Histamines- Is Bone Broth Making you Sick?

If you are one of those people who feels like no modality you try, no supplement you take, no healer or practitioner you seek out brings improvement…..this article just might be for you.

Obviously the content of this blog may or may not apply to you- but for those whom are stuck in a cycle of relentless symptoms and have unexplainable inflammation, all the time, this article is surely worth reading.

Particularly if you are that person who is oh so sensitive to EVERYTHING- be it pharmaceuticals, natural botanicals, most if not all supplements, and especially foods, then I invite you to greatly consider the topic of histamines and mast cell activation syndrome.

A growing population of my patients are dealing with this, often undetected. Once identified and treated, improvement can then become a real thing.

Guess what 3 things are off the charts high in histamines?

1. Bone Broth

2. Collagen

3. Probiotics (non soil-based)

Some folks are ingesting these things in the name of healing on a very consistent basis- often daily, making no correlation with increased symptoms.

I don’t like to reference myself too much in my blogs (as I like to just offer information) but just ten years ago when I was very ill, I began making bone broth every week. I would let it simmer for 2 days. Little did I know that this lengthy cooking time was increasing the histamine content exponentially. I also had no idea I was dealing with histamine overload.

Eventually, I figured it out- with every cup of broth I drank, I began getting more and more facial flushing, fatigue, brain fog, headaches and itching. How could this be?

And guess what....this is no longer a rare occurrence.

Our planet has become a cesspool of toxins, our livers are overwhelmed and our cells are irritated and insanely over-stimulated. This creates the perfect storm for histamine sensitivity. 

For those that have a genetic predisposition towards issues with mast-cells (like me), things such as chemical exposure of environmental toxins, infectious microbes in the gut, or a weakened immune system can trigger a massive histamine hurricane. One of the biggest culprits of a histamine storm is mold exposure.

But wait-it is treatable. Quality of life can be restored once you identify this missing piece.

What Is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

Let’s begin with mast cells. These cells are a huge component of our immune system. No one really writes about this topic better than Dr. Neil Nathon, so let me just quote him:

“Though not present in large numbers, as are the better-known white blood cells (such as neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes), mast cells function as a critical bridge between the immune system and the nervous system. This is not merely a metaphoric connection, but an actual, structural bridge that physically connects the two systems.”

Mast cells are essentially the messengers between the two systems. Their biggest function of all is to orchestrate the immune system’s work where it comes to toxins and infection. Obviously, this is by no means a small responsibility. We absolutely need our mast cells to be functioning optimally for our immune system to thrive….to have a natural, strong defense system. In Chinese Medicine this is called “Vital Qi.”

There is no tissue in the body where mast cells cannot be found. They are specifically large in number in tissue in our orifices, as these areas constantly come into contact with infectious pathogens- think sinus and throat. However, they are also pretty dense in places like the GI tract, respiratory tract, and skin.

Mast cells can make hundreds of different types of substances in response to being stimulated. They become overwhelmed with ‘granules” which appear under a microscope as little round dots around the cell. These granules contain material that can signal danger from an incoming toxic threat, made up of 3 main things: histamine, serotonin, and tryptase. Histamine is the one we are clearly focusing on here, and is at risk of posing the most trouble.

So, when a mast cell is stimulated in an organic fashion and doing its job correctly, it releases some granules when disturbed by a toxin. This triggers an appropriate immune response and keeps pathogenic microbes and such at bay.

The caveat is when a person’s immune system is overloaded with infectious microbes and has genetic susceptibility to a vulnerable immune response………then these mast cells go crazy.

It might resemble a security guard up all night guarding the fortress after three double mocha frappuccino’s and four Red Bulls- a wired and tired spaz. So they start doing what any hyperactive being would do, they start overreacting to everything and anything. Just as the guard then jumps at the sound of a cricket and thinks an intruder is lurking around every corner, so does the mast cell similarly respond.

The mast cell begins reacting to every bite of food, florescent lighting, even chemicals such as their partners cologne/ perfume or conventional cleaning products.  When truly over-stimulated, there is really nothing these agitated mast cells won’t respond to. These reactions are anything but pleasant, causing symptoms from A to Z, every patient with different expressions.

