December 19, 2024, 4:11 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Are you one of those people who quickly get a headache from red wine? This could be due to the histamine it contains – or perhaps a plant substance in red wine (albeit one that is actually beneficial to health) is to blame. In any case, researchers want to be able to attribute the typical red wine headaches to this.
Some people love it; others treat it with caution: red wine is a special pleasure, but some people regret it by the time it gives them a thick head. A red wine is generally heavier than a white wine and, therefore, goes to your head more quickly. But the exact reason for this has so far been the subject of speculation. Employees of the Headache Center at the University of California got to the bottom of the notorious red wine headache and have apparently found what they were looking for.
Overview
Researchers Investigated the Causes of Red Wine Headaches
According to center director Morris Levin and his team, the complaints investigated differ from the classic alcohol hangover that we are familiar with as a result of a night of drinking. Red wine headaches can occur after just one glass, often just 30 minutes after consumption. In order to understand the cause of this, the scientists investigated various metabolic processes involved in drinking red wine. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.1
Wine Contains Some Potentially Intolerable Substances
According to the study documentation, red wine contains various substances that can potentially cause discomfort and headaches. These include histamines, to which some people are known to react intolerantly, as well as various vegetable tannins and sulfites, i.e., sulfur compounds that act as preservatives and antioxidants in wine.
The study focused on the very ingredients that are said to make red wine “better” than many other alcoholic beverages from a health perspective: flavonoids. These are the special plant substances that are responsible for the coloring of various herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Above all, flavonoids in the diet are said to have a beneficial effect on heart health and brain function. In addition to cherries and dark leafy vegetables, green tea and red wine, in particular, are said to contain high amounts of them.
Secondary Plant Substances Do a Lot of Good – But Apparently Not Just That
Secondary plant substances are primarily known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, one particular flavonol stood out negatively in the studies. It is called quercetin and is found in red grapes and, therefore, also in red wine. If quercetin enters the bloodstream, quercetin glucuronide is formed. In this form, the flavonol blocks the breakdown of alcohol into acetaldehyde and then acetate. As a result, acetaldehyde accumulates in the bloodstream, the scientists explain, which can lead to (red wine) headaches and other typical hangover symptoms.
Effect Similar to That of a Drug
This effect is known from the medical treatment of alcohol addiction, the paper continues, and specifically from treatment with disulfiram. The drug is administered with the aim of blocking the breakdown of alcohol – the symptoms described are therefore desirable in this case. Reaching for a glass of wine is intended to trigger nausea, headaches, and the like in addicts in order to support alcohol cessation. However, disulfiram in combination with larger amounts of alcohol can “lead to dangerous or even fatal intolerance reactions”.2 This is why treatment with the drug is not common in Germany.
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Modified Red Wine Formulations Conceivable
The researchers want to substantiate their theory with further clinical studies in the near future. In these studies, red wines with different levels of quercetin will be tested to see whether their consumption triggers headaches.
As study author Andrew Waterhouse explains in a press release, how much of the flavonol a wine contains depends primarily on the growing region.3 “Quercetin is produced by the grapes in response to sunlight,” it says. The quercetin content can be up to five times higher in wine from particularly sun-exposed grapes. Waterhouse, therefore, urges caution with wines from California’s Napa Valley; in Europe, Sicilian wines, in particular, are known for their sun-kissed nature.