Sensitivities

If you’re dealing with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), chances are you've been told to "support your immune system" or "just take this supplement" to feel better. But what happens when even the gentlest supplement sends your system into a flare?

You're not imagining it—and you're definitely not alone.

For people with MCAS, the problem isn’t always the supplement itself. It’s the timing, the dose, and—most importantly—what’s going on underneath your symptoms. When the body is in a constant state of hyperreactivity, even helpful interventions can feel like an attack.

In today’s issue, let’s unpack why adding supplements too early can backfire—and what to do instead to support healing without triggering your system.

3 reasons supplements trigger MCAS flares

1. Your Nervous System Is Stuck in “Threat Mode”

When your limbic system and vagus nerve are dysregulated (as they often are in MCAS), your body becomes hypersensitive to anything new—even something meant to help. The result? Your system flags a benign supplement as a danger, and boom: symptoms like flushing, anxiety, fatigue, or itching.

What to do instead: Before introducing anything new, support your nervous system first—with vagus nerve exercises, breathwork, or limbic system retraining.

2. Your Drainage and Detox Pathways Are Sluggish

I know this phrase get’s over used a ton, but keep reading and scroll down to the lymphatic system support for even more detail.

Many supplements—especially antioxidants, binders, or mitochondrial support—stir up toxins or trigger detox responses. But if your lymphatic system, liver, or bowels are congested, your body can’t get rid of those toxins fast enough.

What to do instead: Focus first on opening drainage—hydration, gentle movement, castor oil packs, or lymphatic massage may help. This will look different per person, but I have seen more and more cases where really supporting the lymph system is crucial.

3. The Dose Is Too High (Even If It's Tiny)

For a reactive system, even a quarter of a capsule can be too much. MCAS often causes loss of tolerance, where your body perceives “more” as “danger.”

What to do instead: Try microdosing—starting with a single sprinkle, or even an energy test before introducing the physical substance. Let your body build trust. Hold the supplement to your body and tell yourself it will work for you.

This is what I tell all my clients when they start supplements:

With every supplement, start with crushing tablet or opening the capsule and sprinkling in water. Do that for a couple days, if that goes well, increase to 1/8th of tab/cap. In similar fashion, increase to 1/4th, then 1/2, then 3/4, then full tab/cap. When you have achieved that of first supplement, layer in next supplement in previous fashion. You do this until you layer all supplements in, then go back to the very first supplement, and work on increasing dose again (if indicated below with how much is recommended to take). 

If things are in dropper form: you start with drop in water, drink that. If goes well, gentle increase how much you take daily until full amount is achieved.

But remember, you don’t need to achieve the highest dose for effects. We can achieve stabilization support with just minor amounts. The overall goal? Get as many onboarded, around 4 stabilizers, even if they are all at sprinkles.

Let’s dive into Lymphatics

An often overlooked area for MCAS support: Lymphatic System

1. Start with Hydration — But Not Just Water

• The lymph is about 95% water, so dehydration thickens it and slows flow.

2. Gentle Movement Is Key

• The lymphatic system has no pump — it moves through muscle contractions and movement.

• But with MCAS, too much exertion can trigger symptoms.

3. Lymphatic Drainage Tools (Low-Intensity Only)

• These can help move lymph, but must be introduced carefully.

✅ Consider:

• Dry brushing (start with once/week, very light pressure)

• Castor oil packs over liver or abdomen

• Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) massage from a trained therapist

• Gentle gua sha on neck or collarbones with oil (only if well tolerated)

4. Support Nervous System and Vagus Nerve

• Lymph flow is closely tied to vagal tone and the parasympathetic nervous system.

• When your nervous system is dysregulated, lymph stagnates and detox pathways slow.

5. Go Slow with Supplements

Some supplements help lymph flow, but they must be introduced carefully in MCAS.

✅ Gentle lymph-supportive options:

• Bioflavonoids (like quercetin or rutin) – mast cell stabilizing too

My favorite supplement to use for bioflavonoids is Color Guard from Alight Formulas. I have found it to be crucial prior to implementing any detox protocols and it’s great for stabilization.

You can find it here using code STEPHANIEP.

MCAS Support

🧘‍♀️ Summary:

Supporting your lymphatics with MCAS isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing it gently. Hydration, light movement, vagus nerve care, and slow introduction of support can help your body detox more efficiently without flaring.

Interested in learning more about vagal systems, limbic systems and other things that help support the highly sensitized patient? Listen to one of my interviews on the Holistic Hub Podcast with Dr. Neil Nathan.

In Case You Missed It

• Check out the lasted podcast I was a guest on: DECODED by Bizzie Gold. I dove deep into how mast cell activation causes mental health symptoms among many other things, and what to do about it. Link to Spotify here

Until next time,

Happiness and health

Dr. Steph