There appears to be an association between celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and migraine headaches. Research published in Zhurnal Nevrologii i Psikhiatrii imeni S.S. Korsakova (2015; Volume 115, Issue 8, Pages 13–17) examined the prevalence and characteristics of migraine headaches in patients with celiac disease.
The study included 200 patients with celiac disease and a control group of 100 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who did not have celiac disease. All participants maintained headache diaries for three months prior to the study and for six months during the study period, while following a gluten-free diet.
Migraine headaches were reported four times more frequently in patients with celiac disease than in the control group. In addition, migraine attacks occurred 2.5 times more often in the celiac disease group, although individual attacks tended to be of shorter duration. Migraine intensity, assessed using a visual analog scale, was lower—by an average of 55%—and attacks had a later onset. Migraine episodes were more common among celiac disease patients over the age of 50.
During the gluten-free diet intervention, migraine attacks completely resolved in 25% of patients with migraine syndrome. A further 38% experienced a reduction in the frequency and/or intensity of migraine attacks. Based on these findings, the authors noted a clear association between migraine syndrome and celiac disease, as well as an apparent benefit of a gluten-free diet in reducing migraine symptoms in this population.
Earlier research has also suggested a relationship between wheat consumption and certain types of headaches, supporting the possibility that gluten sensitivity may play a role in migraine patterns for some individuals.
