As a condition characterized by a diminished capacity to metabolize ingested histamine, histamine intolerance was first identified around the turn of the 21st century. It is also known as enteral histamines or sensitivity to dietary histamine. Only 1-3% of the population has a severe reaction to histamine. Nonetheless, the individual experiencing it or their doctor may not recognize it, attributing it to something like a food allergy or gastrointestinal illness. Mast cell activation may be monitored with the use of the histamine test. An allergic reaction can be confirmed with the test, and mastocytosis, a rare category of illnesses defined by aberrant proliferation of mast cells, can be diagnosed.
