Low Histamine Diet Guide

What is the Low Histamine Diet?

This diet was developed for people with suspected and diagnosed histamine intolerance (HIT), which is the inability to break down histamine-containing foods and beverages in the gut. HIT is thought to be due to a deficiency of the gut enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). There is no agreed upon standard for diagnosing HIT. Having a positive response to a low histamine diet is currently considered the most reliable indicator of HIT.

HIT symptoms commonly include functional GI symptoms like bloating, fullness after meals and abdominal pain. Other GI symptoms related to HIT include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation. HIT may also cause cardiovascular symptoms (headaches, dizziness), respiratory symptoms (runny nose, congestion), and skin symptoms (flushing, rash, itching).

The purpose of a low histamine diet is not only to reduce exposure to high histamine-containing foods but also to foods/beverages that may compete with the DAO enzyme or cause the body’s own histamine levels to rise. It is important to note that histamine intolerance is not the same as a food allergy, which is a specific immune system response. A low histamine diet will not treat a food allergy.

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