Histamine intolerance and pregnancy
The topic of histamine during pregnancy is of particular interest to women hoping to conceive. Is it a myth that the symptoms of histamine intolerance are reduced or even disappear during pregnancy? In this blog post, we explain how hormones affect your histamine levels during pregnancy and what the best diet is for you.
What happens to histamine during and after pregnancy?
The mere fact that about 80% of all patients with histamine intolerance are women confirms a connection between hormones and histamine intolerance. As a biogenic amine, histamine has an effect similar to that of hormones, which is why symptoms of histamine intolerance can also decrease in pregnant women.
Getting pregnant with histamine intolerance
As soon as you are pregnant, your body builds up protective mechanisms. This process ensures that the body's own immune system does not view the fetus as a foreign body. The embryo must also be protected from the influence of histamine, as too much histamine during pregnancy could cause uterine contractions and thus a miscarriage. To protect the child, the female body produces the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) in the placenta in large quantities—up to 500 times the normal amount—which is responsible for breaking down histamine.
If you suffer from histamine intolerance, it is quite possible that your symptoms will improve significantly during pregnancy. The overproduction of DAO also benefits the expectant mother by preventing histamine release and thus allergic reactions in the unborn child. Often, histamine-rich foods can be consumed without symptoms from around the 12th week of pregnancy until delivery.
Histamine intolerance after pregnancy
Often, this hormonal state continues during breastfeeding until the first menstrual period returns. Caution is advised for women who do not breastfeed after birth and suffer from histaminosis not due to impaired DAO synthesis, but for example as a result of estrogen dominance. In both cases, a low-histamine diet must be followed.
Histamine intolerance: Folic acid and other nutrients
Especially in the first weeks of pregnancy, an adequate supply of nutrients is essential to provide not only the mother but also the child with the necessary vitamins. Dietary supplements (NEM) can also be used for this purpose.
The following are particularly important during pregnancy:
- Folic acid: A pregnant woman should consume 550 micrograms of folic acid daily. In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, an additional intake of 400 micrograms via a folic acid supplement is recommended. Folate contributes to the growth of maternal tissue during pregnancy.
- Magnesium/Calcium: If there is a magnesium deficiency, the body releases increased amounts of histamine. A magnesium-calcium ratio of 1:2 is recommended to counteract overdosing.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps protect cells from oxidative stress. Furthermore, it contributes to the normal function of the immune system during and after intense physical activity and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. And not only that: consuming natural vitamin C does not strain your metabolism and digestive organs as much as the intake of synthetic ascorbic acid. Since histamine-containing vegetables and fruits often contain a lot of vitamin C, supplements are a good alternative.
- Vitamin E: Vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
- B vitamins: Vitamin B6 and B12 are essential. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. Vitamin B12 contributes to normal nervous system function.
- Zinc: Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction.
- Copper: Copper contributes to the maintenance of normal connective tissue.
- Zeolite: Zeolite is used to reduce ammonium and heavy metals absorbed through food. Encapsulated powder brings about a significant reduction in the body's ammonium and heavy metal load, especially for lead, cadmium, and mercury. This relieves the metabolism of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and blood.
Important: The intake of dietary supplements during pregnancy should always be discussed individually with a doctor.
You should ensure that you only take selected dietary supplements with high bioavailability that are free of additives or histamine-containing ingredients. Pay attention to the corresponding dosage recommendations according to EU guidelines. In addition, a fiber-rich and alkalizing diet as well as intestinal cleansing and liver detoxification are advisable.
Nutrient-rich and low-histamine foods
If you suffer from histaminosis, it is important that you eat a balanced and varied diet. Since some healthy foods are excluded due to their high histamine content, we have compiled a list of particularly nutrient-rich foods for you:
- Fruits: Blackberries, blueberries, currants, grapes, apple, melon, persimmon, lychee, pomegranate
- Stone fruit: Sour cherries, mango, dates, nectarines, cherries, apricots
- Vegetables: Cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, pointed cabbage, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, parsnip, zucchini, cucumber, celery, fennel, bell pepper, asparagus, beetroot, salads (except arugula), sweet potatoes
- Spices: Ginger, turmeric
- Nuts/seeds: Pistachios, flaxseed, coconuts, chestnuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts (2-3 per day), almonds (in small quantities), flaxseed, chia seeds, psyllium husks, sesame, hemp seeds
- Grain products: Oats, spelt, millet, quinoa, rice, amaranth
You can also make life a little easier in the kitchen: Our organic vegetable broth is suitable for a low-histamine diet and contains no yeast, garlic, or onions. Ideal for seasoning and refining soups, vegetable dishes, and many other favorite recipes.
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Incorporate as many different fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds as possible into your meal plan. Leaf lettuce is particularly suitable for pregnant women as it is rich in folic acid. In our HistaFood recipe section, you will find delicious recipes for a symptom-free everyday life that are not only fun to prepare but also to eat.
Histamine intolerance and pregnancy: Conclusion
Histamine intolerance arises as a result of an imbalance between the existing histamine level and the breakdown of histamine; therefore, pregnancy can lead to a balance from the 12th week of pregnancy onwards due to the overproduction of the enzyme DAO. Because of this, many histamine-intolerant women usually do not experience any symptoms until the end of the breastfeeding period. However, since the symptom profile of histaminosis is very individual, you should slowly approach histamine-containing foods even during pregnancy and prefer healthy histamine-rich foods over unhealthy products.
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