What foods can trigger migraines? Discover the common culprits, from food additives and alcoholic beverages to aged cheese and processed meats. Get insights into the underlying causes and learn how to identify and manage your dietary triggers.

The Surprising Role of Diet in Migraines

Migraines are a debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While the exact cause of migraines is not fully understood, there is growing evidence that certain dietary factors may play a significant role in triggering these painful headaches. In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore the various food and drink items that have been linked to migraines, and provide insights into the underlying mechanisms behind this connection.

Food Additives: The Hidden Culprits

Food additives, used to enhance taste, color, or preserve freshness, can be a common trigger for migraines. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer, has been reported to trigger migraines in some individuals, with symptoms often appearing within 20 minutes of consumption. Similarly, nitrates and nitrites, found in processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and lunch meat, may also contribute to migraine attacks by causing blood vessels to swell.

Alcohol: The Double-Edged Sword

Alcoholic beverages, particularly red wine, have long been associated with migraines. Approximately 29-36% of migraine sufferers believe that alcohol may trigger their attacks. The dehydrating effect of alcohol and the potential role of histamine or sulfites in red wine may be contributing factors. However, it’s important to note that the relationship between alcohol and migraines is complex, as small amounts of caffeine in alcoholic drinks may also provide some relief.

Histamine Intolerance: A Potential Link

Histamine, a compound found in processed meats, some fish, cheese, and fermented foods, has been linked to migraines. Dietary histamine intolerance, caused by reduced activity of the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) responsible for breaking down histamine, appears to be more common in individuals with migraines. In fact, one study found that 87% of migraine sufferers had reduced DAO activity.

The Caffeine Conundrum

Caffeine can have a complex relationship with migraines. In small doses, it can actually help alleviate headache pain, which is why it’s often found in over-the-counter migraine medications. However, regular high intake of caffeine, such as more than two sodas or two cups of coffee per day, can lead to withdrawal-induced migraines when consumption is reduced.

Aged Cheese and Processed Meats: Migraine Triggers

Aged cheeses, such as Swiss, Parmesan, cheddar, or Brie, have been reported as migraine triggers by 9-18% of sufferers. This may be due to their high tyramine content, a compound also found in wine, yeast extract, pickles, and processed meat products. Similarly, around 5% of people with migraines may develop a “hot dog headache” shortly after consuming processed meats, likely due to the preservatives used, such as nitrites.

Other Potential Culprits

Artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose have been associated with increased migraine frequency in some studies. Certain fruits, such as citrus, as well as gluten-containing products, have also been reported as potential migraine triggers by a small percentage of individuals. Chocolate, a common craving for many, may be a trigger for up to 22% of migraine sufferers.

It’s important to note that not everyone with migraines will be affected by the same dietary triggers. The relationship between diet and migraines is complex and varies from person to person. If you experience migraines, it’s recommended to work with a healthcare professional to identify your specific triggers and develop a plan to manage them effectively.

Remember, in addition to specific food and beverage items, the frequency and timing of your meals can also play a role in triggering migraines. Fasting and skipping meals have been more frequently reported as headache triggers than individual food triggers.

By understanding the potential dietary factors that may contribute to your migraines, you can take proactive steps to identify and avoid your personal triggers, potentially reducing the frequency and severity of your headaches. Consult with a healthcare professional to develop a comprehensive migraine management plan that addresses your unique needs and lifestyle.

What You Are Eating Could Be Causing Your Migraines

Millions of people worldwide experience migraines. Not every migraine is tied to a trigger. But if yours are, one of the best ways to prevent them is to learn what those triggers are and do your best to avoid them. For some people, that means staying away from certain foods. The underlying cause of migraines is unknown, but hormones, stress and dietary factors may play a role. 

The exact cause of migraines isn’t known but doctors agree that brief changes in your brain activity bring them on. These affect your blood vessels and nerve signals as well. While the role of diet in migraines is controversial, several studies suggest that certain foods may bring them on in some people.

Here’s a look at some of the common foods and drinks linked to migraines.

Food Additives

About 27-30% of those with migraines believe that certain foods trigger them. However, studies suggest some people with migraines may be susceptible to certain foods.

Things put in foods to add taste, color, or keep them fresh, can sometimes trigger headaches. While research studies do not conclusively establish monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a migraine trigger, reports indicate it could trigger a migraine within 20 minutes of eating foods containing MSG. Nitrates and nitrites, which are found in processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and lunch meat, might give you a migraine. Once they get into your system, they cause your blood vessels to swell, which can start a headache.

