Histamine and Menopause: 4 Simple Steps to Reduce Histamine

Contents

• What is menopause
• How is histamine and menopause linked
• What are the top 10 most common symptoms of menopause
• Natural supplements and menopause
• Why should you address histamine intolerance with menopause
• Why should you address histamine intolerance with menopause
• 4 simple steps to reduce histamine for menopause
• Scientific Literature
  
  

What is menopause?

We hear about menopause a lot in the media, with advocation for HRT, to diet and even looking at the lifestyle impacts. However, many do not realise that there is a strong link to menopause and histamine [1].

Menopause is a natural biological process. As women age, they go through a natural transition which is known as menopause. Menopause is a stage where a woman stops having periods permanently, typically occurring between the ages of 45 and 55. 

Menopause marks the end of a woman's reproductive years and is characterised by a decrease in the production of hormones, in particular oestrogen. This hormonal shift, can vary and come at a different time from woman to woman. While menopause is a natural part of the aging process, you can talk to your healthcare practitioner about any concerns or symptoms you are experiencing, as there is much support available.

Our histamine experts recommend using zeolite clinoptilolite products to detox histamine quickly and safely from your body to reduce symptoms of histamine intolerance. Check out even more educational articles and videos.

How is histamine and menopause linked?

Histamine plays a role in the onset of menopause symptoms [3]. Hormone imbalance has been shown to increase the histamine in the body. Histamine is involved in a process called vasodilation whereby the blood vessels expand. As this happens many women see the beginning of the symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and night sweats start [3]. Research has shown, that potentially histamine is released in order to protect the body as a woman's hormones adjust . However, a study published in 2013 [1] concluded that when oestrogen it would trigger mast cells to open up and release histamine? 

What does this mean? We were intrigued by this, could this mean histamine was indeed protecting the body in the rise and decrease of oestrogen? Or is histamine simply letting you know that there is indeed an imbalance in your hormones? 

It is all down to oestrogen dominance. Though both your oestrogen and progesterone drop, progesterone will drop further [3]. What this means as that even though you have less of both, oestrogen will be dominant thus meaning, yes you guessed, histamine being released from the mast cells!  

Histamine Cortisol and Menopause?

Histamine, cortisol and menopause all 3 of these are closely linked, histamine can increase cortisol which is involved in our fight and flight response [4]. When our histamine levels rise, we can begin to feel more anxious and more awake. This is why antihistamines targeting the H3 receptor a receptor located in the central nervous system are being researched. As antihistamines could potentially provide a new treatment for people with anxiety and restlessness.

As we mentioned before, its clear histamine and menopause are linked. However, with the rise in histamine also means our cortisol levels rise. As you may have experienced when the fight or flight response is triggered, you can start to sweat, feel anxious and most importantly alert. This is why, more and more menopause experts are recommending ways to decrease stress in order to bring our body back into balance.

However, though this is all sounds good. The issue is, the symptoms of menopause and histamine are very similar. 

What are the top 10 most common symptoms of menopause?

During menopause, the body undergoes significant hormonal changes that can cause a wide range of symptoms. Here are the top 10 common symptoms reported by women going through the change:

1. Hot flashes: A sudden feeling of intense heat that can cause sweating and redness in the face and neck.

2. Night sweats: Hot flashes that occur during sleep, often causing disrupted sleep and fatigue.

3. Irregular periods: As menopause approaches, periods may become irregular, lighter, or heavier, and eventually stop altogether.

4. Vaginal dryness: A lack of lubrication in the vagina can cause discomfort during intercourse and increase the risk of vaginal infections.

5. Mood changes: Hormonal changes during menopause can cause mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and depression.

6. Sleep disturbances: Menopausal women may experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, leading to fatigue and daytime drowsiness. [5]

7. Weight gain: Changes in hormone levels can cause weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. [6]

8. Decreased libido: Hormonal changes can also cause a decrease in sexual desire and arousal.

9. Dry skin: A decrease in estrogen levels can cause dry, itchy skin and wrinkles.

10. Joint pain: Some women may experience joint pain and stiffness during menopause due to decreased estrogen levels.

It's important to note that not all women will experience all of these symptoms, and the severity of symptoms can vary widely depending on your body and hormones. Some menopausal women find that symptoms change over time and even with the weather.

8 Natural supplements for menopause

You may have heard from friends, family and health experts about using supplement for menopause. A lot of research has looked using supplements to support with not only the common symptoms of menopause, but to address the oestrogen imbalance.

There are several supplements that have been researched and have shown promise in alleviating some of the symptoms of menopause. Here are 8 natural supplements for menopause:

1. Black Cohosh: Black cohosh is a plant-based supplement that has been used for centuries to treat menopause symptoms. It may help alleviate hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes.
   
   
2. Siberian Rhubarb: Studies have been done on Siberian Rhubarb extract, showing the extract is able to mimic HRT and a natural alternative to help support symptoms. [7]
   
   
3. Soy Isoflavones: Soy isoflavones are plant-based compounds that mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. They may help alleviate hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood changes.
   
