Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

MCAS at it worst presents with shortness of breath so they get swelling and inflammation in the lining of their lungs.
Lighter MCAS patients appear as allergic types. Sinus, Runny Eyes, Itchy skin, Hives etc.
Histamine in the body also affects us circadian rhythm so often patients become insomniacs
Brain fog and fatigue is common because when your immune system is on red alert like that the whole time it’s exhausting.
Sneezing upon eating something can trigger the mast cells to produce a histamine reaction.
These patients will usually have some kind of IBS- inflammation in the gut which can result in leaky gut and changing the microbiome.
If you stop Histamine containing foods like tomatoes, spinach, avocaods, meat, fish, dairy and no real improvement in symptoms then the patient should be investigated for Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
3% of the population have poor histamine metabolism BUT about 17% of the population have dysfunctional mast cells which overreact and trigger too easily and to things, things that they should just be ignoring. Our mast cells are part of our immune system, a very important part, there sort of like bouncers in a nightclub, they are the first cells the meet infection. There just inside the gut wall, the lungs, in the mouth and nasal passages and under our skin so they’re poised ready of to defend the body basically.
Over 50 mutations have been identified in genes which can lead to MCAS and so people will have different degrees of those mutations, this will determine how severe their MCAS dysfunction. MCAS release histamine and over thousand different potent and powerful chemicals cytokines and chemokines into the system. (This is very helpful if you’ve got an infection but not great if you haven’t) and they could they cause unnecessary inflammation when there’s a very small stimulus like smelling someones perfume, that they should just really be ignoring into the body.