Scientists from Curelator Inc. found that a single alcohol drink did not increase the risk of developing migraines in the next 48 hours. Research published Head and Face Magazine.
The authors of the study analyzed 40,000 days from the diaries of 487 people living in English-speaking countries. In total, they reported about six thousand migraine attacks occurring over about 90 days. Researchers evaluated whether alcohol was associated with migraine attacks within two days of drinking.
After adjusting for gender, age, and average weekly alcohol intake, the researchers found no significant association between alcohol use and migraine over a 48-hour period. However, albeit insignificant, first-day drinking had an effect: drinking increased the risk of migraines by a few percent.
Doctors often recommend that patients with episodic migraine avoid alcohol. The authors stress that their results do not support this recommendation. However, their study had limitations and needs to be retested in other groups.