Marijuana can Treat Histamine Intolerance
There is nothing as irritable as constantly sneezing and itchy eyes. Sometimes, it is very hard to get it under control and could turn an ordinary day into a super frustrating one. You might have tried everything on the market to relieve the symptoms. Allergies are not always related to seasonal changes though, and could sometimes be caused by something else altogether. When this is the case, you most likely suffer from Histamine Intolerance.
What does it mean to be Histamine Intolerant?
When you are suffering from histamine intolerance, it doesn´t mean that you are sensitive to histamine. It means you are developing too much of it. Histamine has specific functions in the body. It transfers messages to your brain, triggers stomach acid release for digestion, and springs an allergic reaction after an injury as part of the immune response. When the histamine levels get out whack, it can not break down normally and affects your bodily functions.
How do you know you have a histamine intolerance problem?
It is not always easy to find the reason for your allergic reactions. Many times doctors miss the diagnoses completely. They would run all sorts of tests to test for pollen, food, animal, and more. When the test results show no indication, some doctors believe the problem lies in your head. The symptoms can be quite confusing and could include:
- Nasal congestion or sinus problems
- Headaches, even migraines
- Tiredness
- Nausea and sometimes vomiting
- Hives
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Inflammation
- Dizziness
- High blood pressure and irregular heart rate
- Anxiety
- Difficulty to control body temperature
How is it caused?
When histamine levels are normal, it helps fighting inflammatory problems and allergies, as well as injuries. In abnormal circumstances, histamine levels get too high. Your body naturally produces histamine together with diamine oxidase (DAO) DAO is needed to break down histamine found in food. When there is a DAO deficiency, the body can’t break histamine down and tolerance to histamine is developed. Sometimes it happens due to certain medication blocking DAO functions. Certain diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and leaky gut could be the cause. Some food products could also influence histamine production and break down.
Histamine-rich food to avoid
A diet should contain moderate levels of histamine. If you suspect that you are histamine intolerant, it is advisable to stay away from certain foods, like:
- Fermented foods and dairies like sauerkraut and yogurt
- Alcohol and fermented drinks
- Dried fruits
- Avocados
- Spinach and eggplant
- Smoked meat and fish
- Shellfish
The list goes on and a self-investigation is necessary to learn more about the problem.
How Can Cannabis Help?
Research shows that cannabidiol could prevent mast cells from releasing histamine into the bloodstream. It also helps with inflammation. Mast cells are a group of white blood cells in the immune system. They store histamine and inflammatory agents. Anything like stress, allergens, viruses, bacteria, and other issues trigger the mast cells to release histamine into the bloodstream. When it becomes a chronic release, histamine intolerance symptoms are experienced.
The CB1 receptor is very useful to control allergies and skin disorders when it gets stimulated. The inhibition and stimulation of the CB1 receptors are directly linked to mast cell activity. The therapeutic effect of CBD or Cannabidiol reduces inflammation and swelling of the throat after raw egg white was introduced. Egg white naturally triggers mast cell histamine release. It is used in studies to trigger inflammation when a solution is searched for.
In a study where mast cells were triggered to release histamine, it was found that when CBD stimulated the CB1 receptors, it prevented mast cell degranulation. This means it prevented histamine to be released in the bloodstream.
Because CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, it also helps with symptoms like nasal pressure and pain relief. As histamine levels are also influenced in stressful situations, CBD works wonders to reduce anxiety and stress levels. CBD could also be used together with THC to create the entourage effect.
The unnecessary activation of mast cells can produce issues like asthma, arthritis, and other inflammatory disorders. CBD with its anti-inflammatory properties is perfect to prevent this from happening. Cannabis as a whole reduces the histamine levels in the body significantly by reducing the anti-bodies responsible for the triggering of histamine.
Getting to the Bottom of it
The cannabinoids in THC and CBD are immunosuppressive. The CB1 cannabinoid receptors are expressed in the mast cells. The CB2 cannabinoid receptors are a constituent of immune system cells. Both have a positive effect on suppressing mast cells. When there is no relief from allergic reactions, marijuana might be the only safe way to treat histamine intolerance.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, it is not fun to struggle with symptoms related to allergies. It is even worse if everything you try has no result at all. So, if all else fails, give cannabis a try!
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