Histamine (feces)

Histamine (feces) too high

A raised value is often caused by histamine-rich food in the days before sample collection, or by gut bacteria that make histamine. It may also fit activity of mast cells in the bowel wall, for example during an allergic reaction. There is no condition for which histamine in stool is used to make a diagnosis. A raised value does not demonstrate a food allergy or histamine intolerance.

Histamine (feces) too low

A low value is the usual result and has no further meaning. It does not rule out a food allergy or food hypersensitivity.

Useful for

In people without symptoms, an abnormal result says little, because the meaning has not been established and a passing infection or a painkiller can raise the value. With long-lasting diarrhea or abdominal symptoms, the GP uses calprotectin in the stool to rule out a chronic inflammation of the bowel, and a blood test if celiac disease is suspected. With blood in the stool, unintended weight loss, diarrhea at night or new bowel symptoms after age 50, this test is no substitute for a visit to the GP.

How common is it?

Bowel symptoms are common: according to the guideline, irritable bowel syndrome affects about 4 in 100 adults in the Netherlands. Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are much rarer; the guideline gives no Dutch figure for them. How often an abnormal result for these markers occurs in people without symptoms is not known.

Dutch medical specialists' guideline (FMS) on irritable bowel syndrome (NHG and NVMDL)