The Histamine Estrogen Connection: Why Menopause Can Worsen Histamine Intolerance

allergies histamine menopause Mar 21, 2025

If you’ve ever experienced worsening allergies, migraines, anxiety, or bloating at certain times in your menstrual cycle or during menopause, you’re not alone. Histamine and estrogen share a powerful connection that can influence everything from hormonal balance and inflammation to digestion and immune function.

Many women notice that histamine-related symptoms—like congestion, skin irritation, and even headaches—worsen during perimenopause and menopause. This is because hormonal fluctuations play a major role in how histamine is processed in the body. Understanding the histamine-estrogen connection is key to managing symptoms and feeling your best.

What is Histamine?

Histamine is a natural chemical that plays a vital role in various body functions, including:

Immune response – It helps fight allergens but can also trigger inflammation, allergies, and skin reactions.
Nervous system function – Histamine affects mood, alertness, and anxiety levels.
Digestion – It stimulates stomach acid production and gut motility.
Hormonal balance – Histamine interacts closely with estrogen and progesterone.

The body produces histamine naturally, but it’s also found in certain foods. Ideally, enzymes like diamine oxidase (DAO) break down histamine so it doesn’t accumulate. However, when DAO function is impaired—or estrogen levels fluctuate—histamine can build up, leading to histamine intolerance symptoms, such as:

Runny nose, congestion, sneezing, or itchy skin
Headaches, migraines, or dizziness
Digestive issues like bloating, nausea, or diarrhea
Anxiety, irritability, or sleep disturbances

Histamine, Estrogen & Their Impact on Women’s Health

How Estrogen Increases Histamine Levels

One of the biggest factors affecting histamine levels in women is estrogen. Studies show that estrogen stimulates mast cells, the immune cells responsible for releasing histamine. At the same time, histamine can trigger the ovaries to produce more estrogen, creating a vicious cycle that can make symptoms worse.

This is why women going through perimenopause or menopause often experience histamine-related symptoms like allergies, skin irritation, and headaches. As estrogen levels fluctuate, so do histamine levels, which can lead to increased inflammation and discomfort.

Estrogen Suppresses DAO, Making Histamine Build-Up Worse

The body relies on the DAO enzyme to break down histamine, but high estrogen levels suppress DAO activity. This means that during hormonal shifts—such as perimenopause or pregnancy—histamine can accumulate faster than the body can clear it.

If you’re struggling with histamine intolerance in perimenopause, fluctuating estrogen levels may be making it worse. This can explain why symptoms like hives, bloating, brain fog, and migraines become more frequent during this phase of life.

Histamine and Menopause: Why Symptoms Spike

Many women notice increased histamine intolerance symptoms during menopause. While estrogen levels decline overall, there can still be short-term spikes, particularly when progesterone levels drop more quickly than estrogen. Since progesterone helps balance histamine and inflammation, low progesterone levels may contribute to:

Worsening seasonal allergies
Hot flashes that feel more intense after eating histamine-rich foods
More frequent headaches or migraines
Increased sensitivity to alcohol and high-histamine foods

Understanding the relationship between menopause and histamine is key to managing symptoms naturally.

How to Support Histamine & Estrogen Balance

If you experience histamine intolerance during perimenopause or menopause, there are natural ways to support your body and reduce symptoms.

1. Follow a Low-Histamine Diet

Since histamine builds up from both internal and external sources, reducing high-histamine foods can help lower overall levels. Foods that are naturally high in histamine—or that trigger histamine release—include:

Aged cheeses, cured meats, and fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha
Alcohol (especially red wine and beer)
Vinegar-based foods (pickles, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar)
Leftover meats and fish (histamine increases as food sits)

Instead, focus on low-histamine, anti-inflammatory foods, such as:

Fresh, organic meats and poultry
Leafy greens (except spinach, which is high in histamine)
Berries, apples, pears, and fresh vegetables
Wild-caught fish like salmon and cod

2. Support DAO Enzyme Activity

Since estrogen suppresses DAO, boosting DAO activity naturally can help your body break down histamine more effectively. Nutrients that support DAO include:

Vitamin B6 (found in chicken, turkey, bananas, and sunflower seeds)
Vitamin C (found in oranges, bell peppers, and kiwi; also acts as a natural antihistamine!)
Copper (found in cashews, dark chocolate, and shellfish)

Some women also find relief with DAO supplements, especially if they notice histamine-related symptoms after eating.

3. Balance Estrogen & Progesterone

If fluctuating estrogen levels are driving histamine intolerance, focusing on hormonal balance can help.

To support estrogen metabolism and detoxification, incorporate:

Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)
Liver-supporting herbs (milk thistle, dandelion root)

To support progesterone production, include:

Magnesium-rich foods (avocados, almonds, dark chocolate)
Healthy fats (coconut oil, olive oil, pasture-raised eggs)

Consider Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) if appropriate for you:

Supporting the body with a perfect amount of replacement hormone can be very stabilizing for histamine as long as levels are not too high or too low.

Managing stress is another key factor. Chronic stress raises estrogen levels, which can worsen histamine intolerance symptoms. Supporting the adrenal glands with adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha and rhodiola can help keep hormones balanced.

Histamine and Menopause: What You Need to Know

If you’ve been struggling with allergies, bloating, skin irritation, or migraines during perimenopause or menopause, histamine intolerance may be a missing piece of the puzzle. The fluctuating estrogen levels during perimenopause can make histamine intolerance symptoms more pronounced, particularly as progesterone levels decline.

The good news? By supporting DAO activity, balancing estrogen and progesterone naturally or with HRT, and following a low-histamine diet, you can reduce symptoms and feel more in control of your health.

If you’re looking for personalized support with histamine intolerance, perimenopause symptoms, or hormonal balance, book a free 15-minute discovery call today!