B1 / Thiamine Causing Histamine Issues

[Katty]

I've taken B1 on and off for several years, everywhere from 10mg to 100mg per day. Mostly taken the thiamine HCL form. When I take it regularly, it makes me smell funny, so I cut it back for a while, but then I always start up again because I feel like it's useful (though the more and more I try, the less I notice its effects).
Recently, when I take it on a regular basis, it seems to cause histamine issues, like getting hives. When I cut it out, I don't break out in the hives. I thought B1 was supposed to be helpful with histamine issues so I'm confused about this reaction. Anecdotally, I've read others on other websites mention they also had allergy issues when taking B1.
Anyone have thoughts on why this happens?

 

[DB_2014]

You're the first person I've found who reports histamine issues with thiamine other than myself. Thiamine helped me splendidly for several months. Now, it's giving me horrible stomach pains every time I take it and causing histamine-like issues.

 

[Mauritio]

It could be an allergic reaction . Watch out for allergic symptoms like swollen upper eyelid or tingling on the lips or elbow cracks.

 

[Katty]

You're the first person I've found who reports histamine issues with thiamine other than myself. Thiamine helped me splendidly for several months. Now, it's giving me horrible stomach pains every time I take it and causing histamine-like issues.

Are you also taking it as Thiamine HCL, or another form like benfotiamine or allithiamine?

 

[DB_2014]

Are you also taking it as Thiamine HCL, or another form like benfotiamine or allithiamine?

I've tried all 4 forms. Benfotiamine, Lipothiamine, Allithiamine, and Thiamine HCL. Thiamine HCL gave me no benefits, and increased histamine issues. Lipothiamine gave me some benefits (improved tinnitus and brain fog), but worse constipation and stomach pain. Allithiamine did absolutely nothing. Benfotiamine greatly reduced my muscle pain and seemed the least problematic. Eventually, even the benfo began giving me stomach pain and histamine issues. I've since quit thiamine altogether. My muscle pain has remained consistently improved, however, even after quitting the thiamine. Maybe my body just needed to replete its stores, and the extra was causing problems? I'm not sure at this point to be honest.

Edit: Forgot to add, I've tried sulbutiamine as well. Noticed nothing with that. Maybe slightly enhanced mood.

 

[Katty]

I've tried all 4 forms. Benfotiamine, Lipothiamine, Allithiamine, and Thiamine HCL. Thiamine HCL gave me no benefits, and increased histamine issues. Lipothiamine gave me some benefits (improved tinnitus and brain fog), but worse constipation and stomach pain. Allithiamine did absolutely nothing. Benfotiamine greatly reduced my muscle pain and seemed the least problematic. Eventually, even the benfo began giving me stomach pain and histamine issues. I've since quit thiamine altogether. My muscle pain has remained consistently improved, however, even after quitting the thiamine. Maybe my body just needed to replete its stores, and the extra was causing problems? I'm not sure at this point to be honest.

Edit: Forgot to add, I've tried sulbutiamine as well. Noticed nothing with that. Maybe slightly enhanced mood.

Interesting. So I guess it seems other forms can also cause the histamine reactions. Hopefully someone will pipe up to explain the histamine-B1 issues.

 

[Homo Consumericus]

I've tried all 4 forms. Benfotiamine, Lipothiamine, Allithiamine, and Thiamine HCL. Thiamine HCL gave me no benefits, and increased histamine issues. Lipothiamine gave me some benefits (improved tinnitus and brain fog), but worse constipation and stomach pain. Allithiamine did absolutely nothing. Benfotiamine greatly reduced my muscle pain and seemed the least problematic. Eventually, even the benfo began giving me stomach pain and histamine issues. I've since quit thiamine altogether. My muscle pain has remained consistently improved, however, even after quitting the thiamine. Maybe my body just needed to replete its stores, and the extra was causing problems? I'm not sure at this point to be honest.

Edit: Forgot to add, I've tried sulbutiamine as well. Noticed nothing with that. Maybe slightly enhanced mood.

There is a sixth option you could try: thiamine mononitrate. While 100mg of hcl made me anhedonic, sleepy, and weak, 100mg of mononitrate does not.

 

[SaltGirl]

Magnesium Deficiency?

 

[Kunstruct]

Thiamine HCL 25mg or 100mg from Now Foods, immediate blood penile retraction, so the reaction happens within minutes usually. Might try another brand and see if this changes.
Yeah it also make me smell really funny, but I do not have to take it for long to make me smell funny, it make me smell funny within hours after taking it, but I thought that is happening to anyone anyway.

 

[Kunstruct]

You're the first person I've found who reports histamine issues with thiamine other than myself. Thiamine helped me splendidly for several months. Now, it's giving me horrible stomach pains every time I take it and causing histamine-like issues.

Well B1 is claimed to raise stomach acid anyway or used when your stomach acid is low, not sure if this is one of your issues. Now I am not sure if it is the HCL alone which gives you this issues or the Thiamine by itself. You know HCL will increase your stomach acid and Thiamine HCL has HCL.
But based on others it seems Thaimine in many forms can raise stomach issues anyway.

 

[Katty]

Magnesium Deficiency?

Low in magnesium from the smelling bad issue? Or from the hives issue? When I was diligent about magnesium intake (and when hair analysis tests showed my magnesium was high), I still smelled funky from B1. The hives are new and I haven't been quite as diligent with the magnesium, but I'm wondering if magnesium would help with histamine issues?

 

[LauriePartridge]

I have come across information that reports B1 is a histamine liberator.

(under medications that influence histamine)
Correcting Mast Cell Activation Syndrome - Histamine Intolerance - Mastocytosis - Biologix Center for Optimum Health

This group does extensive research on histamine and is quite reputable. They list Thiamine/B1 as being a liberator and DAO blocker with certain types of administration:
HIT > Therapy > Medicaments

 

[Katty]

I have come across information that reports B1 is a histamine liberator.

(under medications that influence histamine)
Correcting Mast Cell Activation Syndrome - Histamine Intolerance - Mastocytosis - Biologix Center for Optimum Health

This group does extensive research on histamine and is quite reputable. They list Thiamine/B1 as being a liberator and DAO blocker with certain types of administration:
HIT > Therapy > Medicaments

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

[LauriePartridge]

Also you wondered about a connection between magnesium and histamine. Here's a study that shows significant increase in histamine with the onset of magnesium deficiency. It's interesting that only a few days of magnesium deficiency can cause rapid increase of histamine.

Specific change of histamine metabolism in acute magnesium-deficient young rats. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Waynish]

Have you tried in non capsule form? Just add in your coffee/tea/drink that way...

 

[Katty]

Hi @Waynish
Now sure if that suggestion was for me? I do take the powdered form (not in capsule), same results.

 

[Waynish]

Hi @Waynish
Now sure if that suggestion was for me? I do take the powdered form (not in capsule), same results.

I think you probably have something between your stomach and large intestine that is causing the reaction - probably fungi or bacteria. Have you done some things to clean out overgrowths and potential parasites?

 

[Katty]

I know bacteria/fungi, etc, can cause problematic symptoms generally. But why would you think that an allergy-like response to B1 was caused by bacteria/fungi?

 

[Waynish]

I know bacteria/fungi, etc, can cause problematic symptoms generally. But why would you think that an allergy-like response to B1 was caused by bacteria/fungi?

B1 speeds up metabolism in a way that is damaging their lifecycle potentially. They trigger the response you're seeing. Theoretical, but not uncommon I think.

 

[Katty]

Interesting, thanks for your thoughts.