Why do Amines cause Migraines?

We see many clients in our clinics struggling with the debilitating effects of migraines, who respond well to our Positive Association Technique (PAT), by helping relieve their individual food reactions. One particularly common food reaction we see is to naturally occurring amines. So, why do amines cause migraines?

Many healthy foods we eat contain amines, where they can absorbed across the gut wall, enter the blood stream and impact various chemical processes in our body, including in the brains of migraine sufferers.

The estimated global prevalence of migraines in the latest review of headache studies is 14%. Migraine Australia also estimates that over 5 million Australians are affected by migraines. It is now the third most common disease globally, with the annual direct economic costs of migraine sickness calculated to exceed 9 billion dollars per year!  

They occur most often among people aged 20 to 50 years, and are about 3 times more common in women than in men.  Although migraines can develop at any age, they usually start during adolescence or early adulthood. Almost 90% of people experience their first migraine before the age of 40 years.

What distinguishes Migraines from Headaches?

Migraines are very debilitating for a person, and they are not the same as a bad headache, as they actually involve complex brain changes.

The blood vessels change how they behave and nerve cells become very sensitive, causing intense pain. 

The throbbing pain experienced during a migraine is due to changes in blood flow and increased sensitivity to pain. As blood vessels in the brain constrict and then dilate, it can result in a pulsating or throbbing sensation.

This fluctuation in blood flow triggers nerve fibres that sense pain, leading to heightened discomfort during an attack.

Although a migraine can come on without warning, it is often set off by a trigger. The things that set off a migraine vary from person to person, but a migraine sufferer usually remains sensitive to the same triggers over time.

Migraines move through different phases, with each phase introducing different symptoms. Triggers can kickstart a migraine by causing abnormal brain activity and chemical imbalances. This leads to heightened sensitivity to things like light and sound.

The phases are:

• onset phase
• hypersensitivity phase
• attack phase
• aftereffect

What causes Migraines?

If you have chronic migraines, your brain acts differently than migraine free people.  Even between them your brain can be in an overexcited state, which changes your brain structure and making you more susceptible to migraine attacks. 

Despite extensive research efforts, scientists are still unsure of the exact cause of migraines, as there are many triggers. But they do know that the brain tissue and the skull are not responsible since they don’t have nerves that register pain. 

Whereas the blood vessels in the head and neck can signal pain, as can the tissues that surround the brain and some major nerves that originate in the brain. The scalp, sinuses, teeth, and muscles and joints of the neck can also cause head pain.

Genetics have been found to play a role, since 70% of migraine sufferers have at least one close relative who is affected by them. Researchers have identified over a dozen genes connected to migraines. They have also found that most migraine sufferers have multiple genes that interact with triggers to set attacks in motion.

Common Migraine Triggers

There are many factors influencing migraines, including inflammatory mediators, gut microbiota, neuropeptides, serotonin pathway, stress hormones, structural issues, and nutritional deficiencies. 

This means that certain foods, drinks and additives could trigger migraine attacks for some migraine sufferers. It also means the foods you consume may not trigger an attack unless other physical, environmental or emotional triggers are also present.  

But some other common triggers include:

• Changing weather, rising humidity, or heat
• Lack of sleep, or oversleeping
• Fatigue
• Dehydration
• Strong smells
• Hormonal changes
• Physical, mental, emotional stress 
• Sensory triggers: bright or flickering lights, loud noises, strong smells
• Sinus issues
• Certain foods

Foods that can trigger Migraines

Research has found that up to 30 percent of people who experience migraines report certain foods to trigger their migraines. Many also reported accompanying digestive symptoms, such as bloating, flatulence or diarrhoea, which can also be associated with a food reaction.

Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit showed that headaches and migraines can be triggered by naturally occurring and added food chemicals.  According to their research, the percentage of people with headaches or migraines who are likely to be affected are approximately:

• amines – 55% likely to be affected
• MSG, preservatives, & salicylates – 70% likely to be affected
• colours (artificial and annatto 160b)
• synthetic antioxidants (e.g. BHA 320) – 35% likely to be affected

Do Amines cause Migraines?

The most common food reaction triggering migraines we see in our clinics is to a naturally occurring food chemical called amines, due to their vasoactive properties. They are one of the most common substances we address using Positive Association Technique (PAT) for migraine symptoms.

