Is there a correlation between diet and migraine? According to a new study analyzing the results of all the scientific literature that has appeared on migraines and the food factor, there is no special diet for migraine sufferers.
But there is probably a correlation, based on the importance of the gut-brain axis, between nutrition and migraine, although it is subjective and difficult to generalize.

In fact, the problem lies in the fact that migraines can have a different origin: there are migraines linked to serotonin deficiency, migraines linked to impaired functionality of the trigeminal nerve or from menstruation (probably linked to the production of estrogen). There is a correlation between celiac disease and migraine, between obesity and migraine and so on.

As there is no single cause that can explain the onset of migraines, it is therefore difficult to find an ideal diet to reduce the frequency of attacks that works for everyone.
But something can still be done. Let’s try to understand the correlation between diet and migraine in the light of the new Danish study by Dr. Parisa Garezani, published in the scientific journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment.

DIET AND HEADACHE

The trigger factors

Although they are subjective, there are numerous studies in the literature that show that some foods have a trigger effect on migraines. It would then be possible to try to eliminate them from the diet and see if the symptoms improve. However, the results on large sections of the population are disheartening for many foods that in common sense are considered harmful. This is the case with dark chocolate. Eliminating this food causes improvements in migraine in very few patients.

There is much more evidence for alcohol, caffeine and processed meats such as cured meats.
Very aged cheeses, beer, processed meats and smoked salmon are instead triggers in the cause of migraines associated with the deficiency of the MAO enzyme for the metabolism of tyramine, contained in these foods.
Finally , there is a correlation between celiac disease and migraine.
In this case, a test to evaluate if you are celiac and adopting a gluten-free diet in the positive case would immediately alleviate the symptoms.

Diet for migraines: fat-free or carbohydrate-free?

There is no evidence that a ketogenic or carbohydrate-free diet can help reduce migraine attacks: even here the data available to researchers are inconsistent. Some more confirmation would come from a diet with very low fat (less than 20 grams per day in total) because it would act on factors associated with some migraines such as hypertension and cardiovascular problems or estrogenic excess in women.
The Dash diet has also proved useful for migraine sufferers at risk of ischemia and high blood pressure.

Consistency, weight reduction, body composition improvement

Obesity, cardiovascular risk factors, visceral fat are all problems related to the onset of migraines. But there is more: being consistent in one’s eating habits would reduce migraine attacks, probably by acting positively on circadian rhythms. So eat at the same time, don’t skip meals. In this regard, it has been found that supplementing with vitamin D would be useful in counteracting migraine attacks.
Likewise, constant physical activity and improved body composition in terms of increased lean mass can be of great help in managing migraines.

Probiotics as an ally

Finally, the study talks about broad-spectrum probiotics as an ally to combat migraines. Going to read the bibliographic studies, the greatest results were obtained with a Dutch product, Ecologic Barrier .