Ostrogen and Histamine

Histamine is released in response to a pathogen, injury, perceived threat or invader, resulting in characteristic effects such as redness, swelling, inflammation, heat, wheezing, sneezing, hives and rashes. Histamine is also involved in stomach acid secretion, heart rate, blood pressure, smooth muscle contraction and in the nervous system, histamine is involved in wakefulness, cognitive function and even food consumption.

Histamine is vital for health, but it may be problematic in excessive amounts, either due to excess ingestion or production, or a reduced capacity to metabolise and inactivate it. The way the body handles histamine is influenced by diet, lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors. Symptoms of excessive histamine are: eczema, asthma, low blood pressure, insomnia, itching, hives, GI symptoms, palpitations, anxiety, headaches, light-headedness, watery eyes, and runny nose. Histamine intolerance may result when there is an imbalance between accumulated histamine and the capacity for histamine degradation.

But what about hormones?

Oestrogen interacts with oestrogen receptors on mast cells and basophils to induce histamine release. Oestrogen may also downregulate DAO, which is an enzyme that breaks down excess histamine in your body. Excess oestrogen and insufficient DAO activity may thus influence excess histamine accumulation. In contrast, progesterone has an inhibitory effect on histamine secretion following mast cell binding. In very simple terms, oestrogen is considered more ‘histaminergic’, and progesterone more ‘anti-histamine’. Histamine levels may be elevated when oestrogen levels are relatively high compared to progesterone. It is also true that histamine induces dose-dependent oestradiol synthesis, and thus has potential to have an additive effect on endogenous oestrogen levels.