It’s safe to say that most of us have grappled with our mental health at some point or another. Whether it’s feelings of emptiness or sadness creeping in, feelings of anxiety or irritability popping up, difficulty sleeping, or simply having a hard time focusing and getting motivated – it can be downright frustrating to feel like you’re locked in a battle with your own brain.

These experiences are a normal part of life. But when those feelings or symptoms seem to persist no matter what you try, it can feel like there’s a dark, gloomy cloud looming over your life. But research is finding that there could be an underlying, often-overlooked culprit that just might be to blame for some of the brain-based imbalances that affect anything from our mood to our cognition and everything in between.

This mischief-maker I'm referring to is a specialized type of cell known as a mast cell. Today, we’re going to explore what your mast cells are, what happens when they begin misbehaving, how these malfunctioning mast cells can have such a significant impact on your brain, and most importantly – what you can do about it. Let’s dive in.

What Are Mast Cells Anyway?

Mast cells are like the security guards of our bodies. Their main gig is to keep an eye out for troublemakers – things like bacteria, viruses, or allergens. When they spot something suspicious, they unleash their secret weapon – a cocktail of substances stored in little sacs within them. This process, known as degranulation, releases a medley of signaling molecules designed to rapidly ramp up inflammation and jumpstart your immune response. 

There are many different substances stored within and released by mast cells, but histamine is the rockstar of this cocktail. It's a multitasker – it can make blood vessels wider, allowing more immune cells to rush to the scene, and also cause sneezing, itching, and other allergy-like responses.¹

In a normal immune response, mast cells degranulate, ramp up inflammation until the threat is neutralized, and then settle back down to baseline. But sometimes, this process can go a little haywire. Case in point – mast cell activation syndrome.

What Exactly Is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)?

Now, normally your mast cells are great at detecting and dealing with threats – releasing their superhero substances only when there is a real menace. But sometimes, these vigilant guardian cells can get a little bit too enthusiastic and begin releasing their defense arsenal even when there’s no real danger. 

That’s mast cell activation syndrome or MCAS – when your mast cells get trigger-happy and begin hitting the alarm way too often. In MCAS, mast cells release a flood of substances (like histamine) at the wrong time and in the wrong place – sort of like a real-life superhero having an identity crisis. Now, the tricky part is that MCAS symptoms can be all over the map – from brain fog and mood swings to headaches and digestive issues.^2,3

And just to make it more interesting, MCAS can mimic other conditions, making it a bit of a puzzle to solve. This is especially true when it comes to the impact that mast cell activation syndrome can have on your brain – where it can disrupt the delicate balance and lead to all kinds of side effects that are often mistaken for different neurological and psychiatric conditions.

What Are the Psychiatric Manifestations Of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)?

Some of the neurological and psychiatric manifestations that MCAS can potentially trigger include:^4,5,6

• Brain fog: Many individuals with MCAS report difficulties with concentration, memory, and mental clarity, often described as “brain fog.”
• Mood swings: MCAS may contribute to mood swings, including episodes of anxiety, depression, irritability, and emotional instability.
• Headaches: Chronic headaches, migraines, and tension headaches are common neurological symptoms associated with MCAS.
• Fatigue: Persistent fatigue and feelings of exhaustion are frequently reported by individuals with mast cell activation syndrome.
• Sleep disturbances: Insomnia, disrupted sleep patterns, and difficulty falling or staying asleep are common sleep-related issues associated with MCAS.
• Cognitive impairment: Some individuals with MCAS may experience cognitive impairment, including difficulties with processing speed, attention, and executive functions.
• Neuropathic pain: MCAS has been linked to neuropathic pain, which can manifest as tingling, burning sensations, or other abnormal sensations in different parts of the body.
• Depersonalization/derealization: Some individuals may experience a sense of detachment from oneself (depersonalization) or from the surrounding environment (derealization).
• Anxiety, depression, and panic disorders: There may be an increased risk of developing or exacerbating existing psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety disorders, panic attacks, and depressive disorders.
• Psychiatric conditions: Like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, and bipolar disorder have been linked to MCAS.
• Seizure-like symptoms: In some cases, individuals with MCAS may report symptoms resembling seizures, such as transient loss of awareness, twitching, or other abnormal movements.

