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http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl General Mast Cell Disorders Discussion >> General Mast Cell Disorder Discussion >> What happens to the histamine? http://mastcelldisorders.wallack.us/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1390155457 Message started by Michelle on 01/19/14 at 06:17:37

Title: What happens to the histamine?
Post by Michelle on 01/19/14 at 06:17:37

This may be a silly noob question, but I haven't been able to find anything about it by searching.

Those of us who take antihistamines (or "histamine blockers") know that they don't actually get rid of the histamine in our system. It just prevents our body from "seeing" the histamine, so to speak. So what then happens to the histamine, if it never reaches the receptors? Does anyone know?

I know there are substances that are supposed to break down histamine, such as DAO, but do they work the same way when the body doesn't know that the histamine even exists? Or does the histamine just collect and build up over time? I'm sure it has some sort of half-life, so that it eventually breaks down on its own, but I have to wonder if there might not be other consequences to having these histamines in our body over the long haul.

Title: Re: What happens to the histamine?
Post by Starflower on 01/22/14 at 08:59:46

It's actually a good question!

I'm pretty sure histamine eventually gets flushed out. I know this is what happens with prostaglandins... another substance released by our mast cells... because you can speed up the process by taking aspirin, as long as it doesn't cause too many other problems. (Personally, I have to avoid substances that are blood thinners). Also, while it's possible to have abnormally high serum/urinary levels... my understanding is that histamine is just a signaler like hormones. If you're blocking the signal, there's nothing else for it to do.

I'm not a doctor or a biologist... this is just my speculation, based on what I've read about immunology.

Heather