The Link Between PMS and High Histamine Levels: How Working with a Nutritional Therapist Can Help Ease Symptoms of PMS

By Nichole Eliason, NPT, C.Ht

Many of the common mild to moderate symptoms of PMS can be eased with diet and lifestyle changes. These changes can include eating for your specific needs, limiting sugar and alcohol consumption, getting adequate amounts of magnesium, and tracking your cycle to support shifting needs for rest and movement.

For some of us it’s not quite so simple. We may feel like we have tried everything and still struggle with overwhelming symptoms. It can feel hopeless and lonely, but there is a path for you to find healing. I struggled for years with debilitating PMS symptoms that derailed my life every month. My stomach distended so far after meals that I looked like I was six months pregnant. I had itchy rashes on my feet and legs, terrible anxiety, panic attacks, migraines, mood swings, and crying. Lots and lots of crying. I felt so unsafe in my own body. It was a nightmare. I am so thankful to now have an understanding of what is going on in my body and to have some effective tools to support myself. I was able to transform my own struggles into a beautiful passion and love for empowering others to find their path to peace and healing. 

One of the big things I learned in healing my own body and helping clients is the connection between high histamine and PMS symptoms. If your PMS symptoms are interfering with your quality of life and causing increased anxiety, headaches, brain fog, joint area pain, heart palpitations, GI bloating and itching, then you could be suffering from Premenstrual Histamine Intolerance. This is one of the less understood factors in the atypical PMS symptoms. Histamine intolerance is a temporary state of having too much histamine in your body. Histamine is part of the immune system function that causes allergy symptoms and inflammation. It also plays a role in our sex drive, brain function, neurotransmitter and stomach acid production. Histamine intolerance can be triggered in some women by the gap between estrogen and progesterone the week before their period starts. It's important to note that estrogen increases histamine in the body and progesterone lowers it. Genetics can dictate whether you are sensitive to this hormone shift or not. Unmanaged stress can also impact the balance of gut, which is a huge contributing factor. When estrogen spikes high and progesterone falls, it increases histamine levels in the body. So not only is our body making more histamine during this time, many of the yummy, healthy foods that we eat such as yogurt, sauerkraut, bone broth, aged meats, cheeses, and avocados contain histamine. An added culprit is many of us have food sensitivities that stimulate a release of histamine.

It helps to think of the histamine threshold in our body as a cup that slowly fills throughout the day. If it's already nearing the brim from an internal source like an estrogen surge, then there is not much room for external sources without overflow. Foods such as cow’s dairy and alcohol also trigger the release of more histamine. Other factors that increase histamine are stress and perceived stress, extreme temperatures, bright light, noise, environmental pollution, and strong vibrations.

What can we do to ease the overwhelm of anxiety and inflammation that is connected to high histamine? The first step is to try to bring compassion to yourself. I know from experience that it can feel like your body is betraying you, but try to see it as trying to protect you. Allow yourself to feel the shift in perspective. Thank your body for the good intentions and then support it to calm down.

Some loving steps that you can take toward healing:

• Reduce intake of histamine containing foods such as fermented and aged foods, vinegars and wine, and histamine releasing foods like the protein in cow’s dairy and alcohol and any known food sensitivities. These are the main offenders, but there are many hidden sources. Please reach out if you would like more information on high histamine foods. There is a lot of contradictory information out there that can feel overwhelming.
• Talk with your provider about ways to enhance levels of progesterone with a topical progesterone cream. Progesterone decreases histamine and can really help with PMS symptoms.
• Reduce Stress as much as possible. Adrenaline blocks progesterone. Implementing a daily stress reduction routine can help a lot. A Holistic health coach can help you create a sustainable one that meets your specific needs beautifully.
• Work with a Holistic Health Coach to uncover the specific underlying foods sensitivities and manage stress levels that are triggering a histamine release in your body. We can help you implement a healing protocol specific to your needs using foods, supplements and stress reduction techniques that can decrease histamine levels naturally. We can also help you to restore healthy balance to your gut flora and address the underlying cause of the sensitivity.
• Taking B6 in the form of P5P increases an enzyme in our body called DAO that breaks down histamine. The amount needed will vary on your specific needs but I recommend beginning at 20mg morning and evening. There are many other foods and supplements based on individual needs that are very helpful in easing symptoms. Be careful not to overdo supplements as balance is delicate and the liver can be easily overwhelmed at this time. It's best to work with a provider or qualified health coach in this area.

It’s important to remember that a low histamine diet is a temporary tool to manage symptoms until balance is restored and not meant to be used long term. It’s best to use in conjunction while working with a Holistic Health Coach to address underlying causes. If you have any questions about the possible connection of high histamine and your PMS symptoms please reach out for support. There are many other contributing factors to PMS/PMDD, I can help you determine the right healing path for your needs.

Nichole Eliason is a Transformational Health Coach at Danielle D Jenkins PLLC. She provides support for those with chronic health concerns, mood and anxiety problems, and perinatal nutritional support. You can find more about scheduling a consultation with Nichole here.