I have a nutrition question: has anyone tried an amino acid supplement? Or an elemental supplement (an amino acid based medical food)?

Although I am on high doses of antihistamines which have helped to bring down "allergic" type symptoms, most symptoms did not go away until trying a low histamine diet. Also, my many joint pains went away on the low histamine diet.

Unfortunately, I have other dietary restrictions due to other health issues in addition to being vegetarian. My list of foods that I can eat is very short and does not include a source for complete protein. I have experienced significant weight loss. I need a vegetarian, dairy free, nut free source of protein supplement. Tried the pea protein supplement years ago and did not do well on that either.

A complete protein includes all the essential amino acids, including histadine, which the body converts to histamine.

So, if anyone has tried a supplement containing amino acids, 1. have you been able to find one without histadine? 2. if it contained histadine, did it cause symptoms?

There are amino acid based medical foods that contain all the essential acids as free amino acids. from the Vitanet.com website:
Free form amino acids are singular molecules, not attached by peptide bonds to other amino acids. Crystalline free form amino acids do not need to be digested. They are assimilated directly into the body and ready to be utilized. Food proteins, so called “pre-digested” protein hydrolysates and peptide bond amino acids require from four to six hours to digest, in an energy depleting process. Food proteins and hydrolysates are often incomplete and malabsorbed, even resulting in extreme intestinal discomfort and flatulence.  http://vitanetonline.com/forums/1/Thread/977#Message1370

I am wondering if histadine as a free form amino acid would still get converted to histadine by the body.

Thank you,
Kay

Hi Joan, Thank you for responding.

And thank you for the advice of trying a small amount of a supplement first.

I used to get my complete proteins by combining different foods, like you mentioned beans and rice. I can eat the rice, but not the beans or other legumes, or nuts, or seeds or gluten containing grains, or dairy or eggs. I  rarely ate eggs or dairy anyway.

If I can find one that does not cause a reaction for me, I will let you know.  My dietitian is trying to find one that does not have any added ingredients that I am either allergic to or react to in it. You would think that a supplement that is meant to be healthy would be free of things like dye.

If anyone else has had any experience, positive or negative, with protein or amino acid supplements, please share.