AMINES Part 7 - Surviving Amines

I never knew of the existence of amines in food which could make one sick before I became salicylate and chemically sensitive. I did not know why food which was kept in the fridge were causing me to have terrible migraines, mouth-burning-episodes, diarrhoea and near-anaphylaxis attacks (even though they were salicylate-free).

A very friendly and helpful lady by the name of Cecilia Corlett whom I met at the Yahoo online Anaphylaxis Support Group shared with me about keeping food in the freezer once freshly cooked food has cooled down. At that time, I thought I was 'killing' or 'freezing' the salicylates! I now know that by freezing, amines formation would be lessened. Or at a very minimal amount. Thank you Cecilia!

After reading and researching and (also experimenting), I find that by practicing these practices (listed below), it lessened and in fact (totally annihilated the attacks that I was having that were caused by amines)! So here are my strategies in surviving in an amine world.

• POULTRY

1. I buy freshly slaughtered chicken from the wet market. When I reach home, the chicken is still hot! And I really LOVE that. I keep them at most for 2 weeks in the freezer.

2. I wash all the chicken under running water before keeping them in the freezer in separate bags.

3. I make my own ground chicken. I don't buy ground chicken (or anything that is grounded that is not done by me).

4. I DO NOT store any cooked chicken in the fridge. In fact, I don't store 'anything which is cooked' in the fridge. I store them in the freezer.

• FISH/SEAFOOD

1. I buy fish and prawns fresh from the fish monger. She goes to the harbour on certain days. I buy from her on those days. All her fish are kept in containers packed with ice.

2. I wash them immediately under running water (upon reaching home) and keep them in separate bags in the freezer.

3. I do not store uncooked fish in the fridge!

4. I do not even store cooked fish in the freezer!

• COOKING CHICKEN/FISH/SEAFOOD

1. I defrost my chicken/fish/seafood in hot water.

2. I rinse all chicken/fish/seafood under running water before cooking.

• EGGS

1. I keep ALL my eggs in the fridge.

2. I wash all the eggs with a gauze under running water. Once they have dried I keep them in the fridge.

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• TIPS

Below are some very interesting and useful tips. I do not react to these today but I did a few times a few years back. It is still good to keep them in mind. As each and every one of us is different, what can trigger a reaction in me, might not for you. Vice versa. Browse the tips below with this in mind, and with a pinch of salt. Hope this helps you somehow in improving the quality of your life.

1. Poultry skin is HIGH in amines.
2. Amines form VERY quickly if hot soup/stews are stored in Thermos.
3. Prolonged cooking of meat/fish, multiplies the production of amines. Maximum cooking time = 2 hours. 
4. Yeast extract, yeast nutrients and autolyzed yeast are VERY high in amines.
5. Over-riped bananas are VERY high in amines.
6. Bean sprouts must be VERY fresh. They ferment extremely fast!
7. Cooked/baked cashews are VERY high in amines.
8. Recycled oil accumulates amines. (I can smell the amines in this. It makes me sick!)
9. Expired AND overly-expired stuff contain amines. 
10. Biogenic amines in food accumulate in our body system over time like salicylates. By abstaining from amines, your system will slowly recover and heal.
11. Make everything from scratch and eat them FRESH!

Clink on LINK for a very detailed post on amines.
Amines minimisation.
More on Amines

AMINES Part 6 - Biogenic Amines in Food (Epinephrine)

Our human bodies have two types of neurotransmitters which are epinephrine and norepinephrine. These two are involved in neural communication.

Epinephrine is also called by another name, which is adrenaline.

Epinephrine is a hormone which is secreted by the medulla of the adrenal glands. Fear and anger (which are strong feelings) will cause epinephrine to be released into the bloodstream. This will cause an increase in the heart rate, muscle strength, blood pressure and sugar metabolism. This reaction is called the 'Flight or Fight Response'.  I'm sure all of us have gone through episodes of fear/anger where the aftermath is us panting for breath and racing hearts.

Norepinephrine belongs to a neurotransmitter group called the catechlolamines. Click on LINK.

Synthesis

The production of both of these neurotransmitters start with tyrosine (which is another neurotransmitter).

