Mold, Lyme, Gut Health, and the Mystery of Histamine Intolerance

Many people struggle with mysterious symptoms like fatigue, brain
fog, food sensitivities, and skin issues—only to be misdiagnosed or
dismissed altogether. This conversation highlights how histamine
intolerance and mast cell activation syndrome can be the hidden
drivers behind a wide range of chronic conditions, and why they're
often overlooked in conventional medicine. From the role of gut
health, food triggers, and environmental toxins to deeper root
causes like Lyme disease or mold exposure, it’s clear that
personalized, Functional Medicine is key to uncovering real
answers. Understanding the immune system’s role in histamine
reactions—and how even “healthy” foods can be inflammatory for
some—is a critical step toward healing. In this episode, I talk
with Dr. Todd LePine, Dr. Elizabeth Boham, and Dr. Mark Pimentel
about what histamine intolerance is, how it can be related to gut
health, and why it’s important to address it. Dr. Todd LePine
graduated from Dartmouth Medical School and is Board Certified in
Internal Medicine, specializing in Integrative Functional Medicine.
He is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner.
Prior to joining The UltraWellness Center, he worked as a physician
at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA, for 10 years. Dr. LePine’s focus at
The UltraWellness Center is to help his patients achieve optimal
health and vitality by restoring the natural balance to both the
mind and the body. His areas of interest include optimal aging,
bio-detoxification, functional gastrointestinal health, systemic
inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and the neurobiology of mood
and cognitive disorders. Dr. LePine enjoys skiing, kayaking,
hiking, camping, and golfing in the beautiful Berkshires, and is a
fitness enthusiast. Dr. Elizabeth Boham is Board Certified in
Family Medicine from Albany Medical School, and she is an Institute
for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner and the Medical
Director of The UltraWellness Center. Dr. Boham lectures on a
variety of topics, including Women’s Health and Breast Cancer
Prevention, insulin resistance, heart health, weight control and
allergies. She is on the faculty for the Institute for Functional
Medicine. Dr. Mark Pimentel is a Professor of Medicine and
Gastroenterology through the Geffen School of Medicine and an
Associate Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Pimentel is
also the Executive Director of the Medically Associated Science and
Technology (MAST) program at Cedars-Sinai, an enterprise of
physicians and researchers dedicated to the study of the gut
microbiome in order to develop effective diagnostic tools and
therapies to improve patient care.  Dr. Pimentel has over 150
publications in many high-profile journals, and he is the author of
the book, The Microbiome Connection: Your Guide to IBS, SIBO, and
low fermentation eating. This episode is brought to you by
BIOptimizers. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10
to save 10%. Full-length episodes can be found here: Is Histamine
Intolerance The Cause Of Your Mysterious Symptoms? What is
Histamine Intolerance? Surprising Symptoms You Need to Know IBS:
It’s Not In Your Head—Advances In Diagnosing And Treating, Bloating
And Tummy Troubles