Migraine and Food Allergy?  New Study…

We often talk about migraine attacks being triggered by certain foods.  But what if this was related to some kind of food allergy that could be measured?

Part of the challenge with any kind of elimination diet is that it’s trial and error.  The fact of the matter is, onions may trigger migraine attacks for me and not be a problem for you.  For you, it may be bananas.  There is no "one-size-fits-all".

But a study published in March suggests that testing for "hidden food allergies" may actually lead to helpful treatment.

There are various ways to test for food allergies, and various types of food allergies.  We all know about the typical allergies that cause an almost immediate reaction.  But what if the reaction was more subtle, or delayed?

Food allergies are typically measured using certain types of antibodies (immunoglobulins).  Immunoglobulin E (IgE), for example, has been linked to migraine attacks.  IgG has been linked to inflammation in certain people, and elimination of foods that encourage IgG has been helpful for people with migraine and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

This new study was very well designed – randomised, double-blind, crossover.  It was small – only 30 patients – all diagnosed with migraine without aura.

Results

So what types of foods were found to most often test positive?  Remember, this is a summary – it doesn’t mean all food of one type is good or bad.  Here’s the quick list:

Most often a Problem: Spices (ie vanilla, caraway, candied lemon peel, etc) Seeds and nuts Seafood Starch Food additives (ie glutamate, quinoline yellow, tartrazine, etc) Vegetables Cheese Fruits Sugar products (ie malt, cane sugar, aspartame, etc.

Least often a Problem: Other additives (ie rape-seed oil, tannin, aloe vera, etc.) Eggs Milk and milk products Infusions (ie valerian, green tea, coffee, etc.) Salads Mushrooms Yeast Meat

When patients were placed on an elimination diet based on the their individual results, they generally had fewer days with an attack, and fewer attacks overall:

Though the treatment was obviously not a "cure", there was a significant improvement.  It should also be noted that more than half the patients showed a 30% or even 50% improvement – and that’s very significant!  The authors also mentioned a recent study out of Mexico that showed patients being treated with a similar elimination diet without the need of medication.

This study is even more hopeful than it may seem at first glance.  There are many ways to study allergy, and as our techniques improve we may be able to provide more specific and helpful care.  Also, consider than some patients may be more significantly helped than others.

Is this something patients should be looking into?  Absolutely.  But keep in mind that there are many different types of testing, and many opinions on which is the best.  Do your research, and talk to your doctor before laying down a lot of cash for a test.

Read a summary of the study here:  Diet restriction in migraine, based on IgG against foods

An analysis from Dr. Alexander Mauskop of the New York Headache Center:  Food allergies in migraine