All you need to know about DAO

Listen to Dr. Cheryl Burdette, ND explain the role of Diamine Oxidase in the body, why it matters, and what can be done to test and regulate it.

Diamine Oxidase (DAO) is histamine’s vital counterpart and the primary enzyme responsible for keeping histamine levels in check. DAO degrades extracellular histamine and is mainly produced in the microvilli of the small intestine. When diamine oxidase is low it means the patient cannot properly break down Histamine. Histamine-N-methyltransferase (HNMT) is the secondary enzyme involved in Histamine break down. Low Diamine Oxidase is associated with headaches, fatigue, hives, any allergy symptom, dysmenorrhea, estrogen dominance, arrhythmia, inflammation, arthritis, and certain neurologic conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Symptoms of low DAO are essentially identical to symptoms of Histamine excess because they are two sides of the same coin.

The DAO: Histamine Ratio helps detect even subtle imbalances between Histamine and DAO levels. Even if the DAO enzyme level is normal, symptoms can occur when Histamine is high. A low ratio indicates that there may not be enough of the DAO enzyme relative to the amount of Histamine in the body.

Learn more about the interactions of DAO and histamine, and how to approach the issue in a patient by clicking play below.