Abstract
Objective: Assessing the effects of caffeine withdrawal on migraine.Background: The effects of caffeine withdrawal on migraineurs are at large unknown.Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, crossover study (NCT03022838), designed to enroll 80 adults with episodic migraine and a daily consumption of 300–800 mg caffeine. Participants substituted their estimated dietary caffeine with either placebo capsules or capsulated caffeine tablets for 5 weeks before switching the comparators for 5 more weeks.Results: The study was terminated due to low recruitment. Ten subjects with a mean age of 46.3 ± 9.9 years, BMI of 24.9 ± 3.7, and a mean blood pressure of 134/83 ± 17/12 mmHg were enrolled. The average consumption of caffeine per day was 539 ± 196.3 mg. The average monthly headache days and migraine attack frequency at baseline was 11.5 ± 4.9 and 5.2 ± 1.2, respectively. At baseline Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was 5.8 ± 2.5 and HIT-6 was 62.8 ± 3.9. There were no differences in these or in parameters from actigraphy during the caffeine period compared with the placebo period. One subject withdrew just after entering the study. In the remaining nine, withdrawal triggered severe migraine attacks in seven, causing one more drop-out, and a typical caffeine withdrawal syndrome in two. Caffeine continuation did not trigger migraines, but one attack occurred in the wake of caffeine reintroduction.Conclusions: The study failed to answer how caffeine withdrawal affects migraineurs over time, but showed that abrupt withdrawal of caffeine is a potent trigger for migraine attacks.
Highlights
Active migraine affects more than 10% of the population, and may cause years of disability in many [1]
This syndrome mimics the prodromal phase of migraine, and this seems to have been overlooked when the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal have been investigated [4]
It became soon clear that the majority of subjects volunteering from the community in general did not fulfill the inclusion criteria, and that the majority of subjects found eligible through ordinary clinical practice, were not willing to stop consuming dietary caffeine for 10 weeks
Summary
Active migraine affects more than 10% of the population, and may cause years of disability in many [1]. Caffeine is the most widely psychoactive substance used [2]. The effects on migraine are not fully understood, and the effects of withdrawal of caffeine on migraine has been little explored. Cessation of daily doses of as little as 100 mg of caffeine, the equivalent of one cup of coffee, may cause a withdrawal syndrome consisting of headaches, lethargy, and other symptoms. Migraine and Caffeine Withdrawal [3]. This syndrome mimics the prodromal phase of migraine, and this seems to have been overlooked when the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal have been investigated [4]. Studies explicitly documenting caffeine withdrawal as a trigger for migraine seem to be lacking. The effects of caffeine withdrawal on migraineurs are at large unknown
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
