Histamine/Tyramine Food Triggers
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 11:31 pm
A number of months ago I started on a journey to figure out my food triggers. After much trial and error, I believe that my food triggers fall largely into the category of foods which are high in histamines/tyramines (or which stimulate the production of histamine, or block the systems that regulate histamine).
It started with a friend who is a toxicologist, who noted that my then identified food triggers were similar to those which can trigger migraine headaches. Foods that can cause migraine headaches are foods that are high in tyramine, histamine, sulphites and nitrates. I don't react to sulphites or nitrates; I do react to foods that are high in histamines or tyramines. This makes sense, as both histamines and tyramines can affect the dopamine system, while sulphites and nitrates don't.
One of the best lists that I have found for histamine/tyramine foods is the Histamine Food Compatability List published by the Swiss Interest Group for Histamine Intolerance. https://www.mastzellaktivierung.info/do ... hCateg.pdf
This list was the most convincing evidence for me -- I had looked at the other diets (oxylate, FODMAP, Wahl), and each of these diets had foods which I should have been able to tolerate, but don't. I can't eat any of the dairy permitted by the oxylate diet, I can't eat any of the fish permitted by the FODMAP or Wahl diet. The Swiss Interest Group List was the only list to capture all of the foods which I had already identified as triggers. (Note, however, that among histamine sufferers, there is considered to be substantial overlap between histamine and oxylates in particular). In using this list, it's important to read the notes -- some foods are given a "0" listing but the notes will state that some people will in fact have a reaction (which is often the case with me).
One of the best websites that I use for suggestions on how to manage life with histamine intolerance is Healing Histamine (https://healinghistamine.com). The author is this site is a health journalist who is histamine intolerant, and so is packed with advice that appears to be backed by good science. I have certainly found her advice to be useful. Note though that most histamine sufferers have a lot of gut symptoms which an RLS sufferer may not, so some of the advice may not be applicable. Anti-histamines often help histamine sufferers with gut symptoms; I find they don't help my RLS symptoms. (I suspect it has to do with the particular receptors involved). I also find that some of the foods which are universally regarded as high histamine, such as tomatoes and spinach, are find for me to eat, perhaps because they are high in other chemicals such as nitrates, which have other health benefits.
I am most sensitive to chemical additives -- for example, I can't tolerate most dairy substitutes such as soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk, mostly because of the additives and not necessarily because of the base product itself. I also find that even changing vitamin brands or formulations can trigger a reaction in me, as a result of the additives to vitamin products.
I now have a new relationship with my food -- not always comfortable, but certainly a lot of respect!
It started with a friend who is a toxicologist, who noted that my then identified food triggers were similar to those which can trigger migraine headaches. Foods that can cause migraine headaches are foods that are high in tyramine, histamine, sulphites and nitrates. I don't react to sulphites or nitrates; I do react to foods that are high in histamines or tyramines. This makes sense, as both histamines and tyramines can affect the dopamine system, while sulphites and nitrates don't.
One of the best lists that I have found for histamine/tyramine foods is the Histamine Food Compatability List published by the Swiss Interest Group for Histamine Intolerance. https://www.mastzellaktivierung.info/do ... hCateg.pdf
This list was the most convincing evidence for me -- I had looked at the other diets (oxylate, FODMAP, Wahl), and each of these diets had foods which I should have been able to tolerate, but don't. I can't eat any of the dairy permitted by the oxylate diet, I can't eat any of the fish permitted by the FODMAP or Wahl diet. The Swiss Interest Group List was the only list to capture all of the foods which I had already identified as triggers. (Note, however, that among histamine sufferers, there is considered to be substantial overlap between histamine and oxylates in particular). In using this list, it's important to read the notes -- some foods are given a "0" listing but the notes will state that some people will in fact have a reaction (which is often the case with me).
One of the best websites that I use for suggestions on how to manage life with histamine intolerance is Healing Histamine (https://healinghistamine.com). The author is this site is a health journalist who is histamine intolerant, and so is packed with advice that appears to be backed by good science. I have certainly found her advice to be useful. Note though that most histamine sufferers have a lot of gut symptoms which an RLS sufferer may not, so some of the advice may not be applicable. Anti-histamines often help histamine sufferers with gut symptoms; I find they don't help my RLS symptoms. (I suspect it has to do with the particular receptors involved). I also find that some of the foods which are universally regarded as high histamine, such as tomatoes and spinach, are find for me to eat, perhaps because they are high in other chemicals such as nitrates, which have other health benefits.
I am most sensitive to chemical additives -- for example, I can't tolerate most dairy substitutes such as soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk, mostly because of the additives and not necessarily because of the base product itself. I also find that even changing vitamin brands or formulations can trigger a reaction in me, as a result of the additives to vitamin products.
I now have a new relationship with my food -- not always comfortable, but certainly a lot of respect!