Wine and Sulfites

[Bucko]

Sulfites are not the cause of headaches. Histamine is almost always the culprit in red wine headaches. Histamine is found in the skins of all grapes. Since red wines are in contact with the skins for prolonged periods, they have much more histamine than white wines. Sneezing, facial flushing, headache, diarrhea, skin itching, and shortness of breath are common symptoms occurring in patients intolerant to histamines after drinking one glass of red wine.

The role of histamine in wine intolerance was evaluated in one medical study. They challenged the patients with 125 ml red wine (equivalent to 50 micrograms histamine), then blood samples were drawn before and after 15 and 30 minutes. Plasma histamine was assessed by a radioimmunoassay. 79% of the patients had symptoms, showing significantly higher plasma histamine levels 30 minutes after the wine challenge compared to controls. Histamine levels were assessed on 52 wines (red, white, and champagne) and in 17 beers by radioimmunoassay. Histamine levels ranged up to 120 micrograms/l in white wines; 670 micrograms/l in champagnes; 3800 micrograms/l in red wines; and 305 micrograms/l in beers. Histamine is causing the wine intolerance.

Patients intolerant to wine seem to have diminished histamine degradation probably based on a deficiency of diamine oxidase or a lack of the enzyme. Diamine oxidase is localized in the jejunal mucosa (gut lining) and is the most important enzyme metabolizing histamine. A histamine-free diet is the treatment of choice for patients with histamine intolerance and chronic headache. As supportive treatment, vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate) appears useful in histamine-intolerant patients, as pyridoxal phosphate seems to be crucial for diamine oxidase activity.

I personally suffer from allergies. Too much red wine causes me facial flushing. I have found that when I take the non-sedating antihistamine Allegra or Claritin before I drink wine, I have no problems. You might want to see your Family Physician (hopefully not a tee-totaller).