Mast-cell activation syndrome is often triggered by one or more of these  things:

1. Mold Toxicity
2. Infections such as Lyme or Bartonella
3. Viral Infections
4. Bacterial Infections
5.  High Toxic Burden

The Depth of Complexity

Life becomes hard. Doctor’s think these patients are crazy and need a shrink. Friends begin to see them as hypochondriacs. Going to grocery stores or shopping at a mall becomes a daunting task….because they never know what they are going to be exposed to.

*It is important to note that mast cell activation syndrome and the symptoms that ensue are very different than classic food allergies. While food allergies bring consistent reactions to the same foods, mast cell issues bring much inconsistency symptomatically. A person with mast cell issues deals with “flares.” This means sometimes they are mostly ok, and other times they find themselves reacting to everything.

Yet you’ve got Dr. Axe and Dr. Meyers preaching about just following this protocol or that protocol, just remove gluten and don’t forget your collagen or bone broth. So generic.

And it honestly makes me want to scream, because the average patient these days has such a complex set of issues, that just taking their probiotics and their collagen is going to do NOTHING. Well, it could actually make them way worse being that bone broth, collagen and non soil-based probiotics are extremely high in histamines. 

And for this type of patient, that’s simply throwing fuel on the fire, to put it mildly. It is absolutely the WRONG thing. 

Don’t get me wrong- these online Guru's can have a lot to offer….but their cookie-cutter content is so generalized that it simply doesn’t apply to a whole lot of folks.

With biotoxin illness on the rise, geo-engineering taking place in our skies making heavy metals fall on us and the soil, lyme disease or its co-infections found in literally almost everyone, environmental toxins like pesticides wafting around endlessly, and EMF’s rocking us from every angle every second of every day….is it so shocking our systems are freaking out?

Our mast cells are harder at work than ever. It is estimated 10-15% of the population is dealing with mast cell issues. 

How Symptoms Show-up

Gastrointestinal:

Symptoms happen immediately after eating (within minutes to an hour). This includes flushing, wheezing, sneezing, increased heart-rate, itching, or swelling. Abdominal symptoms involve gas/bloating, diarrhea, cramping and nausea.

Sensitivities:

Light, touch, sound, smells, foods, chemicals and electromagnetic fields (EMF’s)

Lungs:

Wheezing, shortness of breath, “air hunger,” and bronchitis

Skin:

Rashes (especially itchy ones), flushing and hives often associated with taking hot shower

Sinus:

Post-nasal drip, congestion, sinusitis and tickling sensation in throat

Cardiovascular:

Light-headedness, weakness, dizziness, vertigo, fainting, palpitations, swelling that moves around, high blood pressure

Pelvic:

Pelvic pain, bladder issues, cystitis, vaginitis, prostatitis

Musculoskeletal:

Muscle and joint pain that doesn’t respond to drugs- resembles fibromyalgia

Neurological:

Headaches, tremors, tics, seizures, spasms

Psychiatric:

Anxiety, depression, mood swings, brain fog, difficulties with focus, memory and concentration, insomnia, panic attacks

Visual:

Burning, sandiness or dryness in eyes, trembling of eyelids, loss of clarity

General:

Fatigue, temperature dysregulation, weight loss or gain

Diagnosing Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Diagnoses can be very tricky. When these mast cells are activated, the substances they release come out so incredibly quickly that they are in and out of the blood stream within minutes. Yes, minutes!

Of course, the repercussions of their hyper-activation last a while, but identifying elevated levels of these materials is almost impossible. The most advanced testing (cold centrifuges) and immediate processing cannot be done by routine labs. There are a handful of tests that can contribute to diagnosis, but they're not extremely valuable. They are merely a tool that can lend to support diagnosis, really.

Since testing is complicated, the easiest way to identify histamine issues is to implement histamine reducing supplements and follow a low-histamine diet and simply see if it brings resolution of symptoms.

