Is your anti-histamine making you fat?

In last week’s post “Histamine’s upside: I lost 35kgs in 6 months” I mentioned the role of histamine in appetite suppression. I recently had a  conversation with a friend whose family member suffers from anorexia nervosa. I felt compelled to share that in my teens I too was thought to be anorexic. Food was hurting me so badly that I was starving myself to make it stop. It was more than just a physical reaction, because as we know, histamine is a neurotransmitter and as such affects mood. Food made me crazy, depressed, anxious and manic but I had no clue what was causing it all, despite my raging allergy symptoms.I’ve spent the last few days doing some more research into what’s behind my suddenly stable weight these last two years:H1 receptor antagonists like loratidine (claritin) and cetirizine (zyrtec) make you fat. It’s just a fact. It’s in the medical inserts of both and my own personal hellish experience on them confirms it. At my worst, when I was taking one and a half to two pills daily, I became obsessive about food – to the point of dreaming about eating. I would get up several times a night to rummage through the fridge and spend almost the entire day absolutely ravenous. I would graze all day long. The most incredible benefit of having stopped them is the relief from my food fantasies. I can now easily go half a day without once thinking about food. Is that abnormal? Seems I have H3 receptor stimulation to thank for it. Studies show that H3 receptor agonists (the opposite of antagonists like Claritin and Zyrtec) suppress appetite.

 

The H3 receptor is a pre-synaptic autoreceptor that inhibits the synthesis and release of histamine, and a heteroreceptor that inhibits other neurotransmitters such as serotonin (5-HT), noradrenaline (NA) and acetylcholine (ACh), which are also implicated in the regulation of food intake. Thus, the H3 receptor is in a prime position to regulate food intake, both through its control of histamine and its influence on other feeding pathways.Study

Translated into English: as a neurotransmitter, histamine affects the brain chemicals that control hunger!

Not just that, but the studies go on to say that histamine’s H3 receptor plays a part in how our body burns fat and what temperature your body runs at. I know from experience that my body runs very very hot when I’m in histamine overload. Interestingly I did some research into a diet pill I looked into in my teens – it worked by raising your body temperature.

Nowadays I don’t take any antihistamines, choosing instead to control my histamine level through diet (check out my low fat high nutrient low histamine DAO Support Cookbook) and a great quercetin supplement called Neuroprotek.

Next step would be finding out if certain foods affect just one of the histamine receptors, H3 in particular, in order to lose weight. Don’t worry, I’m on the case. Sign up to my newsletter for more info on this subject and others.

22 responses to “Is your anti-histamine making you fat?”

  1. sarah Avatar
    sarah

    I’m not sure I understand, but am very curious about this topic. I recently started a low-histamine diet after nothing else seems to affect my chronic hives. I do not take any anti-histamines anymore. I’ve actively tried to lose weight for years and the scale doesn’t budge. I’ve lived a GF/Dairy/Meat&fish – free diet since July and yet I’ve gained weight.

    I know there is a correlation between histamine, diet, and weight loss for me. Besides continuing a low-histamine diet for awhile, what is this post suggesting that I do or change?

    Can you clarify this sentence: “Studies show that H3 receptor agonists (the opposite of antagonists like Claritin and Zyrtec) suppress appetite.” ?

  2. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there, I was trying to explain what an agonist is – by saying that it would be the opposite of what Zyrtek and Calrityn are (i.e. H1 receptor) antagonists. So docs are saying that meds that enhance (agonise) histamine, rather than dampening it (antagonising) are being investigate for their appetite control. What I have found is that a low histamine diet, with natural histamine only (i.e. I still eat some tomatoes, raw cacao, agave, nuts) rather than still eating some packaged foods or sugar, helps me maintain my weight. Do you keep a food diary? Have you considered something other than histamine is bothering you? Or, you may not be as low histamine as you think? I still eat meat and fish and am doing ok. You could also be suffering from inflammation or undiagnosed food allergies (read this http://thelowhistaminechef.com/unexplained-weight-gain-dr-oz-blames-hidden-food-allergies/). If you keep a food diary feel free to email it to me to see if I can offer any insight into what’s going on.

  3. Martha Avatar
    Martha

    What’s confusing to me about this (had just looked into it the other day too), is that you’d think that everyone with mast cell disease (high histamine in system) would be thin, but they’re not. Any thoughts?

  4. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there, thing is, they might be, if they weren’t on anti-histamines. Anti-histamines disrupt histamine’s natural role as an appetite suppressant. I was very overweight when on anti-histamines and was obsessed with food. I now eat normally. Histamine seems to keep my appetite in check and my metabolism running high. I also believe that anti-histamines, by suppressing some of the symptoms of high histamine, encourage people to eat more. But, many people desperately need them!

  5. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Also, each histamine receptor (there are 4 that we know of), play a role in the body. The h1 and h3 receptors are thought to influence appetite and metabolism. Blocking the h1 receptor (as most modern anti-histamines do) may cause an imbalance in how the h3 receptor works on appetite.

  6. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    People with masto are generally taking antihistamines. I don’t know anyone who isn’t. H1 and H2 receptor antagonists increase appetite and currently the thinking is that messing with any of the receptors also throws the others out of whack…so the H3 (which suppresses appetite) might not be doing its job. I used to eat 24/7. Now I forget to eat. That’s since stopping antihistamines. I found them counterproductive as my appetite increased to the point where my histamine intake went up simply because of the sheer volume going in…

  7. BillyJoe's Food Farm Avatar
    BillyJoe’s Food Farm

    I was on Ketotifen for about a year, which is a mast cell stabilizer. It is known for making people gain weight, and I was no exception. I gained 40 pounds. I have since dropped it all, after stopping the medication.