Below is process of how tyrosine is turned into epinephrine.

• The enzyme tyrosine hydroxyls turns tyrosine to L-Dopa. 
• The enzyme dopa decarboxylase turns L-Dopa into dopamine.
• The enzyme dopamine ß-hydroxylase turns dopamine into norepinephrine.
• The enzyme PNMT turns norepinephrine into epinephrine.

Ephedra Equisetina (Ma Huang)

Our bodies produce epinephrine. It is in fact an extremely regulated hormone in the body. 

Did you know that there is a desert shrub called the Ephedra Equisetina that produces the ephedrine protein which acts very similar to epinephrine and affects the same reactors too? It is also known as the 5000-years-old Ma Huang which can literally translated as the yellow cannabis. 

Traditionally, the indigenous people used this desert shrub to treat asthma, hay fever and even the common cold! This shrub contains active constituents of alkaloids ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine. 

• The ephedrine helps to relieve asthma and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
• The pseudo-ephedrine acts as a nasal decongestant. 

Chemically, the alkaloids are related to the amphetamines.

Dietary Supplement

1. Diet Pill

As the epinephrine receptors recognizes the ephedrine molecules, ephedrine also plays a rolls in breaking down glycogen in the liver. (Glycogen functions as the secondary long-term energy storage). Because ephedrine is able to do this, the Ma Huang shrub is a popular dietary herbal supplement. It suppresses the appetite and stimulates the thyroid gland by increasing the thermogenic metabolism (the heat production of our body). Epinephrine will be released into the blood stream by the adrenal glands, causing an increase in body temperature which in return, burns more calories.

2. Athletic Performance Pill

Theoretically, taking the ephedrine pill could boost the athletes' performance during short  routines. As the ephedrine metabolizes quickly, it is not suitable for sports that last hours. Ephedrine opens the lungs, enhances muscle contractility and increases blood glucose levels. It is akin to the body's 'adrenaline rush'. It is in theory that this could help athletes perform better. Bear in mind though that drugs are banned from the sporting world!

3. Side Effects

Ephedrine increases the blood pressure and heart rate. Those with a weak heart could suffer from heart failure or a heart attack. It can also cause dizziness, insomnia and headaches. The FDA proposed that supplements with epinephrine should not be taken for more than 7 days.

Foods With Tyrosine & Epinephrine

As epinephrine is a product from tyrosine, let's take a look at foods which have tyrosine or epinephrine.

Since the body produces most of the tyrosine that we need, the other food option would be foods that are rich in phenylalanine (which the body also converts into tyrosine). To read more about phenylalanine, click on LINK. 

Thus, foods that are rich in both tyrosine and phenylalanine are red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, and soybeans.

Some of the foods that are high in tyrosine are:

1. Raw, dried spirulina seaweed
2. Soy products
3. Avocados
4. Eggs
5. Cheese
6. Almonds
7. Bananas
8. Pork

Click on LINK for detailed list of foods with high levels of tyrosine. 

Medically Speaking

The epinephrine injection is used to treat severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). I can personally say that this injection has indeed saved my life twice. 

A norepinephrine injection is used to treat severely low blood pressure.

AMINES Part 5 - Biogenic Amines in Food (Phenylethylamine)

Phenylethylamine (PEA) is a natural monoamine alkaloid and a trace amine. PEA is widely used in psychoactive drugs and stimulants.

Phenylethylamine functions as a neuromodulator/neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. As usual, it is biosynthesized from the amino acid called phenylalanine by the process called enzymatic decarboxylation.

Phenylethylamine is found in foods too. A very well known food is chocolate. The microbial fermentation of the cocoa beans largely contribute to the presence of phenylethylamine in chocolates.

Dietary Supplement

Since phenylethylamine has amphetamine-like effects (as it has the ability to release noradrenalin and dopamine), the business world developed supplements with phenylethylamine. Dopamine is a hormone which plays a very important role in the feeling of wellness. Noradrenaline is a stimulant hormone which involves in increasing the heart rate, blood pressure and blood flow. These two hormones play a very important role in the feel-good-factor and also in improving exercise performance through an increase in blood delivery.

