Headaches: a review of the role of dietary factors

This 2016 review studied the scientific evidence linking headaches to those dietary triggers commonly reported by various headache sufferers (particularly those with migraines) such as chocolate, caffeine, dairy products namely aged cheese, alcohol (especially red wine and beer), food preservatives with nitrates and nitrites, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. Prevalence of these triggers from prior-population-based studies will also be examined. Depending on study population and methodology, the presence of any specific dietary trigger in migraine patients varies from 10-64%. Some foods will trigger headaches within an hour while others develop within 12 hours of ingesting the trigger food. Zaeem, Zhou & DIlli (2016) summarised recent literature surrounding headache related to fasting and weight loss as well as eliminating diets based on serum food antibody testing in order to help physicians in their recommendations of low-risk, non-pharmacological adjunctive therapies for patients with debilitating headaches. [NPID: pain, headaches, migraines, chocolate, caffeine, cheese, alcohol, nitrates, monosodium glutamate, MSG, artificial sweeteners, aspartame]

Year: 2016

Reference: Zaeem, Z., Zhou, L., & Dilli, E. (2016). Headaches: a Review of the Role of Dietary Factors. Current neurology and neuroscience reports, 16(11), 101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-016-0702-1