Are there foods when mixed with wine that cause a migraine or cause one to become more severe?

Posted: September 30, 2009

Q: Are there foods when mixed with wine that cause a migraine or cause one to become more severe? —Sherry Reynolds

A: Dr. Fred Freitag, associate director of the Diamond Headache Clinic, performs research on the causes of migraines. He responds: "Yes, that certainly can occur with some people. Migraine patients have what are called trigger factors and that can be foods, beverages, a weather change, or any one of a number of things. These can summate or add together. For example, using myself, at one point along the way when I [suffered from] migraines, I could have red wine or I could have pizza but I couldn't have the two. So yes, you can have situations where people are sensitive to certain foods but also certain beverages." For more information on headaches and wine, check out this previous Q&A.

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