Alcoholic Beverages

In certain people, alcoholic beverages may trigger a migraine within three hours of consumption. Roughly 29–36% of those with migraines believe that alcohol may trigger a migraine attack. When you drink alcohol, you can get dehydrated, which may trigger migraines.

Studies found that red wine was more likely to trigger a migraine than other alcoholic beverages, especially among women. Some evidence indicates that the histamine content of red wine may play a role or it may be sulfites added to keep it fresh.  

Histamine 

Histamine is found in processed meat, some fish, cheese and fermented foods.

Dietary histamine intolerance is a recognized health disorder. It is caused by the reduced activity of diamine oxidase (DAO), an enzyme responsible for breaking down histamine in the digestive system. Interestingly, reduced activity of DAO appears to be common in people with migraines. One study found that 87% of those with migraines had reduced DAO activity. 

Caffeine

Caffeine is a double-edged sword when it comes to headaches. In small doses, it can help ease the pain. You’ll find it in many non-prescription migraine medicines. But if you regularly drink caffeine, more than two sodas or two cups of coffee a day, you can get a migraine from withdrawal when you drink less. High caffeine intake seems to trigger migraines in certain people. 

Aged Cheese and More

Approximately 9–18% of migraine sufferers report sensitivity to aged cheeses such as Swiss, Parmesan, cheddar, or Brie. Scientists believe this may be because of its high tyramine content. Tyramine is also found in wine, yeast extract, pickles, olives, certain beans, nuts, chocolate and processed meat products, but aged cheese is one of its richest sources. Levels of tyramine appear higher in people with chronic migraines, compared to healthy people or those with other headache disorders. 

Processed Meat

Around 5% of people with migraines may develop a headache shortly after consuming processed meat products. This type of headache has been dubbed a “hot dog headache.” Researchers believe that nitrites, a group of preservatives that includes potassium nitrite and sodium nitrite, may be the reason why. These preservatives are often found in processed meat. 

Other Culprits 

A few studies have associated artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose with an increased frequency of migraine headaches. One study found that about 11% of those with migraines reported citrus fruits to be a trigger. Wheat, barley and rye which contain gluten as well as products made from them, may trigger migraines in gluten-intolerant people. Anywhere from 2–22% of people with migraines report being sensitive to chocolate. 

It isn’t just what you eat that can bring on the pain. It’s also how often you eat it. Fasting and skipping meals are more frequently reported as headache triggers than even individual food triggers. 

Studies show that certain foods and beverages may trigger migraines. Studies also suggest that migraines may be an allergic response or hypersensitivity to certain compounds in foods, but scientists haven’t reached a consensus on this yet. If you get migraines, a health professional can recommend treatment, including prescription medications. 

Utilizing advanced diagnostic capabilities, such as electrodiagnostic testing, and state-of-the-art facilities to treat and diagnose patients, West Tennessee Medical Group Neuroscience & Spine specialists are committed to finding the cause of disease, tracking its progression and providing treatment. To find out more, or schedule an appointment click here. 

10 Foods That Trigger Migraines

Certain foods can trigger migraine attacks in people with migraine. Common migraine trigger foods include chocolate, caffeine, and red wine.

Many things can trigger a migraine attack, including what we eat and drink.

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, foods that trigger migraine may only do so when combined with other triggers. But this combination — and any trigger in general — is highly individualized, making research difficult.

There’s no such thing as a universal migraine trigger. But there are some common triggers that can cause or contribute to migraine episodes in some people.

Too much caffeine and experiencing caffeine withdrawal can cause migraine or headaches.

But according to the American Migraine Foundation, caffeine can actually help stop oncoming migraine attacks. It can also offer headache relief with occasional use.

Foods and drinks with caffeine include:

• coffee
• tea
• chocolate

Many processed foods contain artificial sweeteners. These are sugar alternatives that are added to foods and drinks to add sweetness.

But these sweeteners can cause migraine. Aspartame in particular is thought to trigger migraine episodes.

Alcohol is one of the more common products thought to trigger migraine. According to one study, over 35% of the participants with migraine reported that alcohol was one of their common triggers.

Red wine in particular was reported as a trigger in over 77% of the participants who reported alcohol as a trigger.

Alcohol can cause dehydration, which is a significant contributor in developing headaches.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, chocolate is thought to be the second most common trigger for migraine attacks after alcohol. They say it affects an estimated 22 percent of people who experience migraine.

Chocolate contains both caffeine and beta-phenylethylamine, which may trigger headaches in some people.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, which naturally exists in our bodies.

