Lots of info on headache and gluten!

Migraine headache is commonly caused by food allergies. In one study, when common food allergens were eliminated from the diet there was a dramatic drop in the number of headaches per month, with as many as 85% of the patients becoming headache free. The problematic foods most commonly found include wheat (85%), orange (65%), eggs (45%), tea and coffee (40%), chocolate (37%), milk (37%), beef (35%), corn (33%), refined sugar (35%), and yeast (35%). (1,2)

Many reports indicate migraine headaches are common in those with celiac disease (gluten sensitive enteropathy), and are often responsive to a gluten free diet with complete remission in some cases. (3,4, 5,6) In one study of 88 children who complained of headaches and were newly diagnosed with celiac disease, there was significant improvement within 6 months of beginning a gluten free diet. Headaches improved in 68 children (77.3%), and completely resolved in 24 children (27.3%). (6)

The pathogenesis of the headache may be related to autoimmune mechanism, vascular or cerebral blood flow mechanism (3,5), associated with white matter abnormalities (7), nutritional deficiency, or biochemical factors such as serotonin imbalance (8).

Food sensitivity and nutritional testing should be performed on any patient suffering from chronic headache.


References:

(1) Food allergies and migraine.
Grant EC.
Lancet. 1979 May 5;1(8123):966-9.PMID: 87628

(2) Food allergy mediated by IgG antibodies associated with migraine in adults.

Arroyave Hernández CM, Echevarría Pinto M, Hernández Montiel HL.
Rev Alerg Mex. 2007 Sep-Oct;54(5):162-8.PMID: 18693538

(3) Association between migraine and Celiac disease: results from a preliminary case-control and therapeutic study.
Gabrielli M, Cremonini F, Fiore G, Addolorato G, Padalino C, Candelli M, De Leo ME, Santarelli L, Giacovazzo M, Gasbarrini A, Pola P, Gasbarrini A.

Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Mar;98(3):625-9. Erratum in: Am J Gastroenterol. 2003 Jul;98(7):1674. PMID: 12650798

(4) Migraine and coeliac disease.

Serratrice J, Disdier P, de Roux C, Christides C, Weiller PJ.
Headache. 1998 Sep;38(8):627-8.PMID: 11398309

(5) [Headache as atypical presentation of celiac disease: report of a clinical case]

Spina M, Incorpora G, Trigilia T, Branciforte F, Franco G, Di Gregorio F.
Pediatr Med Chir. 2001 Mar-Apr;23(2):133-5. Italian. PMID: 11594166

(6) Headache in pediatric patients with celiac disease and its prevalence as a diagnostic clue.

Lionetti E, Francavilla R, Maiuri L, Ruggieri M, Spina M, Pavone P, Francavilla T, Magistà AM, Pavone L.
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009 Aug;49(2):202-7.PMID: 19543115

(7) Headache and CNS white matter abnormalities associated with gluten sensitivity.

Hadjivassiliou M, Grünewald RA, Lawden M, Davies-Jones GA, Powell T, Smith CM.
Neurology. 2001 Feb 13;56(3):385-8.PMID: 11171906

(8) [The prevalence of headache in a population of patients with coeliac disease]

Roche Herrero MC, Arcas Martínez J, Martínez-Bermejo A, López Martín V, Polanco I, Tendero Gormaz A, Fernández Jaén A.
Rev Neurol. 2001 Feb 16-28;32(4):301-9. Review. Spanish. PMID: 11333382

(9) Increased risk for coeliac disease in paediatric patients with migraine.

Alehan F, Ozçay F, Erol I, Canan O, Cemil T.
Cephalalgia. 2008 Sep;28(9):945-9.PMID: 18624809

(10) A woman with daily headaches.

Pascual J, Leno C.
J Headache Pain. 2005 Apr;6(2):91-2. Epub 2005 Apr 8.PMID: 16362649

(11) Migraine, cortical blindness, multiple cerebral infarctions and hypocoagulopathy in celiac disease.

Morello F, Ronzani G, Cappellari F.
Neurol Sci. 2003 Jun;24(2):85-9.PMID: 12827546

(12) Clinical and neurological abnormalities in adult celiac disease.

Cicarelli G, Della Rocca G, Amboni M, Ciacci C, Mazzacca G, Filla A, Barone P.
Neurol Sci. 2003 Dec;24(5):311-7.PMID: 14716525


(13) [Celiac disease and ischemic stroke]

El Moutawakil B, Chourkani N, Sibai M, Moutaouakil F, Rafai M, Bourezgui M, Slassi I.
Rev Neurol (Paris). 2009 Nov;165(11):962-6. Epub 2009 Jan 13. French. PMID: 19144365