Wine headaches, we’ve all had them and boy are they not the biggest mood killers? Nothing like having an amazing girls night with tons of wine then massively regretting it the next day. Like, who wants that?! Well, never fret, I’ve gotten to the bottom of them and we all know I am dying to share the details. First, let’s understand exactly what wine headaches we are then, how we can prevent them.
What Are Wine Headaches?
Wine headaches are the splitting or throbbing pain you may experience after drinking certain types of wines or an excess of wine. They may occur the next morning or even shortly after drinking wine. You may also feel a bit queasy and generally, not your best.
What Are The Causes of Wine Headaches?
What causes these pesky headaches? There are many culprits but thankfully there are just as many cures.
Culprit # 1: Over consumption
Do you tend to get wine headaches after drinking a large amount of wine? Yea, that’s your basic hangover.
Cure/ Recommendation: In addition to knowing your limits, drinking water before you drink can also help keep the headaches at bay. I recommend drinking 1 glass of water for every glass of wine you drink to help you stay hydrated and reduce the amount of consumption.
Culprit # 2: Tannins
Do you tend to get wine headaches after drinking red wines? Then you may have a sensitivity to tannin. Tannin is a popular compound found in wine. The astringent effect that some wines have on the tongue are due to the wines high tannin levels. To determine if you have tannin sensitivity, try a sensitivity test. Black Tea, like red wine, also has pretty high tannin levels. If after drinking a cup of overly brewed black tea you also experience headaches, then there is a great chance that you have tannin sensitivity.
Cure/ Recommendation: Stick to white wines or wines with lower tannin levels.
Culprit #3- Histamine Intolerance
Another red wine headache culprit are histamines. Histamines are found in high doses in red wines. If you have noticed that your body also reactive abnormally to high histamine foods such spinach or tomatoes, you may have histamine intolerance.
Cure/ Recommendation: Histamine intolerance is genetic and pretty common. Some have reported relief by taking a low dose antihistamine before drinking wine.
Disclaimer: Please contact your healthcare physician before mixing wine or any alcohol with medication.
Culprit #4: Sugar
Do you tend to get headaches after drinking white wines? Your wine headaches may be caused by extra sugar with less hydration. Sweet white wines have high amounts of sugar. If you are not sufficiently hydrated before and during drinking these wines your body will begin to pull water from all over your body, including your head, to help hydrate you.
Cure/Recommendation: Avoid drinking sweet wines, especially when you are not properly hydrated. Again, I recommend one glass of water for every glass of wine consumed.
Myth: Cheaper wines cause headaches?
Not necessarily. That myth arose from the correlation between additives and wine headaches. It was once said that cheaper wines have extra additives, such as sugar but expensive wines can also have sugar and other additives. Therefore, it is a bit inaccurate to say a blanket statement that cheaper wines can headaches.
I hope these common culprits of wine headaches has shed a little light on why you are experiencing your headaches and how to avoid them. This is in no way an exhaustive list of culprits of wine headaches. Feel free to do further research or discuss with your healthcare provider for additional recommendations and suggestions. If you know of any other culprits and cures, drop them in the comments section. I am sure others would love to hear them!
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