated with the allergy symptoms of runny nose, itchy eyes, hives and sedation. Histamine is also a neurotransmitter and can influence mood and behavior. High histamine chemistry, as known as histadelia and originally described by Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, MD, PhD, is the constellation of clinical symptoms commonly found in persons with an elevated whole blood histamine level.

What are the symptoms of High Histamine Chemistry?

Persons with High Histamine chemistry are often motivated, attentive to detail and have good organizational abilities. When manifest normally these traits can be nurtured and thereby lead to a lifetime of success and achievement. In this case being self-motivated, achievement or goal directed and an authentic leader may be ways to describe such a person.
However, these similar traits can manifest to the extreme as perfectionism, obsessive and compulsive behaviors, competitiveness, a very high-energy/strong will and a desire for control. Depression, addictiveness, and social withdrawal are not uncommon from being at the extreme over time.
Children with more extreme symptoms can be controlling, strong-willed, and have great difficulty with authority. They can have trouble socializing with peers, preferring the company of younger children or adults. Traditional parenting is difficult and physical discipline often makes behavior worse. Parents will often describe these children as a “difficult child.”
Teens and adults with extreme symptoms can become obsessive and compulsive about a variety of things– substances (caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, drugs), food (carbs, eating disorders), electronics (especially, video and online gaming), gambling, and satisfying their high libido.
Common traditional diagnoses associated with high histamine chemistry are ADHD, ODD, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, and a type A personality. Concomitant physical symptoms are headaches, stomach aches, muscle cramps, itching (and the tendency to pick scabs), and allergies.
Based on the clinical history of persons with high histamine chemistry, they seem to be deficient in methyl groups, the one carbon building block needed for many of the neurotransmitters in the brain. One of the most important of these neurotransmitters is serotonin. Persons with high histamine often do well with the SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) class of medications. Medications with an antihistaminic effect is often well tolerated. Unfortunately, drugs with antihistaminic effects, especially cocaine, are particularly addicting for persons with high histamine.

How is High Histamine Chemistry diagnosed?

High Histamine is diagnosed by an elevated whole blood histamine. Anti-histamines or medications with antihistaminic properties can cause the test to be falsely low, so the clinical picture is an important factor in making the diagnosis.
Blood histamine represents a biological marker for response to high histamine treatment and its’ level doesn’t change with nutrient therapy, even when the person sees improvement in their clinical symptoms. Therefore, once the diagnosis is established further testing of histamine is not needed.

How is High Histamine Chemistry treated?

High histamine chemistry is treated with calcium, vitamin A, and methionine (sometimes as SAMe). Inositol, Vitamin B6, and magnesium are adjunctive nutrients that are often also needed due to the associated symptoms.
As described above, High Histamine chemistry seems to be a low serotonin state; therefore, treatments supportive of serotonin can also be helpful – 5-HTP, L-Trytophan and St. John’s Wort.
The greatest challenges to treatment of persons with high histamine are poor compliance, a tendency to stop treatment early on and a 6-12 month response time to treatment. Compliance is difficult both because of the number of supplements needs and the temperament of persons with high histamine. The later often is a struggle to maintain compliance once improvements are seen and to hang in there because of the delay until the full effect of treatment.

References:

Pfeiffer, CC. Nutrition and Mental Illness.

information from www.integrativepediatricsofohio.com