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Histamine has been associated with allergies and sneezing for decades, but for doctor Domingo Pérez it is much more than that. In a masterclass dedicated to this molecule, he insisted that we talk about a key and very active substance in the bodywith a detail that directly affects our way of eating: some common foods can overload it. And there he pointed out several classics in the refrigerator: “Gruyer cheese, aged cheese and sausages have a lot of histamine.”
Pérez explains that histamine is a biogenic amine that participates in essential physiological processes. It functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain, mediates the immune system and also regulates inflammatory responses. In fact, remember that It was discovered in 1910 and its discovery opened the door to antihistamineswhich changed the treatment of many allergic pathologies.
The body makes histamine from histidine, an essential amino acid that we obtain through a regular diet. This histamine is stored in mast cells and basophils—cells of the immune system—and also in histaminergic neurons in the brain. When a stimulus such as an allergen, a drug or tissue trauma arrives, These cells release histamine and it binds to specific receptors. According to Pérez, there are four different receptors (H1, H2, H3 and H4) and each one opens a different door: from bronchoconstriction and itching to gastric secretion or sleep regulation.
One of the clearest messages from the masterclass is that histamine is not limited to the typical allergy. Pérez emphasizes that it can intervene in respiratory pathologies such as asthma, because it acts on bronchial smooth muscle and promotes bronchoconstriction, edema and increased mucus. It is also implicated in hives, angioedema, pain, chronic inflammation or digestive discomfort. That is, when the body accumulates more histamine than it can handle, symptoms can appear in very different places.
And that’s where the diet comes in. Pérez points out that histamine is also found in food and that it increases especially in fermented or cured products. As detailed, in these cases It is formed by bacterial decarboxylation of histidine. For this reason, some of the foods with the highest histamine load are highly aged cheeses (such as Gruyere or blue cheeses), sausages such as salami, chorizo or pepperoni, smoked or canned fish, and alcoholic beverages. In addition, mention other products that can promote the release of histamine, such as shellfish and crustaceans, egg whites, spinach, chocolate or nuts.
Why does it affect some people more and others practically not at all? Pérez points to DAO (diaminoxidase), the enzyme that breaks down histamine, especially in the intestine. When this enzyme is low or malfunctions, histamine builds up and the body becomes more susceptible to allergic or inflammatory reactions.
Histamine has been associated with allergies and sneezing for decades, but for doctor Domingo Pérez it is much more than that. In a masterclass dedicated to this molecule, he insisted that we talk about a key and very active substance in the bodywith a detail that directly affects our way of eating: some common foods can overload it. And there he pointed out several classics in the refrigerator: “Gruyer cheese, aged cheese and sausages have a lot of histamine.”