A Migraine Audit investigated whether migraine sufferers have evidence of food intolerances and whether their condition can be improved by eliminating the foods highlighted in the result of a food specific IgG antibody test. Patients were recruited from Primary Care practices and were encouraged to alter their diets to eliminate the appropriate foods. Their progress was followed for a 2-month period. The study showed: “A marked proportion of the migraine patients benefited from dietary intervention by cutting out (the problem) foods.” And that “over 60% of patients who re-introduced the suspect foods back into their diets reported the return of their migraine symptoms.” The study’s authors said: “This investigation demonstrated that food intolerance may be associated with migraine and that changing the diet to eradicate certain foods may be a potentially effective treatment for migraine.”

 

 

Research from the University of York has further supported the Migraine Audit findings. A randomised controlled trial using 167 subjects, published in August 2011, showed the frequency of migraine-like headaches was reduced by 23% after 4 weeks on the YorkTest FoodScan recommended diet. Dr Andrew Dowson, consultant neurologist, head of headache services at King’s College and member of the medical advisory board of Migraine Action, commenting on the research said: “A link between food intolerance and migraine has long been suspected. Recent research has shown that when people with migraine follow tailored diets to eliminate trigger foods their symptoms significantly improve, however the treatment of migraine is not a ‘one size fits all’ situation, each person needs to establish their own specific combination of triggers, which can also include factors like stress and irregular sleep patterns. The link between food intolerance and migraine is a interesting new field and warrants more detailed research.”