Zinc and Copper - Histamine
Not a day goes by where I don’t receive a message regarding histamine.
Histamine is the substance that the body makes when it is trying to create a tissue immune response is the main cause of this swelling of tissue and attracts immune agents to the required area. For example if someone is stung by a bee, the histamine causes swelling of the tissue to dilute the poison so it will not cause any further damage. What many people do not realise, is that the mineral zinc is used in the storage of histamine.
So, after the poison has been dealt with by the immune system, the tissue releases a substance called ‘histaminase’, or diaminoxidase (DAO), which breaks down the histamine and the tissue goes back to normalcy. If it did not, then the swelling would remain too long. What many do not realise, is that copper is essential for the histaminase enzyme. If a person has an excessive histamine response, they may overreact to such a sting which causes swelling all over their body. It is not the poison that causes the person to react and swell up in other areas of their body, but instead, it is the histamine that their body produces.
It’s critical to note that some histamine is essential to prevent the poison from spreading into the blood and that the routine use of antihistamines (drugs) can undermine the body’s innate wisdom, and so that they do not have a high histamine reaction to respond to the poison. Too much histamine, however, can be very dangerous if the swelling affects areas that should not be swollen such as the throat. But nonetheless, histamine is essential for a healthy immune response.
Allergies on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)
I want to relate histamine, zinc and copper to the HTMA. When properly interpreted, a hair analysis presents a unique type of information that can assist with the determination of high or low tissue allergy responses.
At present, the most commonly accepted method of allergy testing is this skin rash test where allergens are tested on the skin for a reaction. The HTMA has very useful applications have a different type.
High Zn/Cu ratio indicating high tissue histamine.
If there is an elevated zinc to copper ratio this gives some insight into the possibility of high histamine response.
Does this mean that they will be allergic to a bee sting?
Possibly, because they may have fewer resources to make enough antihistamine, due to the low copper. It may, however, the more relevant to other aspects of their health, for the same reason. If they eat a certain food or breathe a substance into their body that causes a mild reaction for their immune system, then the body may heighten the allergic response above what is called for. In other words, the body may have an exaggerated response. This would mean that they are hypersensitive to that substance.
The same principle applies as to the bee sting, in that the copper-containing enzyme, histaminase, will not be able to break down histamine rapidly enough to calm down the allergy response. We, therefore, have an excessive histamine reaction.
This may result in sensitivity to various foods and inhalants, skin creams and lotions, pollutants or just a fever as the body tries to mobilise the toxicant. Perhaps even in some cases of asthma. The tissue could inflame in the respiratory tract or digestive tract or even on the skin.
There are many prescriptions or recommendations to take zinc for skin conditions. But, if that person is presenting with high zinc and a high histamine skin rash then this recommendation could make things worse due to the antagonism of zinc to copper, further imbalancing the ratio.
Low Zn/Cu indicating low tissue histamine.
The opposite reaction to this, is the effect of low zinc to copper ratio. I have found copper toxicity is to be a substantial problem in America and Western Australia, but less common in other areas of Australia such as the east coast and the Eyre of Peninsula.
If there is high copper and low zinc then the histamine response may be low or high. As zinc can also reduce histamine reactions in this circumstance. This is because the increased histamine reaction that zinc can cause is due to it’s antagonism to copper, and therefore antihistamine.
Keep in mind, that zinc supplementation, on its own, can reduce the histamine response (G Marone, 1986). As long as it is not interfering with a low copper level and worsening the Zn/Cu ratio. You might think this is better as the immune reaction will be less, but, if there’s too little of a histamine reaction, the allergy-causing substance is not neutralized at the first level of response with the swelling and dilution in fluids. Just because they are not displaying symptoms, does not mean that the person is better off. Since the body is not protecting itself properly and there may be responses to food and inhalants negatively affecting them on a deeper level. When there is a low zinc to copper ratio on the HTMA, there can be an increased need for therapeutic doses of vitamin C, as copper antagonises this vitamin.
Finger Nails
While we are discussing zinc it is worthwhile to bring up the point of identifying zinc deficiency from observational means (other than HTMA). It has been proposed that zinc deficiency can be detected by white spots on the fingernails, but I have not found this to be reliable. I must make this clear that this is anecdotal and open to further discuss, however, I have seen enough zinc deficiency with HTMA that did not have white spots on the fingernails to realize how much of it I would have missed had I used that method only.
I have found that spots on the fingernails can show show up from elevated copper and due to it’s antagonism with zinc, a relative deficiency despite good zinc levels. I have also seen elevated lead do this as well.
So, even if we could rely on the spots on the nails, it will still not guide as to the other mineral levels, and which one may be antagonizing the zinc.
References
G Marone, M. C. (1986). Physiological concentrations of zinc inhibit the release of histamine from human basophils and lung mast cells. 18(1-2), 103-6. doi:10.1007/BF01987995. Physiological concentrations of zinc inhibit the release of histamine from human basophils and lung mast cells - PubMed (nih.gov)