So how on earth can overzealous mast cells cause such a ruckus in your brain?

What Does Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) Do To Your Brain?

To understand how malfunctioning mast cells can significantly impact your brain, cognition, and mood, we must zoom in on what’s happening at the cellular level. When your mast cells become over-reactive and begin spewing their inflammation-stoking signaling molecules, it can disrupt the balance of your brain via a process that goes something like this:^7,8

• Neuroinflammation: Mast cell activation can lead to the release of inflammatory mediators, contributing to neuroinflammation. This can affect the normal functioning of brain cells.
• Blood-brain barrier disruption: Mast cell activation may compromise the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, allowing substances that normally wouldn't pass through to enter the brain. This can lead to further inflammation and potential neuronal damage.
• Release of neurotransmitters: Mast cells release various neurotransmitters, including histamine, which can influence neural signaling. Abnormal neurotransmitter levels may disrupt normal communication between brain cells.
• Oxidative stress: Mast cell activation can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing oxidative stress. Elevated oxidative stress levels can damage cellular components, including those in the brain.
• Altered immune response: Dysregulated mast cell activity may impact the immune response in the brain. This altered immune response can contribute to chronic inflammation and affect neural function.
• Glial cell activation: Mast cell activation may trigger the activation of glial cells (such as microglia and astrocytes) in the brain. Activated glial cells can release pro-inflammatory substances, further contributing to neuroinflammation.
• Excitotoxicity: Mast cell activation can lead to the release of substances that promote excitotoxicity, a process where excessive stimulation of neurons can result in cell damage or death.
• Neuronal hyperexcitability: Mast cell activation may influence the excitability of neurons, potentially leading to abnormal firing patterns and disrupting the balance of neural circuits.

This combination of effects can shift the equilibrium within your brain and lead to neurological and psychiatric symptoms. With such tricky and life-impacting symptoms, you’re probably wondering if there’s a way to treat mast cell activation syndrome and get these runaway mast cells under control.

Can Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Be Treated?

The answer to this question is – yes, but it requires a big-picture, whole-life approach. Mast cell activation syndrome isn’t “cured” in the sense that you can take a pill or undergo a procedure to get rid of it. Rather, treating mast cell activation syndrome requires you to focus on healing any underlying imbalances that triggered your mast cells to become hyper-sensitive in the first place. 

Because mast cell activation is not well-understood or even acknowledged by many conventional healthcare professionals, it can be tricky to even get a diagnosis of MCAS – let alone start a treatment protocol. For that reason, I cannot overemphasize the importance of working with an experienced Integrative and Functional Medicine Doctor if you suspect MCAS or are dealing with persistent symptoms that aren’t resolving despite multiple attempts at treatment.

An Integrative and Functional Medicine doctor will work with you to come up with a comprehensive plan for addressing MCAS that might look something like this:

Accurate Diagnosis

The first step in treating MCAS is correctly pinpointing it as the culprit triggering your symptoms. Again, many conventional medicine doctors will dismiss the idea of MCAS, so it’s crucial to work with a practitioner who will take your concerns seriously and evaluate whether or not your symptoms meet the criteria to be diagnosed with MCAS. 

Click here to learn more about the exact criteria that are used to diagnose MCAS in my article Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: How It’s Diagnosed and 2 Exciting New Treatments.

Identifying Underlying Triggers

Just some of the triggers that can contribute to throwing your mast cells off-kilter and potentially lead to MCAS include:

• Mold exposure
• Exposure to other environmental toxins
• Chronic psychological stress
• Unaddressed trauma or nervous system dysregulation
• Hidden underlying infections

These underlying triggers can essentially overwhelm and confuse your immune system – causing your mast cells to become hypervigilant and begin sounding the alarm even when there is no imminent threat.