As the body exercises, the levels of phenylethylamine in the body increases. And that could be the reason why people feel good/are in a better mood after exercising.

Phenylethylamine is included in some pre-workout supplements and concentrated pre-workout supplements to increase exercise performances and elevate the mood during intensive training. Phenylethylamine is also found in some fat burners to improve the mood during the weight loss period.

The downside of taking phenylethylamine orally is that it metabolizes rapidly.

Chocolates = Happy?

Since chocolate is apparently loaded with phenylethylamine, does it mean that we will be euphoric when we consume chocolates?

Not so, it seems.

The taking of phenylethylamine orally is of not much use (because of its rapid metabolization by the MAO-B enzyme). Thus any perceptible psychoactive effect would only be possible by ingesting MAOI anti-depressants!! Now who in their right mind would swallow MAOI inhibitors/blockers to experience the effects of a chocolate high???

Foods Rich with Phenylethylamine

1. Beans, Lentils, Nuts & Seeds

High-protein food have the richest amount of phenylalanine (which the body turns into phenylethylamine).

*Phenylalanine per 100gm

• Raw soybeans - 1910mg of phenylalanine (per 100gm)
• Raw cowpeas - 1390mg
• Raw lentils - 1380mg
• Raw peanuts - 1340mg (Peanuts are a big NO for me)
• Almonds - 1150mg
• Raw chickpeas - 1030mg
• Raw flaxseed - 960mg
• Tahini (made from stone-ground seeds) - 940mg
• English walnuts - 710mg

2. Meat, Seafood & Poultry

*Phenylalanine per 100gm

• Italian pork salami - 940gm of phenylalanine (per 100gm)
• Raw top, round beef (lean and fat) - 880mg
• Lean raw top sirloin - 870mg
• Raw shrimp - 860mg
• Raw chicken thighs - 780mg
• Raw chicken wings (with skin) - 700mg
• Raw Italian pork sausage - 480mg
• Raw fresh pork - 220mg

3. Dairy Products

*Phenylalaine per 100gm

• Raw egg white - 690gm of phenylalanine (per 100gm)
• Raw whole egg - 680mg
• Raw egg yolk - 680mg
• Sheep's milk - 280mg
• Goat's milk - 160mg
• Soy milk - 150mg
• Whole milk - 150mg
• Human milk - 50mg

*taken from this LINK

Pharmacology

People with abnormally low concentrations of endogenous phenethylamine are those who seem to suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (also known as ADHD). And those who have abnormally high concentrations of endogenous phenethylamine are those who have schizophrenia.

AMINES Part 4 - Biogenic Amines in Food (Tyramine)

2. Tyramine

Tyramine is a naturally occurring monoamine compound and trace amine. It is derived from the amino acid called tyrosine.

Tyramine acts as a catecholamine (dopamine), norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline) releasing agent.

Because of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) (this means that the circulation of blood from the brain's extracellular fluid (BECF) in the central nervous system is separated), tyramine is unable to cross over, resulting in non-psychoactive peripheral sympathomimetic effects.

For those who are on monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (to treat depression, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's), [click on LINK] ingestion of large amounts of tyramine can induce a hypertensive crisis.  This is when hypertension (high blood pressure) occurs with acute impairment of one or more organs. This can result in irreversible organ damage.

The Occurrence of Tyramine

Tyramine occurs in plants and animals. It is metabolized by the enzyme called monoamine oxidase. In food, it is often produced by fermentation and spoilage. Tyramine is produced by the decarboxylation of tyrosine during fermentation or decay.

Foods Which Are High in Tyramine

1. Spoilt meats/fish
2. Dried/Aged/Smoked/Fermented/Marinated fish and poultry
3. Pork
4. Broad bean pods
5. Tap and unpasteurized beers
6. Soy products/Tofu/Tempeh
7. Shrimp paste
8. Sauerkraut
9. Sour cream
10. Teriyaki sauce
11. Miso soup
12. Yeast extracts (Bovril, Marmite & Vegemite)/Brewer's yeast/Yeast vitamin supplements
13. Old liver (not fresh)
14. Banana peel/Over-riped bananas
15. Ginseng

The 'Cheese Effect'

Somewhere in the 1960s, a British pharmacist noticed that his wife who was on an anti-depression (MAOI) would develope headaches whenever she consumed cheese. Thus, the 'cheese effect' name came about.