Amines are also called biogenic amines and their impact on the body is due to the fact that they are biologically active in the body. They can be absorbed across the gut wall and enter the body where they have roles in several chemical processes in our body, including;

• they can act as neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine and serotonin)
• be involved in local immune responses (such as the inflammation resulting from histamine release)
• regulate functioning of the gut

Amine intolerance can be due to underfunctioning of your MAO-snp enzyme, which helps break down amines in the body. This can result in an accumulation of amines in your system, and make you more susceptible to developing a reaction.

This is also why you may only experience symptoms of an amine reaction once you have consumed over your individual tolerance threshold.

Foods High in Amines

Foods can contain many different types of amines, so if you are sensitive to only some types of amines, then you may react to one type of amine but be fine with another type. Some types of amines in food include tyramine, tryptamine and histamine.

Because amines are the by-product of the breakdown of proteins, they are high in foods that are slow cooked, fermented, or need to ripen before we eat them. 

In fact, the “5 C’s” which are well known to migraine sufferers are all high in amines; cheese, chocolate, (especially dark chocolate),  coffee, coke & citrus fruits.

Other foods high in amines include;

• Avocados and bananas, as when they ripen their amine content increases. An interesting clue that you react to amines is if you really hate the smell of bananas!
• All alcoholic drinks; especially red wine
• Aged and processed meats such as salami, smoked fish, bacon, ham, aged beef, prawns, fish, meat pies and any foods that are browned, charred or overcooked also have very high amine levels. 
• Other major amine foods are egg white, tomatoes, (including tomato sauce and canned ones), red and white wine, coconut products, berries, all dried fruits, olives, mushrooms, stock, and apple cider vinegar. 
• Also, while fresh chicken or lamb or beef is naturally low in amines, as it gets closer to its expiry date there is a noticeable increase in amines. 

You can get a comprehensive list of foods that contain amines in our free Food Chemical Intolerance E-Pack.

Hormones and Migraines

Women are more likely to experience migraines, which is due the effects of female hormones. 15 per cent of women report their first migraine during the same year as the onset of their menstrual period, and more than 50 per cent of women report menstruation as a migraine trigger. 

Oestrogen levels naturally vary throughout the menstrual cycle and are closely linked to the occurrence of migraines. Research suggests that changes in oestrogen levels may trigger migraines, due to their influence on brain chemicals and blood vessels.

Fluctuations in oestrogen can affect how the brain responds to external triggers, leading to abnormal neuron firing and increased sensitivity to pain. The role of estrogen is particularly significant in menstrual migraines, as the drop in estrogen just before menstruation can contribute to the onset of a migraine attack.

The fluctuation of estrogen levels not only affects brain chemistry but also plays a role in altering blood vessel function, impacting nerve cells’ response to pain signals. 

Additionally, hormonal therapies such as birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy can also impact migraine frequency and severity (3).

Gut Health and Migraines

The intestine is in constant communication with the brain, and the gut microbiome is an important contributor to migraines. 

This is because bacteria in the gut play an important role in the production of a variety of neurotransmitters, including serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, as well as other molecules such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and fatty acids. These enter the bloodstream, then transported to the brain, where they influence brain function.

Because of this brain gut connection researchers looked into the role of probiotics and migraines. In a 2019 study published in the journal Cephalalgia, researchers described the largest ever trial of its kind examining the effects of probiotic supplementation on migraine.

After taking the probiotic for 8 to 10 weeks, migraine attacks had significantly decreased among those who took the probiotic, compared with those who took a placebo. The frequency of attack fell by 45% among those with chronic migraine and by 40% among those with episodic migraine.

Studies have also found that people with migraines were 4.13 times more likely to have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) than those without migraines. Another study found that people with IBS had a 60% higher risk or were 1.6 times more likely to have migraine than people without IBS.

In addition to having a bidirectional relationship, the first study found that those who experienced migraines and IBS also had more severe migraine symptoms.

Natural Migraine Relief

We see lots of clients at our clinics who experience both migraine and IBS symptoms, which care often both driven by their individual food reactions.

At Health & Wellness Australia & Auckland (HWA), we use a technique called muscle testing (or kinesiology) to help pinpoint any reactions to a range food and environmental substances, which may be contributing your symptoms.

Following testing, you can work with your practitioner to address reactions to food triggers like amines, using a acupressure based natural allergy treatment called Positive Association Technique (PAT).

Get in touch

• Call us on 1300 853 023 / 09 479 5997 (NZ) to chat to our friendly staff
• Send us your question HERE
• Request a Free PAT Information E-PACK HERE

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Please note that this blog post contains general information only. Always consult your health care professional before changing your diet, starting new supplements or regarding any medical condition.