Essential amino acid and histamine precursor
Quality and Security
High-quality testing run in a CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited lab in Santa Clara, California.
About Histidine
${ activeTab.tab_content.text }
Loading...
About Histidine
Overview and History
Histidine is classified as one of the nine essential amino acids—meaning the body cannot make it and it must come from the diet. Chemically it contains an imidazole side chain that makes it uniquely suited to participate in enzyme active sites, metal coordination, and pH buffering.
Historically identified in protein chemistry research, histidine’s clinical relevance arises from its roles beyond protein building: it donates a substrate for histamine synthesis, contributes to formation of carnosine in muscle and brain, and helps stabilize metal ions like zinc and copper in biological systems.
Interpreting Highs and Lows
Higher-than-average plasma histidine may reflect increased release from protein breakdown, reduced removal or metabolism, or inherited differences in amino acid processing; it can also alter the pool available for histamine or carnosine production. Lower-than-average histidine can reflect limited dietary intake, increased use for tissue repair or immune signaling, or shifts in absorption and metabolic demand. Interpretation is most meaningful alongside the full amino acid profile, markers of protein status, and related metabolic or renal markers.
Featured Test
The Nutrient Zoomer includes histidine to evaluate amino acid availability for protein synthesis, neurotransmitter and immune signaling (histamine), and carnosine-related muscle/brain function. Measuring histidine helps identify patterns of protein turnover, nutrient demand, and interactions with mineral status to inform personalized nutritional assessment.
Related Articles
What do you think of when you hear the term “cardiovascular disease?” Most people immediately think of high cholesterol, but cardiovascular risk goes ...
When it comes to cardiovascular disease (CVD), many people immediately think of high cholesterol. High cholesterol—a specific type of dyslipidemia or ...
Metabolic health is the foundation of nearly every system in the body—from how we generate energy to how we respond to stress, manage inflammation, an...
At low levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) originating from both immune cells and mitochondria are important signaling molecules for the immune syst...
.jpg)
Results trusted by over 18,000 functional wellness professionals
We’re the leading provider of specialty wellness lab testing because we develop our testing with rigorous, ongoing research by top clinical experts, doctors, and scientists.
-1.png?width=542&height=427&name=shutterstock_2371998817%201%20(1)-1.png)
.png?width=207&height=108&name=Group%201410104259%20(1).png)
The gold standard of accuracy in the lab industry
Our tests run on a proprietary 3Dense microchip technology platform that boasts unrivaled specificity and sensitivity. While most other labs carry only CLIA certification, we're CAP-accredited by the College of American Pathologists.
.png?width=487&height=356&name=Frame%201410104197%20(3).png)
.png?width=187&height=63&name=category%20Card%20text%20(1).png)
.png?width=202&height=63&name=category%20Card%20text%20(2).png)
Mary Beth Augustine
DCN, RDN, FAND- Lead Clinical Educator
Suzanne Barker
MS, RDN, LD, CTTS, CGP- Clinical Educator
Suzette Garcia
MSc- MHNE- Clinical Educator
Brooke Mader Ganev
MS, CNS, LDN, FDN- Clinical Educator
Adair Anderson
MS, RDN, LDN- Clinical Educator
Lillie Luu Nguyen
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jason Barker
ND- Clinical Educator
Emaline Brown
ND- Clinical Educator
Dana Filatova
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jessy Dhanjal
ND- Clinical Educator
Nour Amri
MS, LDN, CNS, CKNS- Clinical Educator