To read more about the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, click on LINK.
To read more about the link between tyramine-rich-food and antidepressants, click on LINK.

AMINES Part 3 - Biogenic Amines in Food (Histamine)

1. Histamine

Biogenic amines, and in this case, histamine, naturally occurs in many types of foods. High levels of biogenic amines can lead to food intoxication. Moderate levels may cause food intolerance. Sensitive individuals may even become sick after ingesting food with histamine.

High histamine levels in food and beverages are usually a result of microbial contamination, which results in food spoilage. Fresh, clean and properly stored food have low levels of histamine.

a. Fish

A famous case of histamine poisoning would be the 'scombroid food poisoning'. Many people will not realise that they are having a case of histamine poisoning as it resembles an allergy reaction. People with scombroid food poisoning are not allergic to fish.

Histidine (an amino acid) exists in many types of fish. At temperatures above 16C with air contact, histidine is converted to the biogenic amines histamine via the enzyme called histidine decarboxylase which is produced by enteric bacterias. Histamine cannot be destroyed even at normal cooking temperatures. Thus, even properly cooked fish can be still be saturated with histamine.

Sensitive people can develope serious 'allergy-like' reactions.

Here is a list of some of the fishes which are associated with 'scombroid food poisoning' as they naturally have high levels of histidine.

• Amberjack
• Anchovies
• Bluefish
• Cape Yellowtail
• Herring
• Mackerel
• Mahi-Mahi
• Marlin
• Pilchards
• Sardines
• Tuna
• *Salmon (Though salmon isn't high in histidine, it has been connected to scombroid food poisoning)

b. Matured & Fermented Food

Cured meat, sauerkraut, cheese, yoghurt, kefir, red wine, smoked fish, bacon, sausages are a few of the fermented/matured food that have high levels of histamine. Again histidine is converted to histamine by the fermentation process which is aided by bacterias.

Meat and poultry are best eaten freshly cooked.

c. Wine (Alcohol)

Alcoholic drinks are high in histamine, particularly champagne and red wine. Red wine is not only high in histamines BUT it also is an inhibitor of the DOA enzyme (read my previous post) which is responsible for metabolising histamine. For sensitive people, drinking wine can be life-threatening! There is a term called the 'red-wine asthma' as some individuals after ingesting red wine, develope asthma-like breathing problems.

d. Fruits

Certain fruits contain high levels of histamine. They are strawberries, kiwi, papaya, bananas, grapefruits, mangoes and strawberries.

e. Vegetables

Tomatoes, spinach, eggplants, avocado, mushrooms and canned vegetables are some of the histamine-trouble-makers.

f. Others

• All types of vinegars
• Fermented soy products (soy sauce, tofu)
• Tea/Coffee
• Flavoured drinks
• Apple cider
• Basically all commercially prepared food
• Confectionaries made with yeast

Click on LINK to read more on the 'histamine' restricted diet.

Foods with Potential Histamine-Releasing Effect

Interestingly enough, even if you do not consume food with histamine, there are certain foods which can cause your body to react and to be flooded with histamine.

• Citrus fruits (This seems to be at the top of the list for histamine-releasing effect)
• Papaya
• Pineapple
• Chocolate
• Nuts
• Additives
• Licorice

Symptoms of Histamine Intolerance

* Primary Symptoms

• Low blood pressure
• Diarrhoea
• Headache (which aggravates when moving - in contrast with tension-type headaches)
• Heart rhythm problems (cardiac arrhythmia) 
• Acid reflux
• Rhinitis
• Asthma/Chronic cough
• Flushing
• Pruritis
• Tiredness
• Dysmenorrhoea

*Secondary Symptoms 
(Some people may have delayed reactions. Or secondary symptoms after the primary symptoms have subsided)

• Sleep disturbances (insomnia)
• Anxiety/Panic attacks

Treatment

As there are no blood tests or even tests available in the medical world today for histamine intolerance, a low-histamine diet is recommended. Before you proceed to change your diet or go on an elimination diet, it is VITAL to consult a specialist whose mind is open to such sensitivities. NEVER go on such diets on your own. It could be fatal!

