Histamine is quite possibly the most popular buzzword in healthcare right now and for good reason. For those living with a vestibular condition and dealing with a histamine intolerance, it can feel like a lot to understand and manage. In this episode, I’m breaking down what histamine is, what histamine intolerance can look like, how it’s impacting vestibular disorders and migraine, and what you can do about it. In this episode, we’ll dig into: What histamine is and its role in your immune system, digestion, sleep, mood, memory, and more The 4 types of histamine receptors and what they have to do with your symptoms Histamine intolerance vs. MCAS What happens when you don’t have enough of the DAO enzyme What contributes to histamine intolerance and what it can look like How to properly diagnose histamine intolerance What you can do to support your liver if you have histamine intolerance How to do a low-histamine diet the right way How food freshness affects histamine levels The histamine-migraine connection What research is showing about histamine’s role in the vestibular system and inner ear How addressing histamine can make previous treatments that didn’t work suddenly start working When there’s too much histamine in the body than what the body can actively remove, you’ll have more histamine reactions and a harder time processing histamine in general. I want you to remember though that all hope is not lost! For additional support, we have the webinar with Isabel Smith that touches on histamine intolerance, as well as liver and gut support inside Vestibular Group Fit. We will also have Natalie Sampson, a Board Certified Genetic Counselor, joining me on a future podcast episode! Links Mentioned: Vestibular Group Fit (code GROUNDED at checkout for 15% off!): https://thevertigodoctor.com/vestibular-group-fit Free Resources: The 4 Steps to Managing Vestibular Migraine: https://thevertigodoctor.myflodesk.com/cb5js0y78n The PPPD Management Masterclass: https://thevertigodoctor.myflodesk.com/new-pppd What your Partner Should Know About Living with Dizziness: https://thevertigodoctor.myflodesk.com/partnership The FREE Mini VGFit Workout: https://thevertigodoctor.myflodesk.com/minifit The FREE POTS – safe Workouts: https://thevertigodoctor.myflodesk.com/pots Connect with Dr. Madison (@TheVertigoDoctor): https://instagram.com/thevertigodoctor Work with Dr. Madison: For 1:1 Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy, email madison@thevertigodoctor.com Otherwise, I’ll see ya in Vestibular Group Fit! Connect with Dr. Jenna (@dizzy.rehab.therapist): https://www.instagram.com/dizzy.rehab.therapist/ Learn about the Oak Method: http://thevertigodoctor.com/why-vestibular-group-fit Love what you heard? Consider leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform to help us reach more vestibular warriors like you! This podcast is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. Citations Cleveland Clinic. “Histamine.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 28 Mar. 2023, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24854-histamine. Accessed 10 July 2026. Jochum C. (2024). Histamine Intolerance: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Beyond. Nutrients, 16(8), 1219. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16081219 Sánchez-Pérez S, Comas-Basté O, Duelo A, Veciana-Nogués MT, Berlanga M, Vidal-Carou MC and Latorre-Moratalla ML (2022) The dietary treatment of histamine intolerance reduces the abundance of some histamine-secreting bacteria of the gut microbiota in histamine intolerant women. A pilot study. Front. Nutr. 9:1018463. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1018463 Jackson, K., Busse, W., Gálvez-Martín, P., Terradillos, A., & Martínez-Puig, D. (2025). Evidence for Dietary Management of Histamine Intolerance. International journal of molecular sciences, 26(18), 9198. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26189198 Kong, L., Domarecka, E., & Szczepek, A. J. (2023). Histamine and Its Receptors in the Mammalian Inner Ear: A Scoping Review. Brain sciences, 13(7), 1101. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13071101 Tighilet, B., Trico, J., Marouane, E., Zwergal, A., & Chabbert, C. (2024). Histaminergic System and Vestibular Function in Normal and Pathological Conditions. Current neuropharmacology, 22(11), 1826–1845. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X22666240319123151 Chen, Z. P., Zhang, X. Y., Peng, S. Y., Yang, Z. Q., Wang, Y. B., Zhang, Y. X., Chen, X., Wang, J. J., & Zhu, J. N. (2019). Histamine H1 Receptor Contributes to Vestibular Compensation. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 39(3), 420–433. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1350-18.2018 Ferretti, A., Gatto, M., Velardi, M., Di Nardo, G., Foiadelli, T., Terrin, G., Cecili, M., Raucci, U., Valeriani, M., & Parisi, P. (2023). Migraine, Allergy, and Histamine: Is There a Link?. Journal of clinical medicine, 12(10), 3566. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12103566 histamine and vestibular conditions, vestibular migraine, chronic dizziness, migraine attacks, vestibular disorders, vestibular group fit, food sensitivities, MCAS, gut issues, holistic approach, bucket theory, lifestyle changes, allergies and vestibular disorders
