**Note: All laboratory testing requires an authorizing physician. DHA Laboratory offers a patient direct program that partners you with an authorizing physician.**
Whole Blood histamine levels are used as a marker for methylation status, and to determine the presence of histadelia, or histapenia. Histamine, in its whole blood form, is utilized as an accurate marker for under methylation or over methylation.
Elevated whole blood histamine levels indicate under-methylation. Review of symptoms and medical history can bolster the diagnosis. For example, most under-methylated persons exhibit seasonal allergies, perfectionism, strong wills, slenderness, OCD tendencies, high libido, depression.
Low whole blood histamine levels indicate over-methylation. Persons who are over-methylated generally exhibit high anxiety, panic disorders, absence of seasonal allergies, presence of food/chemical sensitivities, dry eyes, low perspiration, artistic/music interests/abilities, intolerance to Prozac and other SSRI’s, etc.
Conditions associated with under-methylation are: Anorexia, Bulimia, shopping/gambling disorders, depression, schizo-affective disorder, delusions, oppositional-defiant disorder, OCD.
Conditions associated with over-methylation are: Anxiety/Panic disorders, anxious depression, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, low motivation, paranoid schizophrenia, hallucinations. (Oct 3, 2003) Most persons with depression, oppositional defiant disorder, OCD, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia exhibit a genetic abnormality in methylation which appears to be central to their illness. Carl Pfeiffer, MD, PhD of Princeton, NJ was a pioneer in this field. (Oct 3, 2003)
Trained physicians will often order the Methylation Profile (SAM/SAH ratio) test to reinforce whole blood histamine results.