That time of the month was always a nightmare for me—intense cramping and pain to the point that I would occasionally take the day off from work.
Until I started changing my diet, supporting my adrenal glands, and reducing my histamine sensitivity.
Many people don’t realize that histamine—a chemical messenger involved in your body’s inflammatory and immune responses—may play a role in premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Your body releases histamine before and during your period to aid with uterine contractions. The higher histamine levels to support uterine muscle contractions can lead to period cramps and other PMS symptoms.
Increased sensitivity to histamine, and its involvement in inflammation and smooth muscle contraction, can contribute to menstrual cramps and pain. Hormonal fluctuations, especially during the menstrual cycle, can influence histamine release from mast cells, potentially exacerbating pain and other symptoms.
Hormones like estrogen increase the amount of histamine released by mast cells in the uterus. Mast cells have receptors for estrogen. When estrogen binds to these receptors, more histamine is released from mast cells in your uterus. The more estrogen you have in your body, the more histamine is released. It follows that higher numbers of mast cells and more mast cell activity at menstruation could be a trigger for more period pain.
Mast cells also produce and release prostaglandins, which may influence uterine muscle contractions during menstruation, triggering inflammation and pain. Higher levels of prostaglandins trigger stronger contractions, resulting in increased pain.
Histamine is also a stimulating neurotransmitter that can cause anxiety and insomnia.
What is Histamine?
Histamine is a chemical compound released by mast cells, basophils, and specific neurons in response to injury, allergic or inflammatory reactions, causing contraction of smooth muscle and dilation of capillaries.
When your body senses a trigger, mast cells release histamines. Once released, histamines promote inflammation, including increased blood flow to the area. Mast cells have been found in various parts of the uterine tissue, including the myometrium (the muscular wall) and the endometrium (the lining of the uterus).
While the release of histamine is a standard defense mechanism, an exaggerated histamine response can bind to cell receptor sites, causing irritation and chronic inflammation. When it’s released, it can cause blood vessels to dilate, leading to redness and swelling, and it can also stimulate nerve endings, contributing to pain.
Histamine levels are designed to be kept in balance by two enzymes—diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyltransferase—that break down excess histamine so you don’t end up with too much in your body. If histamine isn’t properly broken down, the excess builds up and causes symptoms, including period cramps.
Symptoms of High Histamine on Period Pain
The changes in histamine levels during the menstrual cycle can affect several different functions, including:
- Breast tenderness: Elevated histamine levels can cause breast tissue to become more sensitive, leading to pain and tenderness.
- Mood swings: Histamine can affect neurotransmitters in the brain, potentially contributing to mood swings, anxiety, and irritability during the menstrual cycle.
- Headaches: Histamine can trigger headaches or migraines before your cycle.
- Bloating: Histamine can affect gut motility and contribute to gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, and changes in bowel movements.
- Cramping: Histamine can cause blood vessels to dilate, resulting in increased blood flow to the uterus. This can cause pain and cramping during menstruation.
- Poor Sleep: Histamine can interfere with sleep by stimulating the central nervous system. This can lead to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep during the night.
- Stomach Discomfort: Histamine can stimulate the production of stomach acid, leading to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Higher levels of inflammation: Period pain may result from higher levels of histamine, which can exacerbate cramps, bloating, and fatigue.
- Heavy Bleeding: Excessive uterine bleeding is associated with histamine release due to the simultaneous release of heparin and heparin-like anti-coagulants. Heparin is a blood thinner that prevents blood clotting. Higher levels, due to increased mast cell activity, could cause heavier bleeding.
Interaction between Estrogen and Histamine
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can affect histamine levels.
Histamine interacts with hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, which can influence its levels and effects in the body, especially during your menstrual cycle.
Estrogen is an immune system stimulator. It triggers the release of histamine from the mast cells in the ovaries and uterus. Progesterone works to counteract the effects of estrogen, helping to regulate the release of histamine and support your body’s natural breakdown of histamine. In the premenstrual phase, when estrogen levels may be high and progesterone is declining and less available to slow down excess histamine, histamine release can be increased, potentially leading to more pain.
Estrogen and histamine influence each other, with estrogen triggering the release of histamine from mast cells, and histamine stimulating further estrogen production, creating a cycle. The more unopposed estrogen we have roaming around our bodies, the more histamines are produced. And unfortunately, the more histamines we have, the more estrogen is produced by the ovaries. What’s more, estrogen can hinder the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO), which is responsible for breaking down histamine, potentially leading to higher histamine levels and more pronounced symptoms.
The interaction between estrogen and histamine goes both ways:
Histamine has an additive effect on estrogen, which can raise estrogen levels (think heavy periods, endometriosis, migraines).
When your estrogen levels are high, mast cells are stimulated to release more histamine.
In other words, more estrogen means you release more histamine than you can break down, and since histamine turns up estrogen production, it can quickly become a vicious cycle. Estrogen is often at its highest point right before ovulation, so symptoms are often worse here.
According to a study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, mast cell activation and a surplus of histamine release may cause excessive uterine bleeding and heavy periods. They may increase period pain and cramps before and during menstruation.
