ChemicalBook > Articles Catagory List >Biochemical-Engineering >the-benefits-uses-and-side-effects-of-l-histidine

The benefits, uses and side effects of L-Histidine

Nov 24，2023

Description

L-Histidine (L-His, L-H) is an essential amino acid used in the production of proteins and is frequently present at the active site of proteins. It shows anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antisecretory functions within the body.

Benefits

L-histidine is an amino acid necessary for human nutrition and has many medically proven benefits. Increased dietary histidine intake and supplementation at doses of 4.0–4.5 g histidine/day are linked to lower levels of oxidative stress, proinflammatory cytokines, fasting blood sugar, and markers of glucose homeostasis. Histidine intake also enhances cognitive performance (e.g., decreases appetite, anxiety, and stress and improves sleep), potentially through histidine metabolism to histamine[1].

Article illustration

Uses

L-histidine acts as a precursor of histamine related to inflammatory responses. Hence, Oh et al. investigated the urinary levels of l-histidine as a new candidate biomarker for diagnosing this condition[2]. They found that Urinary L-histidine levels were significantly higher in patients with ACO than those with asthma or COPD. However, the subgroups of ACO, classified according to disease origin, did not differ significantly. High urinary L-histidine level was a significant factor for the diagnosis of ACO, even after adjusting for age, sex, and smoking amount. Consequently, urinary l-histidine could be a potential biomarker for ACO, regardless of the diversity of diagnostic definitions used.

As a bio-based substance, L-histidine has been used as the catalyst to lower the ring-opening polymerization of the well-commercialized benzoxazine resin (BA-a) based on aniline and bisphenol-A. Yang et al. found that this compound is a good property modifier for BA-a-derived thermosets[3]. In particular, the thermoset derived from BA-a with adding only 5 mol% L-histidine exhibits excellent thermal stability.

Side effects

This amino acid is not produced naturally in the body but must be obtained through food. People also take supplements to increase their levels of L-histidine. When taken in the recommended dosages, L-histidine is generally regarded as safe. Large doses, however, may result in adverse side effects like vomiting, diarrhea, and upset stomach. Studies report adverse effects of histidine at high intakes of histidine (>24 g/d), such as decreased serum zinc and cognitive impairment[4].

References

[1] Siao Pei Tan. “Feeding filaggrin: effects of l-histidine supplementation in atopic dermatitis.” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (2017): 403–411.

[2] Rui Yang, Kan Zhang, Boran Hao. “A study of the effect of L-histidine on the polymerization of benzoxazines and properties of their thermosets.” Polymer Bulletin 79 3 (2021): 1615–1626.

[3] Jee Youn Oh. “Increased urinary l-histidine in patients with asthma-COPD overlap: a pilot study.” International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 13 (2018): 1809–1818.

[4] Anna E Thalacker-Mercer, Mary E Gheller. “Benefits and Adverse Effects of Histidine Supplementation.” Journal of Nutrition 150 Suppl 1 (2020): 2588S-2592S.

);