Histamine Metabolism
One of 108 insights in your Genomic Lifestyle Optimization Report.
DAO and HNMT enzymes break down histamine from wine, cheese, fermented foods, and leftovers. If yours run slow, you know exactly what happens: flushing, headaches, racing heart, or IBS symptoms within an hour of sushi. This confirms it's not "all in your head."
How your DNA shapes histamine metabolism.
DAO (encoded by the AOC1 gene) is the enzyme in your gut that breaks down histamine you eat. HNMT is the corresponding enzyme inside cells (especially in the brain and tissues) that clears histamine produced internally during immune responses.
Carriers of common AOC1 variants are associated with lower DAO activity, which means dietary histamine tends to clear more slowly than average. HNMT variants shape how well cells clear histamine produced internally. Some clients carry variants in both, and the two pathways stack, so symptoms compound across food and physiological triggers.
DAO is cofactored by copper, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. Alcohol, antihistamines, and fermented foods compete with or saturate its capacity. Methylation status (MTHFR, COMT) shapes HNMT capacity through its effect on methyl-donor availability. Mast-cell-stabilizing foods like quercetin support the broader system.
Histamine sensitivity changes how you should think about aged cheese, wine, fermented food timing, and even the order of meals in a day. A blunt "low-histamine diet" attempt becomes a much more targeted protocol once you know which enzyme is constrained and which cofactors are missing.
In your report, Histamine Metabolism is one dark card: a color marker set by your variants, the mechanism in plain language, and one practical next step.
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Histamine: the 6-insight cluster.
Histamine Metabolism is one finding in a tightly related cluster. Mosaic reads the other 5 alongside it, so you see the whole biology, not an isolated data point.
About Histamine Metabolism.
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Read insightThis is one of 108. Your report reads all of them, from one cheek swab.
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