Migraines, a condition that can severely impact daily life, have a wide range of triggers that differ from individual to individual. It's believed that migraines affect up to 10 million people in the UK annually, with potential culprits including stress, hormonal fluctuations, noise, certain odours, alcohol, dehydration, and sleep deprivation.
Yet, it's the lesser-known ingredients in food and drinks that could be setting off migraines - such as one commonly found in diet sodas like Diet Coke. A Lloyd's Pharmacy survey involving 500 Brits last year unearthed some unexpected potential triggers, pinpointing artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which nearly one in 10 participants identified as a migraine inducer.
These sugar alternatives are frequently used in products such as Diet Coke. Consequently, experts at Lloyd's Pharmacy recommend that individuals susceptible to migraines should stick to water for hydration. The survey disclosed that a staggering 89 per cent of those questioned did not realise that artificial sweeteners might provoke migraines, suggesting that many might inadvertently be contributing to their own discomfort, reports Surrey Live.
General Practitioner Dr Neel Patel has advised: "While the triggers for migraines can vary widely from person to person, it may take some trial and error to determine which foods are responsible, especially if you aren't aware of the foods and drinks that could be problematic for you."
He also advised, "We recommend keeping a food diary which can help you to identify patterns and triggers for your migraines. If you suspect that certain foods are leading to symptoms, try eliminating them from your diet for a while to see if they improve."
It comes as earlier this year the most effective drugs for tackling the pain of migraines were revealed after a major review. Oxford University scientists reviewed 89,000 patients given one of 17 different pills to treat migraine attacks or a placebo in 137 controlled trials.
Prescription painkillers called triptans came out top, performing better than newer, more expensive drugs, and scientists say they are being underused. The review has sparked calls for the drugs, developed in the 1990s, to be more widely promoted to patients by GPs.
Triptans constrict blood vessels in the brain and reduce the release of inflammatory chemicals. They come in four different forms; eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan and zolmitriptan. They were compared to the likes of paracetamol and anti-inflammatory painkillers, as well as newer drugs known as gepants.