Green Tea Histamine Information

Green tea is a popular beverage praised for its numerous health benefits, including its potential impact on histamine levels. While not a high-histamine food by itself, green tea, particularly when consumed in large quantities, may slow the breakdown of histamine in the body, potentially leading to increasing histamine levels (1). However, it's important to note that compounds found in green tea, such as the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), have been shown to inhibit histidine decarboxylase, the enzyme that synthesizes histamine, which can ultimately help to reduce histamine levels (2). The diverse effects of green tea on histamine levels can be confusing. This can be explained by the fact that green tea's effect on histamine is context and dose-dependent. In normal doses, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits of green tea may prevail, reducing overall inflammation, which could lower the need for histamine release. However, in situations where individuals have a sensitivity or intolerance to histamine, the intake of foods and beverages that can inhibit DAO, the main enzyme responsible for breaking down ingested histamine, which includes green tea, may not be beneficial and could lead to an accumulation of histamine (3). It's also important to note that some products might not have high histamine themselves, but are histamine liberators, or substances that encourage the body to release histamine. Green tea does not appear to fall under this category, but there is still ongoing research in this area with no definitive answers. On the other hand, findings suggest that EGCG's ability to inhibit histidine decarboxylase may position green tea as a commodity capable of lowering histamine, but definitive studies in this area are lacking and further investigation is required. It should be highlighted that while research is ongoing, currently available data is not sufficient to draw firm conclusions about the direct effect of green tea on histamine levels, thus warranting the need for further scientific studies (4). References: 1. Maintz L, Novak N. "Histamine and histamine intolerance." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007. 2. Yang G, et.al "Epigallocatechin-3-gallate impacts on the reduction of pro-inflammatory cells in mice with chronic asthma." Journal of Medicinal Food, 2017. 3. Bonadonna P, et.al "Histamine Intolerance Syndrome" Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2012. 4. Borghini R, et.al "Histamine intolerance syndrome: literature review and proposal of a working criteria." Minerva Medica, 2015.