Treatment

Treatment requires stabilizing mast cells to reduce the amount of histamine being released. To do this, I recommend trying several supplements; monitor which brings relief from symptoms by trying one at a time.

Over the Counter Anti-Histamines

I know this recommending these is a bold move- I know they are anything but all natural and do have potential side effects. I certainly do not recommend them long-term, but they can be diagnostic in the beginning. If you take them and feel like a different person, then you know histamines are the issue. Also, they can reduce histamine load faster than almost anything. Initially this can spell quick relief. Once the storm has passed then you can transition to supplements. If you don't have any desire to go this route....understood.

H1 Receptor (10 mg at bedtime):

Claritin is a great first option for many, and it can sometimes very quickly confirm that the patient is in fact dealing with a histamine issue because after 3-7 days of use they feel so much better. It is important to try a combination of both H1 and H2 histamine receptor blockers (Claritin being H1) for optimal results.

H2 Receptor

Zantac or Pepcid (20 mg twice daily):

Adding an H2 histamine blocker along with H1 can sometimes make a huge difference.

OK, whew, now on to the natural approach.

First, let's talk Quercetin since it's one of the main ingredients in most histamine reducing supplements.

Quercetin is considered a ‘flavanoid.’ This simply means it is a plant pigment, commonly found in high numbers in things such as red wine, onions, green tea, apples, berries, ginko and buckwheat tea. It is the most popular all natural anti-histamine compound and can be very effective; even more effective when combined with other herbals in a formula (such as the ones listed below) where they work synergistically. Like anything in life, sometimes it is trial and error finding which works best for you, and often combining several gives best outcome.

Here is a list of my top picks for reducing histamine:

HistaQuel by Researched Nutritionals

Hist-Aid by QuickSilver Scientific

Hist Reset by Pure Encapsulations

Histamine by Des Bio

HistDAO:

I have seen HistDAO become gold for a select group of patients. It is a very simple product made by Xymogen and has been the top product of its kind for a long while. It is only one ingredient- the enzyme diamine oxidase. This enzyme does one thing- it breaks down histamine. This means the patient can continue indulging in high histamine foods (more to come on diet), without the repercussions of a histamine flare. This is huge for some. HistDAO should be taken in combination with one of the others listed above, as it works after the fact.

And....a Very Successful Pharmaceutical Worth Noting.

Cromolyn Sodium:

This is an excellent mast cell stabilizer and comes with low risk of side effects. A very small percentage of people report headaches and stomach pain. It is a chromone complex that acts by inhibiting the release of chemical mediators from over-sensitized mast-cells. It comes in 100mg vials or powder form; best to start with a very small amount and increase as tolerated.

For those that don’t respond well to any of the above supplement suggestions, or do not get results from them for whatever reason, I suggest giving this a try. Very simple to administer and is incredibly effective- no guess work. The downside is you need a prescription and have to convince your doctor it might benefit you, which is always fun.

Low Histamine Diet:

For those suffering from Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, it is for sure suggested to follow a low histamine diet. This diet can be found with a quick google search. For some, tweaking diet to low histamine foods does absolutely nothing, while taking the supplements or drugs makes a profound difference, and vice versa.

For others, eliminating high histamine foods changes everything. Again, it never ceases to amaze me how unique we all are, and how individual our road to healing.

Even those that don’t respond epically to dietary changes, I do suggest removing things that are off the charts high in histamines like bone broth, collagen, and probiotics and leftovers in the fridge. These things have very condensed amounts of histamines.

Best Resource.

Allison Vickery, holistic health coach specializing in histamine issues, is one of the best resources out there. You can find incredibly insightful blogs on this topic, low histamine cooking recipes and more. Histamine issues are her jam, I'd be doing you a disservice if I didn't mention her. 

Histamine issues are complex and often elusive in nature. If histamine overload is indeed a problem- once appropriate treatment is found, inflammation will naturally begin to resolve.

For those that have been stuck in endless cycles of mysterious patterns of intense, often debilitating symptoms with hypersensitivity to everything…….histamine issues should always be explored.

I wish you vitality and strength on this crazy journey. 

Karina Mullins DOM