Diamine oxidase is an enzyme produced in the gut to degrade histamine. The DAO enzyme is found in the intestinal lining and produces diamine oxidase.
Diamine oxidase metabolizes extracellular histamine from food or histamine producing bacteria.
What causes histamine intolerance and decreased DAO activity?
If the intestinal lining is damaged, there can be a loss of the DAO enzyme resulting in a decreased ability to degrade histamine in the gut.
Genetic SNP’s in the DOA gene can also cause a decreased ability to metabolize histamine. SNP’s in the DAO enzyme can predispose somebody to experience symptoms of histamine intolerance. Especially after eating high histamine foods.
But not everyone with SNP’s in the DOA gene his histamine symptoms. It’s all about how “dirty” your DAO gene is. You can learn more about the DAO gene and how to clean a dirty DAO in Dirty Genes. It is a must-read book that changed my life.
An overgrowth of histamine producing bacteria can also lead to symptoms of histamine intolerance. Too much histamine produced by gut bacteria overwhelms the capacity of the DAO gene to metabolize histamine.
Balancing the microbiome with beneficial histamine degrading bacteria helps to take the load off the DAO gene. Probiota HistaminX is a histamine friendly probiotic that can help reduce histamine symptoms.
A deficiency in the co-factors that are required by the DAO gene to function can also decrease DAO activity.
Addressing the root causes of SIBO by supporting bile production and flow is crucial to prevent SIBO. Many cases of SIBO involve an overgrowth of histamine producing bacteria.
Eating too many high histamine foods can further burden the capacity of the DAO gene to metabolize histamine. Following a low histamine diet can help to reduce symptoms of histamine intolerance.
But sometimes following such restrictive diets can be a pain and difficult to follow, especially for anyone having to do the SIBO diet as well. It’s nearly impossible to nourish the body with all the nutrients the body needs when following such restrictive diets.
That’s where a diamine oxidase supplement comes in, such as Histamine Block by Seeking Health. Histamine Block contains the diamine oxidase enzyme to help degrade histamine from food.
Histamine Block can be taken before meals to help with the metabolism of histamine found in food.
In this study, diamine oxidase supplementation significantly improved symptoms of histamine intolerance. Diamine oxidase supports the metabolism of histamine from food and the GI tract, which results in less histamine absorbed.
The symptoms of histamine intolerance have far-reaching effects on various systems of the body.
Most common histamine symptoms are:
- GI- diarrhea, heartburn, bloating, pain
- Allergy – Sneezing, mucous production, nasal congestion and bronchoconstriction
- CNS – Headaches, anxiety, insomnia, brain fog
- Circulatory – Hot flashes, vasodilation, hypotension
- Skin – itching, eczema, flushing, urticaria
These are some of the annoying and downright debilitating symptoms people can experience.
The symptoms of histamine intolerance can also vary from mild to severe. Symptoms worsen when the amount of histamine overwhelms the capacity of the DAO enzyme to degrade histamine.
It all depends on how full your histamine bucket is, which makes you feel even more frustrated as you don’t know how to pinpoint the cause of your symptoms.
Eating a low histamine diet is often recommended for individuals with histamine intolerance. Using a diamine oxidase supplement is also beneficial to help with the breakdown of histamine found in food.
Histamine Block is one hell of a crux that can be very helpful for someone with histamine symptoms.
It is also crucial to address the other underlying causes of histamine intolerance, such as:
- co-factory deficiencies
- SIBO
- An unbalanced microbiome that needs histamine degrading bacteria.
Probiota HistaminX is a fantastic probiotic that contains strains of bacteria to help break down histamine.
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