POIS Cause/Treatment Discussions > Auto-Immune Causes and Treatments

Histamines for POIS? (Thread about Antihistamines too)

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biocentric:
Can Histamines help POIS? I dont know.

Heres some Histamine information
Histamine is a hormone/chemical transmitter and important protein that is involved in local immune responses, regulates stomach acid production and acts as a mediator in allergic reactions. This is the bad part we most often read about.

Histamine has many good functions too.
* It plays an important role as it is released as a neurotransmitter, necessary for our brain cells to "communicate" properly. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between a neuron and other cell.

* Histamine is necessary to modulate sleep.
* During an orgasm, histamine is released, and has been connected to the sex flush among women. However, men with high histamine levels may suffer from premature ejaculations.
* Classified schizophrenia patients often have low blood levels of histamine. This can be a side effect of their antipsychotic medication. When this seemed to be the case, as histamine levels were increased, their health improved.

What causes allergies?
Allergies are caused by an immune response to a normally harmless substance, i.e. pollen or dust. When these come into contact with specific antigens in our blood (part of the white blood cells, so-called mast cells) this triggers a response and histamine is released.

The release of histamine causes several allergic symptoms, for it contributes to an inflammatory response and causes constrictions of smooth muscle.
* The allergic reaction causes blood fluids to enter the area, causing swelling. (Vasoactive).
* The constrictions of the smooth muscle are seen during an asthma attack. The muscles surrounding the airway constrict, causing shortness of breath.

An allergic reaction is a response that should not be happening because the substance that triggers is should not be dangerous to us. Sometimes we have the "luxury" to allow our immune system to run its course, but then we have to sniffle our way through the pollen seasons.
Sometimes a harmless looking allergic reaction may develop into a potentially life threatening situation. Take for example, a bee sting.
Anti-histamines are widely available nowadays, and help the body to overcome its immunological "mistakes".

Histamine and amines (histamine-like substances) can be found in foods, but also develop after cooking and storage. This happens especially with fermented foods, but sometimes during normal cooking procedures.
Amines are formed from specific amino acids that are present (to a certain agree) in all foods.

The most common food amines are:
* Histamine
* Phenylethylamine
* Serotin
* Tyramine
* Dopamine

Allergic reactions to these amines can be:
* Vaso-active affects the width of blood vessels
* Vaso-dilating widens the blood vessels
* Vaso-constricting narrows the blood vessels

Even foods that don't contain histamine can trigger an allergic reactions, but often additives are the culprits.
Food products that are known to cause allergies are:
Raw egg white, shellfish, strawberries, citrus fruit and pineapple, chocolate, tomatoes, alcohol, fish and pork.

People usually react pretty soon, during or after the meal, and untreated, the reaction may last 24-48 hours.
When people react e.g. because of tyramine causes, the symptoms are different.

Alcohol consumption can provide histamine, trigger its release, and prevent a histamine breakdown.
Histamine and alcohol share the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme during the metabolism stage.
We've seen the important part histamine plays in the functioning of our body - we can't live without it.
But the moment an allergic reaction sets in, it seems to create havoc.
We do well to pay attention, and ask the advice of a specialist if we become allergic, either to food, dust or "unknown" things.

Every new allergic reaction may be stronger than the previous one, and potentially more dangerous.

Don't think it "will pass" or go away by itself. It won't.
If you are allergic, you'll need that anti-histamine "backup" at home, in order to stop the "attack" in its tracks. Don't self-medicate. Ask your doctor's advice. He may want to do some specific tests, in order to prescribe specific medication.
Knowing what to do when you experience an allergic reaction, treat it accordingly (with the right medication) will save you a (frightening) trip to the first aid department.

What are your thoughts/experiences?

Daveman:
First of all, WOW. Very in depth and in "well expressed layman's terms".  You normally would have to look in a number of referencial sources to find all this information and later  make the effort to "make it legible".

One thing interested me. Do you have any idea why, or is there some explanation for why "men with high histamine levels may suffer from premature ejaculations"? Or is it just one of those coincidences?

Intuitively, and particularly because it's happening to me now, I'd have the sensation that inflamation in the area of the reproductory system (in my case with the prostate) that upsets some balance in the nervous/neurological system and/or even hormonal production system in the area can cause either hyper or even hypo sensitivity to stimulation.

I know Dr. Waldinger works with women that are always on the edge of orgasm, perhaps it would be a similar mechanism. I don't remember at this moment the reason that Dr. Waldinger gives for that affliction.

Another interesting point, and one we've covered at NSF, altough perhaps more indirectly, is the potential histaminic effects of certain foods. Many of us have noted that certain foods aggravate our POIS sessions. If we are overly responsive to some "invader" surely these certain foods could exagerate the situation. Although none of the few mentioned below, seem to cause problems for me, there are additives I have identified and a few other food items.

Each person is different, and if they make close enough attention in an organised fashion, identifyong those that complicate their situation can be very helpful in reducing symptoms without taking heavier drugs and medicines.

b_jim:
I remember some guys took anti-histamine for Premature ejaculation with some succes.

I have premature ejaculation too and I don't know if histadellia (=lots of histamines) is real.

demografx:
Almost 1,000 posts on histamines at NSF-POIS Forum!

http://www.google.com/search?q=histamines+POIS+site%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fthenakedscientists.com&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GPEA_en

Willem:
I've used an anti-histamine for about 6 weeks now and have run all of my typical placebo tests (varying frequency of O, exercising more, lifting weights etc.) and my muscles are doing much better.  It's difficult to get an objective measurement, but I have not run a 6 minute mile in years and was able to do so after a few weeks on anti-histamines without changing my work out pattern that much.  I just feel better.  Mind has cleared up a lot as well, but the nerve damage in my finger tips is about the same and still feel fatigue the day or two after O.   

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