Headache after eating sweets

Having too much or too little sugar in the blood may contribute to headaches. This is because sugar directly affects your brain and nervous system. Learning how to maintain a proper level of sugar in your blood may prevent headache after eating sweets headaches.

Glucose level fluctuations affect your brain more than any other organ. Sugar causes hormonal changes, specifically with epinephrine and norepinephrine. Those shifts change blood vessel behavior in the brain, causing a headache. Again, this is typical in diabetics. Hypoglycemia is caused by very low blood glucose and is often associated with diabetes treatment. It can also very rarely be a side effect of medication, alcohol consumption, severe liver illnesses or hormone deficiencies. Sugar-heavy foods or heavily processed foods have been known to cause spikes in blood sugar levels, which can cause headaches.

Headache after eating sweets

Sugar is an important source of energy for your body — but it can also be a primary cause of all kinds of health problems, including headaches. Foods with added sugar can spike your blood glucose. This glucose spike can trigger reactions in your brain that have it working overtime to circulate hormones, like insulin, and bring down glucose levels. But why does sweetness cause such pain? Well, many foods have naturally occurring sugars, like fruits and dairy. But the fiber or protein in the food helps balance the effects of the glucose. When you eat something with lots of added sugar, the lack of fiber , protein , or other nutrients means that sugar hits your bloodstream, causes a spike or dip in glucose, and might trigger headaches. Radical dips and spikes in blood sugar are the main cause of sugar headaches. You need a steady supply of glucose for energy. And your brain needs glucose to make sure the body can function. As a result, your brain is usually the first to feel the effects of a sudden shift in glucose levels. If your blood sugar rises rapidly, for example, the body has to circulate a bunch of insulin to get the numbers down. This increase in insulin also creates hormonal changes in the body, and this whole stressful upheaval will literally and figuratively give you a headache. Sugar headaches fall into two categories: Headaches after eating sugar, and low blood sugar headaches. Doctors consider sugar headaches to be a secondary headache.

Some conditions, like diabetesmay also make headache after eating sweets more likely to experience sugar-related headaches. People can often treat headaches with OTC painkillers, but anyone who has concerns about chronic or recurring headaches should speak with a doctor.

A sugar headache can occur when blood sugar is too high , like after overeating candy. When your blood sugar levels are high, hormones in your body can cause blood vessels to widen, causing migraine headache pain. Similarly, too-low blood sugar —which can occur when skipping meals—can also cause the blood vessels to widen, causing sugar withdrawal headaches. These headaches commonly affect individuals with diabetes , but they can also occur in people without the condition. Regulating your blood sugar can help prevent these and other symptoms.

While some headaches may be caused or triggered by certain types of foods, some are symptoms of underlying conditions that require medical attention. Keep reading to learn what might be causing your post-meal headache. Some people notice that their post-food headaches are especially bad after eating certain foods, or consuming sweets or carbs. Still, others notice a pattern of headaches after every meal. Also called reactive hypoglycemia, this condition is characterized by a headache within 4 hours after eating. Some causes include:.

Headache after eating sweets

Having too much or too little sugar in the blood may contribute to headaches. This is because sugar directly affects your brain and nervous system. Learning how to maintain a proper level of sugar in your blood may prevent future headaches. If you have persistent headaches related to sugar, you should talk with your doctor. Headaches related to sugar have to do with your blood glucose level. Glucose gives your body energy and may increase or decrease in your bloodstream. Fluctuations in your glucose level affect your brain more than any other organ. These rises and drops can result in a headache.

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A small research review of 25 studies, for example, found no significant link between chocolate and migraine, discouraging doctors from advising patients not to eat it. Know your limit for added sugars. Genes Basel. Sugar headaches feel like dull, throbbing pain on the side of the head, at your temples. Refined sugar is particularly problematic because our biochemistry has adapted over time to properly metabolize naturally occurring sugars. Avoid alcohol. In a nutshell, ketoacidosis occurs when someone has high blood sugar and high ketone levels at the same time you can get the full scoop here. Is there such thing as a sugar migraine? Did you know that both too much sugar and too little of sugar can cause headaches? Services Expand child menu Expand. Speak with your doctor or pain clinic specialist for more specific information on treating your headaches. Your doctor can determine if a previously unknown root cause exists, and, if so, how to treat it. Headache From Low Blood Sugar. Sugar addiction: is it real?

Rapid changes in blood glucose levels from eating too much or too little sugar can sometimes cause headaches. Headaches can range from annoying to debilitating, so understanding what triggers them may enable a person to improve their quality of life. Blood sugar levels and hormonal changes can both play a role in causing headaches, and sugar can affect both of these.

Simple, or refined, carbohydrates break down into glucose in your body very quickly, which makes them fodder for blood sugar spikes and drops. If they are not able to do this, blood glucose levels can rise too high or fall too low, resulting in headaches and other symptoms. Sugar stimulates the release of dopamine, a hormone associated with pleasure and reward, creating a temporary feeling of well-being. If your blood sugar rises rapidly, for example, the body has to circulate a bunch of insulin to get the numbers down. When you have a craving for sweets, try to have a piece of fruit instead. If you skip meals, fast, or just wait too long to eat, your blood sugar can dip down to dangerous levels. Sugar is an important source of energy for your body — but it can also be a primary cause of all kinds of health problems, including headaches. We explain the symptoms, causes…. Both too much sugar and not enough sugar can cause headaches. Cambridge University Press;