Addressing Diet and Nutrient Intake

Diet and supplementation are a key part of healing mast cell activation syndrome. Some strategic nutrient-based shifts your practitioner may incorporate might include:

• Following a low-histamine diet
• Boosting levels of your diamine oxidase (DAO) enzyme with supplements like Histamine Blocker
• Supporting your microbiome with probiotics
• Bolstering the integrity of your gut lining with supplements like Gut Shield or Collagen Boost
• Incorporating supplements that help soothe your mast cells like Hist Assist, Quercenase, ResveraMax, or Omega Curcumin
• Addressing any nutrient deficiencies by adding in things like Mineral Essentials and MitoVite
• Assisting your natural detoxification pathways by boosting liver health (your primary detox organ) with Liver Essentials, maximizing Glutathione levels (the master detoxing antioxidant), and incorporating detox binders like ZeoBind to trap free-floating toxins (you can find all of these in my Detox Bundle)

The food and nutrients you introduce into your body can have a monumental impact on the trajectory of mast cell activation syndrome.

Additional Strategies To Heal Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

While the above tactics are undoubtedly the pillars of healing mast cell activation syndrome, they are certainly not the only things that might need to be addressed. To dive deeper into these (as well as some other ways that mast cell activation syndrome might be approached), I encourage you to head over and check out the following resources:

Blog Posts:

• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: 9 Powerful Treatments – and a Surprising Newcomer
• The Surprising Link Between Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes & Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
• Mold is a Major Trigger of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Can MCAS Really Be Triggered by Toxic Mold?
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Here’s What You Need to Know When Histamine Goes Haywire
• Environmental Sensitivities and MCAS: A Look at Their Fascinating Link
• Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: How It's Diagnosed and 2 Exciting New Treatments
• What Are the Symptoms of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?
• Stress and Mast Cell Activation: How Does Stress Really Affect Your Mast Cells?

Resiliency Radio Episodes:

• Dr. Jill interviews Beth O’Hara
• Dr. Jill Interviews Beth O’Hara on Mold and MCAS
• Dr. Jill interviews Bob Miller on A Lesser Known Pathway for Mast Cell Activation (MCAS)
• Dr. Jill interviews Dr. Tania Dempsey, MD, on MCAS
• Dr Jill interviews Dr Jill Schofield on the Breast Implant Illness – MCAS, POTS connection
• Dr Jill interviews Dr Darin Ingels on Tips for Controlling Your Allergies and Asthma, MCAS

These resources and those linked throughout this article are an excellent place to start when it comes to getting a grasp on the complex condition that is mast cell activation syndrome.

Are You Concerned You Might Be Experiencing Brain-Based Symptoms Triggered By Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

If you’re grappling with brain-based symptoms that you can't seem to get to the root of, it might be time to dig a little deeper and see if mast cell activation syndrome could be the problem. With the right approach, it is absolutely possible to restore balance to your mast cells and get relief from the slurry of symptoms these sentinel cells can set off.

The key to stabilizing your mast cells, kicking those vexing symptoms to the curb, healing an ongoing diagnosis, or simply taking your health to the next level requires cultivating a healthy overall lifestyle – one that encompasses your body, mind, soul, environment, and more. And the truth is, cultivating this lifestyle will look a little different for everyone.

If you need a little help figuring out how to create a lifestyle that prioritizes wellness in a way that works for you, I’ve got you covered. In my Resource Roadmap, I’ll help connect you to the information, resources, and products that are most applicable to you – wherever you’re at in your journey. Click here to download your free Resource Roadmap today and take the next step in creating the healthiest, happiest, most vibrant version of you!

Dr. Jill Health® – MCAS Bundle MCAS treatment involves identifying and avoiding triggers that exacerbate symptoms and here is what I recommend to help support and stabilize mast cells to manage symptoms.

Resources:

1. Mast Cell: A Multi-Functional Master Cell – PMC (nih.gov)
2. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Proposed Diagnostic Criteria – PMC (nih.gov)
3. Mast cell activation disease: a concise practical guide for diagnostic workup and therapeutic options | Journal of Hematology & Oncology | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)
4. JPM | Free Full-Text | Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Response to Mast-Cell-Directed Treatment: A Case Series (mdpi.com)
5. Cognitive Dysfunction and Co-morbid Psychiatric Disturbances in Chronic Allergic Conditions – Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (jacionline.org)
6. Mast cell activation disease: An underappreciated cause of neurologic and psychiatric symptoms and diseases – ScienceDirect
7. JPM | Free Full-Text | Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Response to Mast-Cell-Directed Treatment: A Case Series (mdpi.com)
8. Mast cell activation disease: An underappreciated cause of neurologic and psychiatric symptoms and diseases – ScienceDirect