Histidine
Also known as L-histidine
Histidine is an essential amino acid, meaning the body cannot make enough of it and it must come from food. It is a building block of protein and a precursor to histamine, and it helps form hemoglobin and buffer the blood.
Why it matters
What it does in your body
- Protein building block
- Precursor to histamine for immune and nerve signaling
- Component of hemoglobin and oxygen transport
- Antioxidant and pH buffering via carnosine
Intake guidance
How much you need
The IOM sets the requirement at 14 mg/kg/day, about 1.0 g/day for a 70 kg adult. Any diet with enough total protein provides plenty.
What affects it
What affects your intake
Total protein intake
Meeting overall protein needs almost always covers histidine, since it is present in essentially all protein foods.
Kidney disease and dialysis
Long-term dialysis can lower histidine status, one of the few situations where intake becomes a practical concern.
Growth and repair demand
Needs rise during periods of rapid tissue building, though normal diets still keep pace.
In practice
Good to know
Deficiency is very rare in healthy people eating a normal diet. Histidine is the precursor to carnosine, a muscle antioxidant, and some athletes take beta-alanine to raise carnosine rather than histidine itself. Supplementation is not needed for the general population and offers no proven benefit beyond a balanced diet.
Where to get it
Best food sources
The bottom line
Eat enough total protein and you will get plenty of histidine. There is no reason for most people to supplement it.
Track histidine automatically
Histidine is one of the 92 nutrients Vora reads from a photo of your meal, so you can see where you stand without weighing or logging by hand.
Sources and method
The classification, roles, and guidance on this page come from the references below, drawing on the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academies) Dietary Reference Intakes and reputable nutrition science.
- Institute of Medicine (2005), Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
This page is for general education, not medical advice. Reference intakes are population averages for healthy people and do not replace guidance from your doctor or a registered dietitian, especially if you are pregnant, managing a health condition, or considering supplements.