Many people suffer intestinal disorders (diarrhoea and/or constipation), abdominal swelling or pain, flatulence, gastroesophageal reflux or colic without really knowing the reason.

Sometimes symptoms appear after the intake of certain food, but not always, which makes difficult to find an objective diagnosis.  Most of these symptoms are not serious threats to the health, but they are indeed uncomfortable and have impact in the daily life.

Primarily, Diamine Oxidase activity levels need to be determined, since it is the main digestive enzyme metabolizing food histamine. Secondly, a positive result will require starting a low-histamine diet. And lastly, enzyme activity levels should be monitored for improvements.

There are other digestive symptoms related to DAO deficiency, such as Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, a functional syndrome characterized by vomiting recurrent episodes.

Furthermore, there are diseases that develop DAO deficiency. At the beginning of the nineties, a study carried out by Düsseldorf University suggested that DAO enzyme could serve as a parameter to improve Crohn’s Disease diagnosis.  High levels of histamine and DAO lowering have been found in Crohn’s Disease, as well as in other maladies such as ulcerative colitis, colon and rectal cancer, or anorexia nervosa, since malnutrition leads to atrophy of the intestinal mucosa.