Eli5: How do antihistamines work and what is the difference between first generation and second?

Question

Eli5: How do antihistamines work and what is the difference between first generation and second?

In: 287

Answer 1

They’re just drugs with active chemicals that block your body’s natural histamine production. There are several chemicals that can achieve this. Histamine is important, but sometimes overproduction can harm individuals so we have antihistamines for that. Avoid pharmaceuticals unless you absolutely have to take medicines. Basically 90% of the crap you find on shelves in the US is more harmful than good. This is why Americans are so sickly and have higher rates of cancer, diabetes, kidney and heart disease, etc….