According to the December, 2007, "American Family Physician," approximately 30 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches. Most migraines are characterized by intense, pulsating, one-sided pain accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light, motion and sound. A migraine is sometimes preceded by an "aura," which usually involves distortion of vision but can also involve the senses of smell, taste or hearing. Migraines cause significant disability, so affected individuals are usually anxious to adopt measures, such as dietary modifications, that will prevent them.
The Migraine-Diet Connection
A January, 2003, "Pediatric Neurology" review suggests that dietary factors contribute to migraine headaches by triggering the release of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, in specific brain centers. The aura that precedes some migraines is probably due to inappropriate stimulation of centers that evoke phantom smells, sounds or visual aberrations. Several food-borne chemicals have been implicated in the initiation of migraine headaches, including tyramine, sulfites, nitrites, histamines and phenylethylamine.
Migraine Dietary Basics
As is the case for most medical disorders, a well-balanced diet is a good anchor point for managing migraine headaches. Spacing your meals throughout the day keeps your blood glucose levels relatively constant, which helps to prevent headaches. Skipping meals is not advisable for migraine sufferers. According to a 2010 "Journal of Pain Research" study, fasting can trigger headaches in 25 percent of children and 40 percent of adults who have migraines. Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, has been shown to help some people with migraines, with higher doses -- up to 400mg daily -- being most effective.
Restricted Diets
The authors of a 2003 "Pediatric Neurology" review maintained that a universal "migraine diet" which eliminates all potential food triggers and applies to all patients is simply not feasible. Rather, they recommend that you keep a headache and food diary which will hopefully pinpoint specific triggers for your headaches. Once such dietary triggers have been identified, you can avoid them.
Well-Known Dietary Triggers
Although the practice of maintaining a food and headache diary is generally advised by physicians who treat migraine sufferers, most would also agree that specific foods are well-known instigators of migraine for many patients. Chocolate, alcohol, cheese, monosodium glutamate, aspartame, fatty foods, ice cream, hotdogs and other cured meats, caffeinated beverages and citrus fruits all contain chemicals which stimulate neurotransmitter release.
Considerations
The underlying cause of migraines is unknown. In fact, the variability of dietary triggers among migraine patients points to a wide array of possible mechanisms that contribute to these disabling headaches. Just as one medication will abort a migraine in one patient while leaving another utterly untouched, no single dietary approach will work for all migraine sufferers. If you suffer from migraines and think your diet may play a role, talk to your doctor about keeping a diary.
References
- "American Family Physician"; The Management of the Acute Migraine Headache; G. Aukerman, et al.; December 2007
- "Pediatric Neurology"; The Diet Factor in Pediatric and Adolescent Migraine; J.G. Millichap, M.M. Yee; January 2003
- "Journal of Pain Research"; Comparison of the Effect of Dietary Factors in the Management and Prophylaxis of Migraine; B. Zencirci; July 2010
