There is much talk today about the next "fountain of youth" discovery - Resveratrol. Resveratrol is a natural substance found in many plants, including grapes, peanuts and Japanese Knotweed. The introduction of resveratrol as a "cure-all" with such claims as its being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-aging, as well as a weight-loss and performance enhancing panacea, has given rise to its recent popularity.
We are concerned with the effect that resveratrol has on the occurrence of migraines.
Resveratrol is a basic substance found in red wine - in fact, that is how the properties of resveratrol were discovered; however, in resveratrol dietary supplements the concentration is much higher. A 5-ounce glass of red wine provides about 0.30-1.07 mg of resveratrol; by comparison, a dietary supplement can provide 100 mg of resveratrol per capsule. Since we know that red wine can easily trigger migraine headaches, it follows that taking resveratrol could do the same.
Headache is a reported side effect of taking resveratrol. These headaches can start within a day or two of first taking resveratrol and can continue for an extended length of time after stopping resveratrol. This is true even for those who do not get migraines.
The reason why resveratrol triggers migraines is that it promotes vasodilation by enhancing the production of a naturally occurring substance in the body called nitric oxide. If you have been following the migraine research of Tuliv, you have seen that nitric oxide is one of the most prominent factors involved in a migraine headache.
Our recommendation is to avoid resveratrol if you get migraines. If you are going to try it, do so with a controlled test and keep track of your results. You may want to print and use our headache dairy for such a purpose.
To learn more about what to avoid and why, please see Knowing Your Triggers. If you are in doubt about a supplement or something in your diet, please feel free to email us at Questions@Tuliv.net for assistance.
Migraines can be prevented - Read More.
References for this Article:
Resveratrol Increases Nitric Oxide Synthase, Induces Accumulation of p53 and p21WAF1/CIP1, and Suppresses Cultured Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial CellProliferation by Perturbing Progression through S and G21 -
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology [T-c. H., J. M. W.] and Brander Cancer Research Institute [G. J., Z. D.], New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York 10595
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/11/2596
Resveratrol stimulates nitric oxide production by increasing estrogen receptor -Src-caveolin-1 interaction and phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. - Klinge CM, Wickramasinghe NS, Ivanova MM, Dougherty SM. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
http://www.biotivia.com/bioforteresveratrol/evidence/resveratrolstimulatesnitricoxideproduction.html
Upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene expression after 24 to 72 hours incubation. Resveratrol-enhanced. eNOS expression and activity -
Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, Reinhard Berkels, PhD, Department of Pharmacology University of Cologne, Cologne, German- 2003
http://www.circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/107/11/e78.pdf
Well I don't know anything about the clinical research, but I do know that it was the Grapeseed Extract with Resveratrol that triggered my very first migraine and they continued until I quit taking that supplement. I finally figured out what it was by trying to think what was different since I began having migraines. I have taken grapeseed extract for ten years or more, but this particular brand (TruNature that I get from Costco) changed their formula three years ago or so, around the same time I began having migraines. I finally wised up and quit taking the supplement and have not had a migraine since then. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI started taking TruNature (bought it from Costco) yesterday and today I took my second dose, I have been having a real bad headache since then. I was not sure whether it was the Tuna I had for lunch or the resveratrol. It looks like it is the resveratrol that was causing the problem. I will have to return it to Costco.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten migraines for 50 years. I try to avoid what causes them. Dr. Oz insisted everyone should be taking Resveratrol, without any warning to migraine sufferers. I bought "trunature" Maximum Strength Resveratrol at Costco and began taking the recomended 1 -2 caps daily. I could not figure out what I had been exposed to that was giving me daily migraines, resulting in meds and bed rest for two weeks. I never get daily migraines. Something made me read the ingredients on the back of this supplement and I saw Red Wine Extract. I thought it was just grapes.I stopped the Supplement and haven't had a migraine since. There needs to be a warning on the label. Red Wine is a major trigger me for many migraine sufferers.
ReplyDeleteSo happy I found this article. I've been taking resveratrol for about six months and have noticed a huge difference in how my skin looks. I was so pleased, but have been getting horrible headaches the last month. I stopped taking it for two days and the headaches were pretty much gone. Just to test my theory, I took a Resveratrol today and guess what! I have another headache!
ReplyDeleteI too added the Costco resveratrol supplement to my daily intake of vitamins and supplements. I was experiencing an increase of migraines to the extent that I was checked out by a neurologist. My primary care physician noticed that I listed resveratrol as one of my daily supplements and told me to stop taking it; my migraines decreased to a significant extent. Yes, a warning on the label would be important, as I had not previously heard about the connection
ReplyDelete