Are you struggling with SIBO? … and now you’re suspicious of possible histamine issues on top of having SIBO? I can imagine it started with a lot of gas and bloating – but now you’re struggling with the gas, bloating, and a combo of headaches, rashes, food reactions, and acid reflux?

If you’re nodding away as you read this email – you’re not alone. This symptom pattern is not only common, but clinically – it makes complete sense. 

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and histamine issues (overproduction of histamine with the inability to break it down) have what I like to call a salt-and-pepper relationship. Where one goes, the other tends to follow. 

Let’s break down why this is: 

1. Poor digestion upticks histamine:

Once you’ve confirmed that you have SIBO or bacterial overgrowth with the proper testing, this is a direct clue that you are not digesting foods well. Meaning, hunks of food are going undigested, not only causing the SIBO or bacterial overgrowth in the first place – but poor digestion is going to drastically increase histamine production in the gut. Therefore, one of the root causes of both SIBO and histamine issues is poor digestion or not breaking down foods well. 

2. Overgrowth of histamine-producing bacteria: 

When there is an overgrowth of unwanted bacteria in either the small intestine (SIBO) or the large intestine (bacterial overgrowth), not only are you gassy – but the “extra” bacteria will produce an abundance of histamine. Morganella or Klebsiella are two of the most common histamine producers and both can be tested via a stool test. 

3. Lack of DAO (diamine oxidase) enzyme:

DAO enzyme is produced in the gut and is essential for the breakdown of the excess histamine in the gut. Gut inflammation from SIBO or bacterial overgrowth can damage the intestinal lining and decrease DAO activity. Therefore, gut inflammation = poor DAO production = more prone to histamine issues. Females also make DAO in the placenta – so if you find your symptoms improve during pregnancy, this is also a big histamine clue. 

Now, as we talk about histamine it’s always SO important to remember how much value histamine has in the body and that all foods are histamine producers. I think it can be very easy to go down a funnel of low-histamine diets and being terrified of histamine – so I want to make sure this conversation remains comfy cozy. Having histamine issues is simply a combination of overproduction of histamine and not being able to break it down. Also known as having high histamine and/or a histamine intolerance. 

What are your next steps? 

Symptoms can be a big tell if histamine is a part of your story – but the only way to truly know is by working with a practitioner and by running the proper testing. My 3 favorite forms of testing are blood labs, a stool test, and HTMA mineral testing. This giving you a full picture of gut and liver health (both biggies in the histamine and SIBO world) – but also insight into nutrient deficiencies that play a role here as well.