MSG is found in certain foods, and present in many foods as a food additive. It’s considered safe to eat, but some researchers link it to migraine attacks.

The American Migraine Foundation notes that it may trigger severe migraine episodes in 10 to 15 percent of those with migraine. Other preservatives may also be a trigger in some people.

Cured meats — including deli meats, ham, hot dogs, and sausages — all contain preservatives called nitrates, which preserve color and flavor. These foods can release nitric oxide into the blood, which is thought to dilate blood vessels in the brain.

There’s some evidence that nitric oxide can cause or contribute to migraine.

Aged cheeses contain a substance called tyramine. It forms when a food’s aging causes the breakdown of proteins.

The longer the cheese has aged, the higher the tyramine content will be.

Tyramine is another chemical that has been said to trigger headaches and migraine. Common cheeses that are high in tyramine include:

• feta
• blue cheese
• Parmesan

Like aged cheeses, pickled and fermented foods can contain high amounts of tyramine. These foods include:

• pickles
• kimchi
• kombucha (which can also have alcoholic content)
• pickled okra
• pickled jalapeños

Eating frozen foods and drinks like ice cream or slushies can trigger severe, stabbing pains in the head.

You’re most likely to experience headaches that become migraine attacks if you’re eating cold food quickly, after exercising, or when overheated.

Salty foods — especially salty processed foods that may contain harmful preservatives — may trigger migraine in some people.

Consuming high levels of sodium can increase blood pressure, causing headaches or migraine attacks.

Treatment for migraine can involve a combination of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications and alternative remedies.

For occasional headache or migraine pain, you can take OTC medications like Excedrin Migraine to relieve pain. Your doctor may also prescribe triptan medications to relieve pain.

If you experience regular migraine episodes, your doctor will likely prescribe preventive medications. These may include beta-blockers, which can lower blood pressure and reduce migraine attacks.

Antidepressants are also sometimes prescribed to prevent migraine symptoms, even in those without depression.

There’s evidence that some alternative remedies can help treat migraine. These include:

• massage therapy, which could lower the frequency of migraine attacks
• biofeedback, which teaches you how to check physical responses of stress, like muscle tension
• vitamin B2 (riboflavin), which can help prevent migraine episodes
• magnesium supplements

Migraine episodes can be painful and interrupt your life. Fortunately, there are some lifestyle changes you can make and habits to adopt that can help you prevent them.

These include:

• eating regularly and never skipping meals
• limiting your caffeine intake
• getting plenty of sleep
• reducing the stress in your life by trying yoga, mindfulness, or meditation
• limiting the amount of time you’re looking at bright lights, or are in direct sunlight, which can both cause sensory migraine
• taking frequent “screen breaks” from television, the computer, and other screens
• trying an elimination diet to help you identify any food allergies or intolerances that may be headache triggers

Read this article in Spanish.

10 foods that cause headaches

Headache can be provoked by various, sometimes unexpected, causes or triggers. Their identification is often very difficult. These include environmental factors, concomitant diseases, fatigue, stress. Food is also one of those triggers.

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, food triggers, combined with other migraine triggers, are among the most significant.

“Up to 10% of the population is sensitive to food triggers that can cause migraines. However, identifying the food that triggers it is very difficult,” says Belinda Savage-Edwards, a headache specialist.
Since every person is different, it is impossible to give absolute and clear recommendations on what foods to avoid. What negatively affects one person will not necessarily have a similar effect on another. However, there are some foods and ingredients that are relatively common in causing headaches and migraines.

1. Beverages containing caffeine – tea, coffee, cola. Scientists conducted studies in which people suffering from headaches gradually stopped consuming caffeinated products. In one of them, which focused on children and adolescents, 92% of participants (33 people) stopped their headaches after caffeine withdrawal. In another study, stopping it helped many adults better than medication.

2. Aged Cheeses – Blue Cheese, Brie, Cheddar, English Stilton, Feta, Gorgonzola, Mozzarella, Muenster, Parmesan, Swiss. The point is a substance called tyramine, which is formed during the breakdown of proteins in the processes of aging and decay. The longer the cheese is aged, the higher the tyramine content.

3. Alcohol is one of the main migraine triggers. Red wine, beer, whiskey and champagne are triggers for approximately 25% of people who suffer from regular migraines. Tyramine and tannins contained in drinks play a role, as well as dehydration after drinking.

4. Chocolate is a trigger affecting approximately 22% of people who experience migraines. In addition to the already mentioned caffeine, it contains beta-phenylethylamine, which dilates the blood vessels of the brain.