Research on Histamine receptors in the female reproductive system found that histamine receptors play a critical role in the menstrual cycle. A chemical called prostaglandin causes your uterus to contract and expel the uterine lining. Higher levels of prostaglandin and these contractions cause pain and cramping.
Essential Oils for Histamine Modulation
Many essential oils can help alleviate inflammation and act as natural antihistamines to stabilize mast cells and relieve symptoms associated with heightened histamine levels, including those found in the Histamine Balance™ blend.
The goal is to balance, not block, the histamine response as histamine performs critical functions in the body, contributing to HCL production and neurotransmitter signals. Because essential oils are gentle natural solutions, they can provide you with gentle relief, without throwing your body’s natural system off balance.
The essential oils in the Histamine Balance blend are uniquely suited to modulate excess histamine excretion, thereby balancing histamine levels and helping to reset the immune response, as well as reduce cramping and pain associated with PMS.
These essential oils are derived from herbs that possess powerful antihistamine properties, and the essential oils concentrated from these herbs often contain those same beneficial properties. One of the key essential oils in our Histamine Balance™ comes from the herb rosemary. Rosemary has detoxifying properties and can gently support the liver in releasing toxins that may be the underlying cause of histamine overreactions or mast cell activation.
Research has found that several essential oils contained in the Histamine Balance™ blend possess histamine-modulating properties. For example, Lavender essential oil helps reduce inflammation and inhibit histamine release. Research on the “Effect of Lavender Essential Oil on Acute Inflammatory Response” found that “lavender oil may inhibit histamine release from mast cells.”
Similarly, Peppermint essential oil contains the chemical constituent Menthol, which acts as a natural decongestant and has been shown to inhibit histamine release.
What’s more, Roman chamomile essential oil has been found to inhibit histamine release from mast cells. Research on “Anti-allergic activity of German chamomile in mast cell mediated allergy model” indicates that chamomile can help stabilize mast cells, thereby reducing the release of histamine, which is a key mediator in allergic reactions and inflammation.
Blue Tansy is known for neutralizing histamine and helping to control allergic reactions. Research on “Chemical Characterization and Antifungal Activity of Blue Tansy Essential Oil” found that Blue Tansy, which has a deep blue hue due to the chemical constituent chamazulene, a powerful sesquiterpene, is used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine.
Essential oils with antihistamine properties are an ideal natural approach to mitigating the inflammatory response triggered by histamine, as they can naturally stabilize mast cells and easily permeate our nasal cavities to loosen mucus and promote drainage.
Histamine Balance™
The essential oils in the Histamine Balance blend are uniquely suited to modulate excess histamine excretion, balancing histamine levels and helping to reset the immune response and reduce allergic reactions.
To support the modulation of histamine involved in PSM discomfort, topically apply Histamine Balance™ blend in a clockwise circle around the belly button. You can also apply behind the ears, on the back of the neck, and on the bottom of the feet.
Adrenal®
Healthy adrenal glands can help ease PMS symptoms.
Your adrenals—small glands on top of the kidneys—help determine and regulate the body’s stress response by secreting key hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline (epinephrine), which support your ability to respond to stress rapidly.
Prolonged periods of stress can prioritize the production of cortisol over other hormones, throwing your hormones out of balance, which can potentially contribute to more severe and irregular PMS symptoms. Studies have consistently linked PMS symptoms to adrenal fatigue. Much like adaptogenic herbs, Vibrant Blue Oils Adrenal® blend helps increase the body’s ability to adapt to stress and maintain healthy adrenal function, supporting hormonal balance. Applying Vibrant Blue Oils Adrenal® over the lower back helps restore balance to the adrenals and the hormones they release, which can help alleviate and diminish PMS symptoms.
PMS Support™
PMS Support™ may help alleviate pre-menstrual discomforts, reduce bloating, and help with relaxation and depression.
Formulated with a proprietary blend of organic and/or wild-crafted essential oils to assist in balancing hormones and alleviating pre-menstrual and menstrual cramps, discomfort, and other associated problems, PMS Support™ includes Clary Sage, which may help support hormonal imbalance, menopause problems, PMS, and menstrual cramps. Smelling Clary Sage has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, which may help lift mood and reduce stress levels.
The blend also contains Geranium, which has been shown to regulate and restore adrenal and cortisol function, potentially helping to manage PMS symptoms. Research on the “Effects of essential oil exposure on salivary estrogen concentration in perimenopausal women” found that the inhalation of Rose and Geranium essential oils increased salivary estrogen concentration, leading to the conclusion that “olfactory exposure to some essential oils can influence salivary concentration of estrogen.” Similarly, research on “Effects of geranium aroma on anxiety” found that inhaling Geranium essential oil helped to reduce anxiety.
You can help relieve PMS symptoms by massaging 2-3 drops of PMS Support™ over the abdomen to reduce menstrual cramps. PMS Support™ can also be applied over the lower back, lower abdomen, and around the ankles. Apply a hot compress to areas of discomfort.
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