Red Wine Headache- sulfites, histamines or ??
Red Wine Headache (RWH) is a well documented phenomenon. But there is no definitive information regarding RWH because there is no funding available for research.
There is no evidence that sulfites are the cause of wine headaches. In fact, research done with subjects known to have sulfite allergies confirm that headaches are not one of the symptoms they experience when drinking wine. White wines often contain more sulfites than reds, and dried fruit contain sulfites and no one who eats either complains of headaches. So what is the culprit? Some have suspected tannins, but tea, soy and chocolate have tannins and don't seem to be an issue.
Red wine has a lot more histamines than white, but there was a report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology regarding a study of 16 people with an intolerance to wine, found no difference in reactions to low- and high-histamine wines.
Some researchers think the cause may be prostaglandins, hormone like substances that may be responsible for the production of some types of pain and inflammation. A new study showed a distinct decrease in headaches in subjects prone to RWH and given prostaglandin inhibitors. In some non-controlled studies it looks like taking aspirin or ibuprofen reduces prostaglandin production and may control or reduce RWH.
In the news recently there are many articles regarding a newly invented device that detects the amount of biogenic amines in red wine. Here's the most interesting part- they all allude to the fact that biogenic amines are the likely cause of RWH! But...I can't find any supporting information as to why they now point to biogenic amines as the cause!?
For the full article vist- The Wine Rack: Red Wine Headache- sulfites, histamines or ??
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12 Comments:
Could it be a quantity problem?
izatryt at 9:27PM on 10/13/08
Can you tell us why this is important to you? Are you a biochemist or physician? From the standpoint of most of us, the question is not what is it in red wine that gives me a headache, but something along the lines of gee, can I just have a little?
lemons at 9:35PM on 10/13/08
I'm interested in wine and I'm interested in science. Before researching this I knew sulfites were in many foods we eat daily, and it seemed like I was hearing a lot of folks complain about headaches from the "sulfites" in red wine but not from other foods. I just logically doubted sulfites as the cause and began doing some reading. For folks that suffer from wine related headaches this topic and information is very interesting. And they are concerned with what causes the problem so they can address avoiding it in other foods and possibly find a remedy.
izatryt- It seems the that some folks claim to drink some wine with no problems but other wines cause symptoms in very small quantities. For some it can happen with less than one glass.
lemons- Thanks for the response. When you say from the standpoint of "most of us" who are you referring to? Are you an RWH sufferer?
uselesscamper at 10:04PM on 10/13/08
I get a wicked headache from champagne and white wine more and worse then red wines.
pjracz10 at 3:21AM on 10/14/08
What about the problem being the combination? Maybe sulfites alone aren't the problem, but sulfites + histamines? or sulfites + histamines + tannins? It seems reductive to assume it's only one substance, rather than thinking that multiple substances in concert might act on the body differently than one. (That last sentence pretty much encapsulates my problems with Western medicine actually.)
producestories at 7:46AM on 10/14/08
@ izatryt - hahaha!
erinlovestoeat at 1:05PM on 10/14/08
Most foodies, thanks. No HA's from wine. You're right about sulfites not being the problem, I believe; hardly anyone who claims to be sensitive reacts to the sulfites used for preservation in salad bars, for instance.
How much do you sufferers have to drink to have the headaches, and how long does it take to come on?
lemons at 1:50PM on 10/14/08
I have often wondered about this when people claim that they avoid reds because they are "allergic" to something in them. The more common side effect I hear people complain about is that they "get all red" in the face and feel feverish after drinking red wine. This does sound like a more plausible allergic reaction than getting a headache.
As for the headache people (I've met several at work but don't know any personally enough to ascertain as much), I can't help but wonder if the problem is the typically higher alcohol by volume in red versus white. My assumption has always been that RWH people have suffered the malady once and aren't big drinkers, likely the type to steer clear of hard liquor but possibly drink one beer on occasion. So, yeah, this is a long winded way of saying that maybe it is a matter of quantity.
liwinegirl at 2:57PM on 10/14/08
I'm inclined to believe the headache phenomenon is simply dehydration from the alcohol consumption. That's what a hangover is, anyway--a bad case of dehydration.
buffy at 6:06PM on 10/14/08
I almost always get a headache from even one glass of wine, and I always drink a lot of water with it. Last night I ate some bread and butter with my three glasses of red wine. When I got home, I ate a little homemade yogurt. Today for the first time I don't have a headache.
LadyMarmalade at 10:46AM on 10/16/08
@buffy, for me a hangover is different from a wine headache. I've had reactions to wine where the headache begins before I've finished the glass of wine.
Not all reds are bad, but they're more likely to be bad, so I avoid them in general, unless I know the wine for sure. Cheap champagne (think wedding toast) can also be very very bad, and often gives me that immediate notice that a headache will arrive soon.
I've also had reactions to some whites. Cheap wines (boxed wines, for example, or anything considered the "house wine" at a chain restaurant) are more likely to be a problem than a better wine.
Sweet wines are unlikely to give me a problem. Ports and sherries are usually fine.
Wines used in cooking have never given me any problems at all.
If I feel a wine headache coming on, the best thing I can do is swallow a few Tylenol allergy @ sinus and maybe later a few Motrin. And then just hope for the best.
dbcurrie at 12:59AM on 10/17/08
It's also worth noting that high concentrations of histamines are also present in many dairy foods like cheeses. Histamines can trigger allergic reactions or make allergic reactions worse if they aren't the cause.
To see if it's an allergy, you can take Benadryl and see if the reaction goes away.
HeartofGlass at 4:03PM on 10/18/08