Q and A: about health and research

Introduction Histamine is a naturally occurring chemical found in your body and in many foods. It acts as a chemical messenger and plays an essential role in many normal body functions, including the immune system, digestion, communication between nerve cells, and regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Most people break down excess histamine without difficulty. In some individuals, however, histamine may accumulate faster than the body can remove it. When histamine levels become too high, symptoms such as headaches, flushing, stomach discomfort, itchy skin, or a runny nose may occur. This condition is commonly referred to as histamine intolerance (HIT) . It is important to note that histamine intolerance remains an area of ongoing medical research. There is currently no single laboratory test that can definitively diagnose HIT, and many of its symptoms overlap with other medical conditions. Diagnosis is generally based on a person's medical history, symptoms, exclusion of other possible ...