There are some supplements that have been proven help manage systemic mastocytosis (SM) — but there’s also many that can harm it.
Always talk to your healthcare team before trying any kind of supplement, even one generally recommended for SM. Every person is unique, and while the right supplement might help reduce SM’s impact on your body, the wrong type of supplement could act as a symptom triggerSymptom trigger The symptoms of SM may become worse when certain triggers activate mast cells. Common symptom triggers in SM include exercise, insect bites, stress, scented products, alcohol and spicy foods., or cause other harms.
Supplements that can help with SM
Managing the symptom burden of SM requires a multifaceted approach. In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, taking medication prescribed by your healthcare team and eliminating symptom triggers, taking multivitamin or mineral supplements is recommended for most people living with SM to help ensure you are getting enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
Specific vitamins that help SM include:
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps break down histamines, reduces their overall levels and is a mast cell stabilizer.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D can stabilize mast cells and suppress mast cell activationMast cell activation Describes when mast cells release histamine and other mediators into the blood stream in response to an allergen or other trigger. This leads to symptoms like fatigue, rash and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis.. It also plays an important role in bone health, which is important in SM because of the risk of developing osteoporosis.
- Vitamin E: Vitamin E has an inhibitory effect on mast cells, lowering histamineHistamine A chemical released by mast cells when they are activated. Histamine causes many of the allergy-type symptoms in mastocytosis, including flushing, itching and hives. and inflammation levels in the body.
- Magnesium: Magnesium supplements help manage fatigue and muscle cramps.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3s play a role in breaking down histamines in the body and relieving inflammation in the body.
- Quercetin: Quercetin is an antioxidant that has shown success in reducing mast cellMast cell A type of white blood cell produced in the bone marrow. They help defend against infections and play a key role in allergic reactions. In SM, mast cells become overactive and build up throughout the body. activity.
Read more about SM FAQs
Supplements that require extra caution
When seeking a solution to your symptoms and the impact they have on your well-being, you may decide to explore alternative medicine or herbal supplements. This can be risky if you don’t run these treatments by your specialized SM healthcare team — particularly your allergist or hematologist — for their approval before use.
Many herbal medicines, such as echinacea, ginseng and turmeric, can activate mast cells and trigger symptoms.
Any kind of homeopathy, detox diet or cleanse may also be potentially harmful. The herbs or other ingredients may trigger an allergic reaction, or cause stress to the body that then causes an allergic reaction.
Symptoms can vary from mild to severe, with anaphylaxisAnaphylaxis A severe allergic reaction that can turn fatal without treatment. Patients with SM are at a higher risk of developing anaphylaxis. a dangerous consequence of alternative medicine.
Tracking the impact of supplements
The best way to understand if supplements are helping you manage your symptoms or not is by keeping a detailed record. Document the supplement and the way you feel it has positively or negatively impacted your symptoms’ onset, severity and duration.
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