  8. BillyJoe's Food Farm Avatar
    BillyJoe’s Food Farm

    I was on Ketotifen for about a year, which is a mast cell stabilizer. It is known for making people gain weight, and I was no exception. I gained 40 pounds. I have since dropped it all, after stopping the medication.

  9. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there! Thanks so much for your message. Congratulations in coming off meds. They can definitely be useful in stabilizing someone, but stopping them ultimately made such a huge difference in my health.

  10. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there! Thanks so much for your message. Congratulations in coming off meds. They can definitely be useful in stabilizing someone, but stopping them ultimately made such a huge difference in my health.

  11. UTBly07 Avatar
    UTBly07

    My doctors in the US are unaware of a reputable H3 antagonist. I think it could be the link to my sleepless nights with what is likely Mast Cell Activation Disorder. Please share, if you will, what med you have found that is working!

  12. UTBly07 Avatar
    UTBly07

    My doctors in the US are unaware of a reputable H3 antagonist. I think it could be the link to my sleepless nights with what is likely Mast Cell Activation Disorder. Please share, if you will, what med you have found that is working!

  13. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there, I don’t take pharmaceutical antihistamines anymore. I’m trying to tackle the issue at the source, before the mast cells degranulate. I do that through stress management, meditation, visualisation and diet. Here’s the science behind it: http://thelowhistaminechef.com/mind-over-body-how-to-stop-the-histamine-itch/

    Dr Theoharides, one of the world’s most published mast cell researchers has proven that stress causes mast cell degranulation. It’s really worth exploring as antihistamines, due to their side effects (cancer, food allergies, hormonal imbalance, immune system dysfunction, anemia, b12 deficiency) are not my first line of treatment choice for the condition. I’ve found that a low histamine diet, with quercetin and vitamin c, help me live just as well without them. That said, they have their place in emergency treatment.

    Hope that helps!

  14. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there, I don’t take pharmaceutical antihistamines anymore. I’m trying to tackle the issue at the source, before the mast cells degranulate. I do that through stress management, meditation, visualisation and diet. Here’s the science behind it: http://thelowhistaminechef.com/mind-over-body-how-to-stop-the-histamine-itch/

    Dr Theoharides, one of the world’s most published mast cell researchers has proven that stress causes mast cell degranulation. It’s really worth exploring as antihistamines, due to their side effects (cancer, food allergies, hormonal imbalance, immune system dysfunction, anemia, b12 deficiency) are not my first line of treatment choice for the condition. I’ve found that a low histamine diet, with quercetin and vitamin c, help me live just as well without them. That said, they have their place in emergency treatment.

    Hope that helps!

  15. Alyson McElroy Avatar
    Alyson McElroy

    Im just starting out with a low-histamine diet. I take a least one anti-histamine a day and it does little to relieve my symptoms – did you stop taking a tablet right away or did you wait until your system had lowered the histamine levels? thanks

  16. Brian L. from Illinois Avatar
    Brian L. from Illinois

    Um, sounds like the drug didnt make you fat. Sounds more like your late night rummaging through the fridge did that ya big fatty. The best thing about Thai story is that you were fully conscious of what you were doing. Eating makes you fat if you’re not excersizing. Plain and simple.

  17. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there, agreed on most of that, but maybe you missed the part about histamine being an appetite suppressant and being thermogenic (in another post)? Antihistamines are known to cause weight gain due to their effect on appetite and I would think by messing with the thermogenic activity of histamine. I wasn’t fat before antihistamines and I haven’t been since…I’m not the only one. I was working out a lot for most of those years too. Shoulda padlocked the fridge 😉

  18. Foksola Avatar
    Foksola

    Is it possible that histamine makes you loose weight, even if you don’t want too? I lost 12 kilo’s, where I shouldn’t have lost even 1! And when I eat somerhing high histamine, the weightgain I have, gets lost again
    .

  19. thelowhistaminechef Avatar
    thelowhistaminechef

    Hi there, absolutely – it controls appetite and it has a role in regulating metabolism and body temperature. I myself struggled to gain weight before – I looked like a skeleton for a few years and then finally, when I stabilized, I now have to watch things again. The weight loss should stop eventually – but you need to also make sure you haven’t developed a negative relationship with food.

  20. Rich Avatar
    Rich

    Claritin makes me lost my appetite and I have to force myself to eat the little that I do while I’m on it.

  21. Juliette webb Avatar
    Juliette webb

    Hi
    I have recently been diagnosed with
    URTICARIA!
    My world was turned upside down and no medical professionals really knew how to help me-‘I was put on a cocktail of anti-histamine and given steroid cream.
    I totally agree with your findings on
    anti-histamines having an effect on appetite. I couldn’t stop thinking about food, day and night! I was totally obsessed and lost all control.
    I managed to ween myself off the medication but am still at risk of the urticaria kicking off at any time!
    I am really interested in reading more about your findings.
    I joined a Facebook support group called
    Chronic urticaria and many of these people are fighting daily battles with horrendous allergic conditions and many having the same issues with the side affects from anti-histamine medication,
    Any advise or info that could help would be gratefully received.
    Kind regards
    Jules.
    Please feel free to e-mail me or add me on Facebook-
    Juliette Webb
    Childminder Ashford Kent
    49 years old.
    Or
    [email protected]

  22. Marc Mitty Avatar
    Marc Mitty

    So would benadryl and doxylamine succinate also fit into the same category as antihistamines? Or are they a different type of antihistamine?

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Yasmina was an award-winning broadcast journalist with a decade of experience covering war zones for CNN and the BBC. She devoted her journalism skills to researching and writing about histamine. Click here to learn about her. Each post is carefully and fully referenced with the latest scientific research. Not sure where to start? Here’s a four week meal plan and overall Histamine Reset.

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