The Hidden Histamine Connection: What Your Gut, Stress & Hormones Have to Do With Allergy Season
If springtime has you stocking up on antihistamines and tissues, you’re not alone.
Allergies like hay fever are increasingly common. Around 29% of people in the UK suffer from allergic rhinitis, and for many people, the standard approach stops at avoiding pollen and popping pills.
But what if there’s more to the story?
What if the key to managing histamine-related symptoms, like sneezing, itchy skin, headaches, bloating, or even sleep disturbance lies not just in avoiding triggers but in supporting your gut, calming your stress, and balancing your hormones?
Let’s Talk Histamine
Histamine is a naturally occurring compound that plays a role in your immune system, digestion, and even brain function. It’s not inherently bad. In fact, it’s essential, but too much histamine or an inability to break it down properly can lead to a wide range of symptoms:
- Runny nose and sneezing
- Itchy eyes, rashes, or hives
- Headaches, brain fog
- Digestive issues
- Disturbed sleep
Normally, your body breaks histamine down using two key enzymes:
- DAO (diamine oxidase): mainly in your gut
- HNMT (histamine-N-methyltransferase): primarily in your liver and nervous system
But when your gut is inflamed, your liver is overburdened, or you’re under chronic stress, this system can become overwhelmed and histamine builds up.
1. It Starts in the Gut
Your gut is home to trillions of microbes that don’t just help you digest food, they also play a role in modulating histamine levels. A well-balanced gut microbiome supports the production of DAO, the very enzyme responsible for clearing histamine.
The best way to support your gut? Feed it well. Prebiotic-rich foods like:
- Onions, garlic, leeks
- Asparagus, artichokes
- Oats, bananas, apples
These plant fibres feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, helping them produce short-chain fatty acids that strengthen the gut lining, reduce inflammation, and even improve DAO activity.
One bonus? Some of these foods (red onions, apples) also contain quercetin, a flavonoid shown to help break down histamine naturally.
TRY THIS: Add one prebiotic-rich food to your meals every day this week. Your gut (and sinuses) will thank you.
2. Not All “Gut-Healthy” Foods Are Equal
It might sound counterintuitive, but some popular gut-friendly foods, especially fermented ones like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha, are high in histamine.
If your body doesn’t clear histamine efficiently, these foods can make symptoms worse.
Other culprits?
- Leftovers (histamine increases with time)
- Aged cheeses, cured meats
- Wine, beer, and other alcohols
- Tomatoes, avocados, citrus fruits, spinach
- Even coffee (sorry!)
If you’re suspicious that food might be triggering symptoms, try paying closer attention.
TRY THIS: If you feel your gut needs that level of support opting for a probiotic supplement would be a good idea. Choose a broad-spectrum probiotic that’s low in histamine-producing strains.
3. The Stress-Histamine Loop
Histamine is also a neurotransmitter, one that promotes wakefulness! It’s no surprise that high histamine levels can contribute to poor sleep, which in turn raises cortisol (your stress hormone), which then… you guessed it: increases histamine release.
It’s a vicious cycle.
Chronic stress can:
- Trigger mast cells to release more histamine
- Increase inflammation
- Decrease your ability to detoxify
TRY THIS:
If you’re struggling with sleep due to histamine, start by avoiding high-histamine foods in the evening and keep meals light and early and maybe add quercetin rich foods like apple.
- Try Epsom salt baths for their magnesium content
- Try magnesium glycinate for stress and relaxation (always check with your doctor if you’re on meds)
- Practice 5 minutes of daily deep breathing or meditation. It does make a difference.
4. The Hormone-Histamine Connection (Especially for Women)
This one’s especially relevant if you’ve noticed symptoms like allergies, sleep disturbances, or headaches fluctuate with your cycle or worsen during perimenopause.
Here’s the science:
- Oestrogen stimulates mast cells to release more histamine.
- Histamine, in turn, stimulates more oestrogen.
- Progesterone helps counterbalance this, but during perimenopause, progesterone declines first, leaving histamine unchecked.
The result? Some women become more sensitive to histamine as their hormone balance shifts.
Your liver plays a big role here, it’s responsible for clearing excess oestrogen. And poor gut health? That can recirculate oestrogen back into your system, compounding the issue.
TRY THIS:
- Add cruciferous veg (like broccoli, kale, cauliflower) to meals
- Increase fibre (especially flaxseeds and chia)
- Reduce alcohol and processed foods
- Consider a probiotic if you’re not tolerating fermented foods
The Takeaway
Histamine sensitivity is not just a springtime issue, and it’s not just about pollen. While it can get unpleasant in spring, it is often the result of a complex interplay between your gut, nervous system, and hormonal health.
Whether you’re dealing with sneezing fits or struggling with bloating and fatigue, understanding your body’s relationship with histamine might just be the key to feeling better.
In my practice I offer a variety of testing to get to the root causes: Stool testing, DUTCH test, or even Lifecode Gx Histamine Report.
So, if the above suggestions are not enough for you, do get in touch for more tailored support.
If this resonated with you, you’ll love That ONE Weekly Thing — my Sunday email where I share one science-backed tip each week to help you live a healthier, happier life. From gut health to hormone balance, sleep to stress support, each email is short, actionable, and rooted in the same functional medicine approach I use in clinic. It’s like having a mini-consult in your inbox every week — and it’s totally free. Curious? You can join us here: That ONE Weekly Thing – Sign Up
In good health,
Angela
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2128501
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35565742
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31051616
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32687989
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22112012