5. Artificial sweeteners. They are found in many processed foods and are also used as an alternative to sugar for people with diabetes. In particular, the most popular trigger is aspartame, according to the Mayo Clinic.

6. Products containing monosodium glutamate – frozen and canned foods, snacks, salad dressings, sauces. Researchers note that glutamate can provoke migraine attacks in 10-15% of those who suffer from it. Instead of monosodium glutamate, products may contain potassium glutamate, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed protein, and sodium caseinate. All of these ingredients are also triggers.

7. Processed meat – deli meats, ham, sausages, sausages. In addition to the already mentioned monosodium glutamate, they contain nitric oxide, thanks to which the color and taste of the products are preserved. When nitric oxide enters the bloodstream, the blood vessels in the brain dilate, causing headaches or migraines.

8. Pickled and fermented products – olives, sauerkraut, kombucha. They also contain a large amount of tyramine.

9. Frozen foods – ice cream, smoothies, ice milk. Eating or drinking them quickly after physical activity or when overheated can provoke a severe stabbing headache.

10. Salty food, increases blood pressure, causes headaches and migraines. Salty processed foods that additionally contain the preservatives mentioned above are especially dangerous.

At the same time, there are also paradoxical studies that increased salt in the diet is associated with fewer attacks of severe headaches and migraines.
Nutritionists do not recommend giving up these products immediately. It is necessary to remove one of them for about 2 months, and then reintroduce it into your diet. If a headache occurs within the next 24 hours, and there are no other aggravating factors (menstruation, lack of sleep, hunger or thirst), the culprit may have been found.

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K WHAT FOOD CAUSES A HEADACHE!

There are many foods that are believed to cause headaches and migraines.

Lifestyle also plays a role – fasting, insufficient water intake and irregular meals are sometimes the cause of malaise.

Try to keep track of which foods give you headaches.

What foods trigger headaches and migraines?

Some foods, drinks and supplements can cause headaches, namely:

• -Old cheese and other foods containing tyramine. Tyramine is a natural substance found in some foods. Its role in causing headaches is debatable, but doctors still recommend avoiding food with tyramine when treating headaches. Tyramine is formed from the breakdown of certain proteins during the aging of foods. The older the protein-rich food, the more tyramine it contains. Its content in cheese varies widely, depending on the cooking process, fermentation, age, and even the type of bacteria used. For those taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors, it is especially important to avoid foods rich in tyramine, such as red wine, old cheese, certain alcoholic beverages, and smoked meat, as they can cause a significant increase in blood pressure.
• – Food additives. Preservatives (food additives) contained in some foods can cause headaches (for example, nitrates, which dilate the vessels of the brain).
• – Cold food. Sometimes eating cold food can cause a headache, especially if you’ve overheated from exercise or hot weather. Usually the pain occurs in the forehead area, lasts from a few seconds to several minutes and reaches its highest point in 25-60 seconds. About 90% of migraine sufferers report that their attacks are associated with eating ice cream or other cold foods.

What other foods can cause headaches?

The following foods have been observed to cause headaches and migraines:
• – Peanuts, peanut butter, other nuts and grains,
• – pizza, potato chips,
• – chicken liver and other offal,
• – smoked and dried fish,
• – sourdough bread, fresh pastries (doughnuts, cakes, rolls, homemade bread), bread, crackers and sweets containing cheese,
• – some fresh fruits (bananas, citrus fruits, papaya, red plums, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple)
• – dried fruits (figs, raisins, dates),
• – concentrated meat soups and broths (not homemade),
• – dairy products, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt,
• – caffeine contained in chocolate and drinks (coffee, tea), as well as in some medicines,
• – aspartame and other sugar substitutes.

Which types of cheese are high in tyramine?

The following types of cheese are believed to contain an excess of tyramine:
• – Blue cheeses (blue cheeses);
• – Brie;
• -Cheddar;
• – Feta;
• – Gorgonzola (spicy Italian cheese);
• -Mozzarella;
• -Munster (French cow’s milk cheese);
• – Parmesan;
• – Swiss cheese;
• – Processed cheese;

Other foods high in tyramine include: stale, canned, cooked meats, certain legumes (garden beans, chickpeas, and others), onions, olives, pickles, avocados, canned soups, and nuts.

Which foods contain nutritional supplements?

• – Hot dogs;
• – Ham;
• – Sausages;
• – Meat delicacies;
• – Pepperoni;
• – Other processed meats;
• – Certain cardiac preparations;
• -Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer that is added to soy sauce, meat dishes, Asian dishes and many others.