Histamine, hormones and perimenopause..
When we think of histamine, most commonly we tend to think of anti-histamines which might be taken to reduce symptoms of hayfever or allergies.
Whilst histamine is produced in response to an allergen such as in the case of hayfever, it has many other roles within the body and acts a bit like a neurotransmitter which is why it can play such a big role in mental health and focus and concentration.
Histamine isn't all bad, it's necesssary but it can become problematic when there is too much of it, such as when the body is exposed to too much of it (through environmental exposure or diet)or struggles to remove it effectively.
The other thing that plays a big role in histamine production is hormones and this can become especially pronounced during perimenopause.
WHY? Because oestrogen and histamine influence each other, so when there is more oestrogen in the system, which is common in the early stages of perimenopause where it tends to swing wildly, it also increases the level of histamine in the body. Progesterone tends to stablise the cells which produce histamine, so when it is lower, as it tends to be during the early years of perimenopause or during times of stress, the impact of high histamine coupled with high oestrogen has an even more noticeable effect.
This can then show up as:
-headaches and migraines
-brain fog
-sleep issues (especially insomnia and morning waking)
-anxiety
-low mood or depression
-heavy periods
-skin rashes, redness or itchiness
-reflux
-loose bowels or bloating and IBS type symptoms
-joint aches
-allergies and sinus issues
-increased PMS or even PMDD (April is Pre-menstrual Dysphoria Disorder Awareness Month so I'll be sharing on more on this still largely misunderstood condition in coming weeks)
What can we do about it?
If high histamine or histamine intolerance is behind your symptoms, identifying this which I do through:
-thorough discussion around your symptoms
-looking at hormones
-identifying dietary sources through your diet
-Identifying nutrient deficiencies which are further contributing
-and sometimes through testing blood histamine levels or other genetic testing which can indicate an increased likelihood of issues with metabolising and clearing histamine from the body
From there we can naturally reduce issues with histamine through diet, nutrition & herbal supplements and lifestyle strategies.
If you'd like to look at whether histamine is causing your symptoms and making perimenopause harder to navigate, appointments can be booked here:
Initial consultations (new clients):
https://blossomwellbeing.as.me/initial-consultation
Current or returning clients:
https://blossomwellbeing.as.me/naturopathic-review-appointment-online
Have a great week,
Annabel