   
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats found in fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. They may help alleviate mood changes and improve brain function during menopause.
   
   
5. Red Clover: Red clover is a plant-based supplement that contains phytoestrogens, plant compounds that mimic the effects of oestrogen in the body. It may help alleviate hot flashes and improve bone health.
   
   
6. Magnesium: Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in over 300 bodily functions. It may help alleviate mood changes and improve sleep quality during menopause. We recommend magnesium bath, to help improve absorbability.
   
   
7. Ginseng: Ginseng is a plant-based supplement that may help alleviate hot flashes and improve sleep quality during menopause. Ginseng may help alleviate hot flashes and improve sleep quality. 
   
   
8. Zeolite Clinoptilolite: Clinoptilolite is proven as a histamine binder and is known to detox histamine safely from the body. We know by reducing histamine we can reduce cortisol and the symptoms of menopause.

However, it's important to note that some of the supplements may not work for you. It is a good idea to talk with your healthcare practitioner before taking any new supplements, and doing some research. 

Why should you address histamine intolerance with menopause

As we have just shown, oestrogen, progesterone and histamine are closely linked. When oestrogen is dominant it triggers your mast cells to release more histamine.

Did you know, a research study done in 2012 and published in the frontiers of immunology showed that "Around 30–40% of women who have asthma experienced worsening of their symptoms during the perimenstrual phase, the so-called perimenstrual asthma". [1,2] As we know histamine, can trigger asthma. 

So the question you are burning to know and ask is, what can I do reduce histamine for menopause relief?

4 simple steps to reduce histamine for menopause

We at Nouveau Healthcare regard ourselves as being histamine experts. So we sat down with our functional medicine practitioner and team and narrowed 4 easy ways you can reduce histamine quickly and naturally.

Step 1: Find out your triggers. This is really really important and we can't emphasise this enough. Understand, foods and stressors which trigger your histamine. You can look at doing a food intolerance test, or even keeping a very simple food diary like the example below on your phone or in a book. This allows you to identify trigger foods/ingredients and see if there is a correlation with your symptoms:

Step 2: Avoid high-histamine foods that you react to. It's easier said then done (we know!) Eliminating high-histamine foods from your diet can help reduce the reaction and histamine levels in your body. It will help ease the symptoms. Make sure you are still trying to eat a well balanced diet with fruits, vegetables and wholegrains. If you can, speak to a healthcare practitioner for diet and nutrition guides.

Step 3: Take Toxaprevent and other supplements. Toxaprevent is a histamine binder which will safely detox histamine from your body. We recommend our natural histamine protocol:

Take 3 x Toxaprevent Medi Pure Capsules (The red box) with 300ml of water, 1 hour before your morning meal and then take a further 3 capsules with 300ml water 2 hours after your evening meal.

Mix 1 x Toxaprevent Medi Plus Sachet (The purple box) into 300ml of water and drink two hours after your evening meal.

In addition, there are several other supplements you can use alongside Toxaprevent, such as quercetin and vitamin C, which both have been shown to help reduce histamine levels and potentially alleviate your menopause symptoms.

Step 4: Practice stress-reducing activities. Stress as mentioned in our blog triggers cortisol to rise which can trigger the release of histamine. Practicing stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help reduce histamine levels and alleviate menopause symptoms. We recommend deep breathing exercises our colleague Dilly recently spoke about deep breathing in his Instagram live on Urticaria

So make sure you are taking the necessary steps to reduce your histamine. And remember if you need any advice, information or want a chat about your histamine reach out to our team and we will be happy to advise on the best protocol to detox your histamine during menopause. 

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Scientific Literature

1. Zierau O, Zenclussen AC, Jensen F. Role of female sex hormones, oestradiol and progesterone, in mast cell behaviour. Front Immunol. 2012 Jun 19;3:169. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2012.00169. PMID: 22723800
2. Bonds RS, Midoro-Horiuti T. Oestrogen effects in allergy and asthma. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013 Feb;13(1):92-9. doi: 10.1097/ACI.0b013e32835a6dd6. PMID: 23090385
3. Jonassen F, Wetterqvist H, Granerus G. Histamine Metabolism and Female Sex Hormones in Women. Mar 1975. PMID: 998172
4. Gong-Hao He et al. Associations of Polymorphisms in Histidine Decarboxylase, Histamine N-Methyltransferase and Histamine Receptor H3 Genes with Breast Cancer. May 2014. PMID: 24835231
5. IJ Elenkov, GP Chrousos. Stress Hormones, Th1/Th2 patterns, Pro/Anti-inflammatory Cytokines and Susceptibility to Disease. Nov 1999. PMID: 10511695
6. Jaroslaw. K et al. Obesity in menopause – our negligence or an unfortunate inevitability? June 2017. PMID: 28721132
7. Shah. J et al. Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Rheum rhaponticum Root Extract (ERr 731) for Menopausal Symptoms in Perimenopausal Indian Women: An Interim Analysis. Jun 2021. PMID: 34526744