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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Histamine

Chemically speaking, histamine is one of five biogenic amine neurotransmitters; dopamine, norepineprhine (noradrenaline), epinephrine (adrenaline), histamine, and serotonin. From the decarboxylation group of the amino acid histidine, this small molecule is destroyed and thus regulated through the enzymes DAO (diamine oxidase) and HMT. Histamine is made throughout the bodies tissue, especially in the GI track, skin, and lungs. However, it is also produced by the immune system as an inflammatory response. Histamine not only regulates immune reactions, but also the various cells involved; macrophages, dendritic, T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, endothelial, antigen-specific Th1, and Th2.

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Articles of Interest

How is histamine involved in addiction?

Histamine is produced in the brain almost entirely by a small region of the brain in the hypothalamus called the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN). Although small in volume, about 64,000 neurons in the human TMN, the TMN sends very diffuse histaminergic projections throughout several areas of the brain. Two regions of particular interest in the context of drug abuse and addiction are the striatum and the prefrontal cortex. Both of these structures receive histaminergic fibers

A Biopharma Company Explains Why Histamine Matters in Narcolepsy

Hypocretin (orexin) isn’t the only neurotransmitter that contributes to sleep-wake state stability, says Harmony Biosciences’ chief medical officer.

About histamine

If you have an allergy, chances are you've heard of histamine. It is an amine produced by your body that is used to maintain homeostasis (the body's natural balance of chemicals, temperature, metabolic rates, etc). It is also a neurotransmitter and plays a role in your immune system by acting as a white cell director. Histamine imbalances in your body cause a variety of effects.

Histamine Actions in the Central Nervous System

Histaminergic neurons appear to provide a variety of signaling mechanisms in the brain. A “neuromodulator” role for histamine has received the most attention. Thus, activation of a small number of tuberomammillary cells is thought to release histamine, which subsequently increases excitability in target cells distributed widely throughout the brain

Histamine and Inflammation Could Be Key Players in Depression

A new study adds to the growing body of research linking inflammation to depression. Researchers found the molecule histamine directly inhibits the release of serotonin in the brain by attaching to inhibitory receptors on serotonin neurons in mice.

Histamine effects on neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine)

Some of the most important actions of histamine involve regulation of neurotransmitters. Release of acetylcholine, norepinephrine and serotonin are all controlled in part by histamine levels.

Histamine in the brain

Brain histamine promotes wakefulness and orchestrates disparate behaviors and homeostatic functions. Recent evidence suggests that aberrant histamine signaling in the brain may also be a key factor in addictive behaviors and degenerative disease such as Parkinson's diseases and multiple sclerosis.

Histamine: Good or Bad?

Histamine is a chemical messenger that is involved in 3 primary areas of the body: Immune system function, Digestion, Brain/Nervous System (as a neurotransmitter).

Histamine: The Brain's 'Other' Sleep-Wake Neurotransmitter

Two decades ago, researchers made a breakthrough in understanding narcolepsy when they discovered brain chemicals called hypocretins (also known as orexins). Currently scientists believe histamine plays a complementary role in sleep-wake state stability.

Histamine: The Stuff Allergies are Made of

So what’s the deal? Why do we have such a pesky chemical in our body? Well, histamine is usually our friend. Histamine is a signaling molecule, sending messages between cells. It tells stomach cells to make stomach acid. And it helps our brain stay awake. You may have seen these effects illustrated by medicines that block histamine. Some antihistamines can make us sleepy and other antihistamines are used to treat acid reflux. Histamine also works with our immune system.

How Does Histamine Effect Our Brain And Nervous System?

According to Per Brodal’s book named “The Central Nervous System” and Benarroch Eduardo’s publication named “Histamine in the SNC, Multiple functions and potential neurologic implications”, histamine exerts its effects by binding to G protein-coupled histamine receptors.

How Histamine Intolerance Affects Your Brain

Histamine is responsible for a variety of important bodily functions, including communicating with your brain, fighting off allergens as part of your immune response, and promoting stomach acid release to aid digestion. While histamine is absolutely essential for your health, too much histamine is not healthy.

Managing Histamines: A Natural Approach

And they are fascinating.The first surprise? Histamines mainly function as neurotransmitters. It’s a brain chemical, like serotonin or dopamine. Antihistamines are sometimes used to treat anxiety! So, how come when we say histamines, most people think antihistamines,as in something to get rid of allergy symptoms? Histamines get connected to allergic response because it is stored and released by mast cells.

Many Effects Of Histamine

For the vast majority of practitioners, histamine is only relevant when considering immune responses to environmental insults, especially during certain seasons. However, its functions in the body are both numerous and far reaching as it is also a neurotransmitter.

Neurotransmitters: Biogenic Amines (Serotonin, Histamine)

Though histamine has known roles in the immune system with allergic reactions and the inflammatory response, this chemical can also act as a hormone and a neurotransmitter within the central nervous system.

The Many Faces of Histamine

Histamine mediates a lot more than just allergic responses. As with nearly anything else, blocking its effects in one place can have unintended consequences elsewhere. High or low levels are clues to a deeper problem, and not the problem in and of themselves.

What is Histamine? Definition, Function, Receptors & DAO

Histamine was discovered in 1910 by the winner of the 1936 Nobel Prize in Medicine, Sir Henry H. Dale. Its name is derived from the Greek word histos, meaning tissue, as many tissues throughout the body express it

Resources

Healing Histamine

Finally diagnosed with histamine intolerance (HIT) in London in 2010, I wholeheartedly embraced the traditional hardcore elimination approach, low histamine diet and even more elimination of all foods that bothered me (fructose, salicylates, histamines oh my!).