Food & Histamine Reactions

Histamine reactions to foods can cause sudden, serious health problems. Foods can either introduce histamine into the body or cause the body to produce its own histamine.

Food Allergies

• Histamine reactions occur when a person’s immune system responds to specific proteins in a food, a condition known as food allergy. Common allergens include dairy products, fish and soy, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology.

Foods

• Some foods contain their own histamines which if ingested can bring on similar symptoms to an allergic reaction even if the sufferer has no specific allergy to that food. Fish, for instance, may contain histamine-producing bacteria.

Food Additives

• Many common food additives such as flavorings and preservatives can cause histamine reactions. Notable culprits include yellow dye number 5, monosodium glutamate and sulfites.

Complications

• Histamine reactions can cause serious or even life-threatening symptoms, ranging from flushing and headaches to respiratory emergencies such as anaphylaxis.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• An allergist or immunologist can test patients for allergies to specific foods and suggest medications or strategies to avoid such foods or food additives in cooking or dining.