Wissenswertes

Rheumatism and histamine intolerance

Rheumatism is also called rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis is the generic term for inflammatory joint diseases. It is possible to have both rheumatism and arthritis at the same time, as arthritis can be triggered by rheumatoid arthritis. I

n this case, there is a disorder of the immune system. Arthritis should not be confused with osteoarthritis (damage to the joint cartilage).

What is rheumatism?

Rheumatic diseases generally cause chronically inflamed joints. Without treatment, the inflammatory process progresses steadily over several years. If the rheumatism is already very advanced, simple everyday activities such as using cutlery, fastening buttons, or personal hygiene become difficult.

Rheumatism: What are the typical symptoms?

The pain is often accompanied by extreme fatigue. Other complaints may include:

reddened, swollen, or warm joints
morning stiffness of the joints
joint deformity
joint stiffness
firm nodules under the skin (rheumatic nodules)
fever (rare)

Not all symptoms occur with a given rheumatic disease. However, the more advanced it is, the more intense the symptoms.

The disease usually begins in the base joints of the fingers and toes. As a rule, the joints are then affected symmetrically, for example, both thumb joints. Older patients usually have a more severe progression.

Is there a connection between rheumatism and histamine?

Histamine plays an important role as an inflammatory mediator in the immune defense, in connection with inflammatory responses, and in allergic reactions. It is produced in mast cells and eventually enters the bloodstream. But is there a link between rheumatoid arthritis and histamine-producing mast cells?

Mast cells are also found in so-called pannus tissue, the inflamed joint tissue of rheumatism patients. Thus, it is basically clear that histamine is the decisive factor. Researchers have succeeded in identifying the protein among the four different proteins in the human body that can bind histamine, which is crucial for the development of the disease. This was the so-called histamine receptor 4.

Stimulation of this receptor regularly triggered rheumatic flare-ups in rheumatism patients, whereas the symptoms disappeared with the administration of histamine blockers. Histamine had a correspondingly negative effect on the physical symptoms of those affected by rheumatoid arthritis. However, this specific area is still being researched further.

What is the connection between rheumatism and histamine intolerance? If you already have a disturbed intestinal flora, i.e., intestinal dysbiosis, for example, due to food intolerances such as histaminosis, your immune system can become unbalanced.

This, in turn, promotes diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia (a chronic pain condition). In these cases, you should, among other things, work on your gut health.

Rheumatism and nutrition

It becomes increasingly clear that a low-histamine and anti-inflammatory diet is recommended not only for those with histamine intolerance. A low-histamine diet concerns us all! In the presence of a rheumatic condition, your first step should be to counteract inflammation and stabilize your mast cells. Foods that are not only low in histamine but also have mast cell-stabilizing properties include, for example, the moringa plant, apples, or watercress. Further tips for an anti-inflammatory diet:

high-quality fats such as flaxseed or olive oil, salmon (omega-3 fatty acids)
low-sugar fruits such as blackberries, red currants, blueberries, peach, apricot
antioxidants in herbs, vegetables, and spices
B vitamins (especially B1 and B6): whole grain products, oatmeal, asparagus, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, parsley
Vitamin E: rosehip, kale, leek, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, black currants, flaxseeds, almonds
Magnesium: nuts and seeds, oatmeal, whole grain products
Selenium: Brazil nuts, broccoli, mushrooms, kale, white cabbage, oats, natural rice, sesame seeds, chia seeds, pistachios
Copper: whole grain cereals, salmon, sweet potatoes, artichokes, salsify, garlic, parsley

You can also find some of the foods mentioned here in our Organic Grain Bread. The organic baking mix combines gluten-free whole grain oat flour and whole grain oat flakes with flaxseeds and chia seeds, as well as pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds. Supplemented with psyllium husks and sea salt, it easily creates a moist, seedy bread with 13 g of fiber per 100 g. It is vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free, and suitable for a low-histamine and low-fructose diet.