Mast cells are also present in large concentrations within our lymph and blood vessels walls, our skin layers, and our connective tissue. They live in our joints, around our heart, in our brain, and around our glands. They are even in hair follicles. Typically associated with allergies, mast cells can actually cause a myriad of symptoms throughout the body.
Mast cells serve to protect the central nervous system. They live on the inside of the blood-brain barrier and interact with the cells of the barrier, namely, the astrocytes, microglia, and blood vessels. This is one of the critical ways the immune system interacts with the central nervous system. And this interaction can lead to vascular inflammation and neuroinflammation.
When mast cells suspect danger, they degranulate, which means they release stored chemicals, as part of the cell danger response. These chemicals include, already formed and ready to be released, transmitters such as histamine, tryptase, serotonin, and dopamine. But they also contain enzymes that can disrupt cellular membranes, blood clotting, and cellular signaling. Furthermore, upon activation, they begin to produce a multitude of inflammatory mediators such as interleukins, cytokines, chemokines, mitokines, and factors that play a role in many of the body's physiological pathways. They may even be tumorigenic, or tumor-forming.
When the mast cells are overactivated, and relentlessly triggered, their own release and initiation of inflammatory cascades perpetuate their degranulation. This can lead to a mast cell activation disorder(MCAD). MCAD can cause cognitive symptoms and fatigue and has been implicated as a contributor to many neurodegenerative diseasessuch as multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, and Alzheimer's disease. But because the mast cells reside in almost every organ system of the body, mast cell instability is a state of chronic activation that can cause problems with your gut, skin, lungs, and joints, even before it becomes a full-blown mast cell disorder.
We face a world in which we are exposed to an overwhelming number of assaults from our environment. Whether it's the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the chemicals we use to clean our homes, or the stressors we experience, the innate immune system is meant to be our first defense.
But when an important soldier of the innate immune system, mast cells, is unstable, it goes rogue and releases its contents to a detrimental extent. It is then we may experience lack of mental clarity, intense fatigue, skin inflammation in the form of rashes and hives or various "bumps," gut dysfunction that often disrupts motility causing stagnation and an altered microbiome (with further perpetuates the problem), joint and muscle pain, and more. Many of those with chronic mast cell dysfunction develop autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Mast cell activation is noted to be associated with other disorders such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and hypermobility.
Because mast cells contain large amounts of histamine, many will get some relief from antihistamines, but antihistamines have a range of side effects; however, as you now know, mast cells release a whole lot more that can mess with your system. In terms of medications, mast cell stabilizers are often prescribed and are usually more effective for symptom control as they minimize the release of all of the mast cell contents.
Here are nonpharmacologic measures we can take to combat mast cell activation:
It is important to understand that mast cells are part of the innate immune system, our first defense. It is meant to protect our whole body—each and every cell contained within it—even when it is a local assault. The entire system will come to its defense. When the first defense fails, it recruits the second defense, the acquired immune system. When this system is "over-recruited," there is a risk of autoimmunity.
We are learning more and more about the incredible design of our bodies, and we must learn to protect it and not betray our naturally built-in defense systems. Our bodies don't want to be sick, but sometimes we give it no other choice.
NATURAL BIOLOGY SUGGESTIONS: Most everything you will ever need in a supplement can be found in EVEREST Earth & Sea Formula or 7 BASICS - and we have had multiple reports of customers who have overcome mast cell instability using these products, correcting their diets (usually cutting out gluten & dairy), buying organic when it makes sense, and using toxin free chemicals in their homes.
