Depression and histamine

Depression and anxiety can cause serious problems in an otherwise productive life. These conditions frequently run in families.

Very high blood levels of histamine can significantly increase a person’s risk for depression. Because its origins differ from other forms of depression, high histamine depression may not respond well to the usual depression treatments.

A neurotransmitter in itself, histamine stimulates the release of important mood neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain’s hypothalamus.  [1]

The condition of having abnormally high levels of histamine is called ‘histadelia’, or ‘undermethylation’. This condition creates an imbalanced amino acid cycle, resulting in low serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is believed to be responsible for maintaining mood balance. It is thought that a deficiency of serotonin leads to depression.

Many medical practitioners remain ignorant of the histamine-depression link. Michael Lesser, M.D., author of “The Brain Chemistry Plan,” states that few clinical psychiatrists focus on elevated histamine levels as a cause of depression.

Treatment for high-histamine depression

Treatment involves:

• Regularly take the supplements listed in ‘Is Food Making You Sick? The Strictly Low Histamine Diet’, especially vitamin C, which is a potent antihistamine.
• Follow a low histamine diet.

It can take 3-6 months to resolve this chemical imbalance. If treatment is discontinued, symptoms may return.

References:

[1] Causes Of Depression – Histamine Imbalance. by Cindy L. www.holisticdepressionhelp.com