The correlation between embracing unhealthful dietary habits and migraine severity

The impact of diet on migraine severity is often underestimated. A recent study in Scientific Reports explored the link between migraine severity and unhealthy dietary habits, identifying specific food triggers for different migraine subtypes.

Migraine, affecting around 14% globally and 17.3% in Egypt annually, may be influenced by gut microbiota, inflammatory mediators, and stress hormones. The study examined 124 adults with migraine, excluding certain medical conditions.

Top dietary triggers included fava beans, processed meats, falafel, ice cream,  chocolates, citrus fruits, and aged cheese. Chronic migraine was linked to processed meats, hydrogenated ghee, aged cheese, and fried foods, while aura symptoms were associated with hydrogenated ghee, pickles, and smoked herring.

Excessive soft drinks, chocolate, tea, and coffee consumption correlated with increased migraine frequency, severity, and duration. Foods high in biogenic amines like tyramine and histamine, such as aged cheese and processed meats, were also triggers.

Overall, chronic migraine sufferers tended to have poorer dietary habits than episodic migraine sufferers, with various foods notably associated with each subtype.