Headaches and Food Abstinence: A Review

Objective: This review aimed to investigate the action of food abstinence in the onset of headache. Method: We reviewed the diagnostic criteria and triggering factors for all headaches described in the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3 Beta (ICHD-3β). Results: Food intake and food abstinence/withdrawal are considered as eating factors involved in the onset of headache attacks. Ingestion of some foods, such as cheese and chocolate, triggers headache attacks only in primary headaches, including migraine and tension-type headache. However, abstinence or food suppression causes secondary headaches, such as headache attributed to fasting and to caffeine withdrawal. Fasting is also a trigger of migraine. Conclusions: Abstinence from food is considered an important trigger of headache attacks, especially in migraine patients. In addition, this headache improves significantly after eating food.