SSRI’s as a Trigger for Histamine Intolerance

Are you someone who has taken an SSRI or currently taking one and you've since noticed histamine symptoms starting or worsening?

This has come up multiple times with newer clients recently so I decided to dig into the research and surprisingly there is a connection. 

A study conducted by researchers at Imperial College London investigated how inflammation-induced histamine affects serotonin levels in the brain. 

They discovered that increased histamine, triggered by inflammatory responses, directly inhibits serotonin release by binding to inhibitory receptors on serotonin neurons.   

This interaction was found to diminish the efficacy of SSRIs, as these antidepressants inadvertently raised histamine levels, counteracting their intended serotonin-boosting effects.   

When histamine-reducing agents were administered alongside SSRIs, serotonin levels returned to normal, suggesting that histamine plays a significant role in modulating serotonin and the effectiveness of SSRIs.   

Medications and Histamine Intolerance

Certain medications, including some antidepressants, have been identified as potential triggers for histamine intolerance.   

These drugs may interfere with the enzymes responsible for breaking down histamine, leading to elevated histamine levels and associated symptoms.   

According to current research, tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline and doxepin are most commonly associated with triggering histamine intolerance due to their direct antihistamine properties, while some studies also suggest that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), and Cymbalta (duloxetine) may have a similar effect to a lesser extent by interacting with histamine receptors in the body

If you are currently taking these types of medications, I don't want you to panic. The real message here is we want to address what is causing your inflammation and high histamine levels in the brain by addressing the root cause. 

Assessing your toxic load for bacteria, mold, parasites, heavy metals, environmental toxins, Lyme...etc are all important when trying to look at the full picture of why your body is doing this in the first place. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed with this, absoluetly schedule a call! It is always possible to take back your health with the right tools. 

Sending you all the healing energy