Click on HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE to understand more about this sensitivity.

Click on HISTAMINE & HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE.

AMINES Part 2 - Biogenic Amines

In my previous post, I wrote about four different types of amines which we come across in our everyday life. They are the amino acids, biogenic amines, trymethylamine and aniline.

In this post, I will be writing about the biogenic amines and how it affects our everyday lives.

Biogenic Amines

A biogenic amine is biogenic substance with one or more amine groups. A biogenic substance is a substance which is produced by life processes. It could be secreted or is a part of plants and animals.

Examples of biogenic amines are:

a. Histamine

This is a substance which is derived from the amino acid histidine which acts as a neurotransmitter mediating arousal and attention. It is also a pro-inflammatory signal released from mast cells in response to allergic reactions or tissue damage.

Histamine is also an important stimulant of HCl (hydrochloric acid) secretion by the stomach through the histamine H2 receptors.

b. Serotonin

This is a central nervous system neurotransmitter derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Its role is to regulate mood, sleep, appetite and sexuality.

c. Catecholamine neurotransmitters

There are three of this neurotransmitters:

• Norepinephrine - This is a neurotransmitter which is involved in sleep and wakefulness, attention, feeding behaviour and a stress hormone that regulates the sympathetic nervous system.
• Epinephrine - This is an adrenal stress hormone.
• Dopamine - This is a neurotransmitter that is involved in motivation, reward, addiction, behavioral reinforcement and coordination of body movements.

d. Trace Amines

• 3-Iodothyronamine - This is a metabolite of the thyroid hormones.
• Tryptarmine - This is a monoamine alkaloid found in the brains of mammals. It acts as a neuromodulator and neurotransmitter.
• Tyramine - This is a substance found in many types of common food which causes migraines, headaches and elevated blood pressure.
• Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
• Phenethylamine
• Octopamine

Two Types of Biogenic Amines

1. Endogenous Biogenic Amines

Endogenous is defined as substances which originate from within an organism, tissue or cell. Endogenous amines are produced in many different tissues within our bodies. Adrenaline is produced in our adrenal medulla and histamine is produced in our mast cells and liver.

2. Exogenous Biogenic Amines

Exogenous is defined as something which is outside the system. In this case, exogenous biogenic amines are amines which are not from our bodies. These are from the food that we eat which are then absorbed into our system via the intestines.

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Monoamine oxidases (MAO) are a family of enzymes in our system which helps break down the amines in our bodies. It also prevents our bodies from excessive amine resorption. Without this family of enzymes, (or a lack of or too much) in our bodies, it can result in psychiatric and neurological disorders. The monoamine oxidase is further divided into two sub-groups: MAO-A and MAO-B.

a. MAO-A

• This is found in the liver, gastrointestinal tract and placenta. This MAO-A is very vital in the catabolism of monoamines which are ingested in food. Catabolism means the molecules are broken down in smaller units to release energy which contributes to wakefulness and maintenance and growth of cells.
• MAO-A mostly breaks down serotonin, melatonin, noradrenaline and adrenaline. 
• Adrenaline/noradrenaline will be turned into 3,4-Dihydroxymandelic acid, which is a hormone and neuron transmitter.
• Metanephrine will be turned into vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) which if is elevated in the urine, the patient would have tumors (adrenal gland tumors) that secrete catecholamines.
• MAO-A inhibitors are used as antidepressants and anti-anxiety agents.

b. MAO-B

• This is found mostly in blood platelets. 
• Dopamine will be turned to dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. This seems to be the trigger for Parkinson's disease. 
• MAO-B inhibitors (sometimes used together with MAO-A inhibitors) are used to treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Thus, unusually high or low levels of MAOs in the body has been connected to depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, and even migraines.

Click on LINK to read more about the importance and functions of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in our bodies.