Ingestion of bacteria that excrete histamine – the FODMAP diet
Every food that is fermentable contains bacteria that cause the fermentation. When you eat a food that is fermentable, you ingest the bacteria with it.
These fermenting bacteria have been categorized as “good” bacteria or “pro-biotic” microbes. However, they are not “good” for everyone. Some of these bacteria emit histamine, which causes or contributes to histamine intolerance in some people.
This is why the FODMAP diet reduces symptoms of histamine intolerance. The “F” stands for “fermentable” and the other letters in the acronym stand for different sugars that the fermenting bacteria consume. The FODMAP diet instructs us to avoid foods containing fermentable sugars.
Many of these sugars are the type that are molecularly complex. Note that simple table sugar – sucrose – two molecules of glucose – is not on the list. That is because the human digestive system can separate and absorb this glucose before it gets very far down the digestive system, leaving none left over for the bacteria to eat. However, no human digestive system can break down the complex starches, plant cells and other sugars that fermenting bacteria thrive on. When these complex sugars are consumed, they are passed down through the digestive system providing fodder for the bacteria.
Any food containing one or more of the FODMAP sugars is fermentable. Fermenting bacteria that have taken up residence in your digestive system eat these sugars and emit gases including histamine. The FODMAP diet is a method of starving these critters by denying them their favourite foods.
I won’t give you a list of FODMAP foods to avoid because each person’s list of foods they cannot tolerate is different due to the fact that each of us has a unique microbiome. Different microbes like different sugars. If you do an internet search for FODMAP, you will find many websites listing fermentable foods that they recommend be avoided. Not all lists are the same. I can tolerate a few items on some lists (like red wine). So, you may use the lists to guide your food experiments but rely on your own assessment of your ability to tolerate each food.
By avoiding many FODMAP foods, I have reduced my symptoms from constant to sporadic. But, despite years on this diet, my symptoms persist. Even though I don’t feed these critters their favourite sugars, they manage to survive in my small intestine causing periodic flare-ups of symptoms.
These fermenting bacteria have been categorized as “good” bacteria or “pro-biotic” microbes. However, they are not “good” for everyone. Some of these bacteria emit histamine, which causes or contributes to histamine intolerance in some people.
This is why the FODMAP diet reduces symptoms of histamine intolerance. The “F” stands for “fermentable” and the other letters in the acronym stand for different sugars that the fermenting bacteria consume. The FODMAP diet instructs us to avoid foods containing fermentable sugars.
Many of these sugars are the type that are molecularly complex. Note that simple table sugar – sucrose – two molecules of glucose – is not on the list. That is because the human digestive system can separate and absorb this glucose before it gets very far down the digestive system, leaving none left over for the bacteria to eat. However, no human digestive system can break down the complex starches, plant cells and other sugars that fermenting bacteria thrive on. When these complex sugars are consumed, they are passed down through the digestive system providing fodder for the bacteria.
Any food containing one or more of the FODMAP sugars is fermentable. Fermenting bacteria that have taken up residence in your digestive system eat these sugars and emit gases including histamine. The FODMAP diet is a method of starving these critters by denying them their favourite foods.
I won’t give you a list of FODMAP foods to avoid because each person’s list of foods they cannot tolerate is different due to the fact that each of us has a unique microbiome. Different microbes like different sugars. If you do an internet search for FODMAP, you will find many websites listing fermentable foods that they recommend be avoided. Not all lists are the same. I can tolerate a few items on some lists (like red wine). So, you may use the lists to guide your food experiments but rely on your own assessment of your ability to tolerate each food.
By avoiding many FODMAP foods, I have reduced my symptoms from constant to sporadic. But, despite years on this diet, my symptoms persist. Even though I don’t feed these critters their favourite sugars, they manage to survive in my small intestine causing periodic flare-ups of symptoms.