Beer and Migraines.

[stereo]

Anyone here experience terrible, borderline migraine-like headaches when they consume certain beers? I love beer, but am scared to try new ones as a result of these headaches. I was at a bar a couple years ago when a friend had me try a sip of his Hoegaarden. I liked it. A few weeks later I picked up a sixer of it and had two of them with lunch. Not long after I finished the second, a terrible migraine headache ensued (I rarely ever get headaches, and when I do, they are more "stress induced" and feel nothing like I'd felt after consuming a couple of the Hoegaarden's). I literally laid in bed for six hours in pain before the headache subsided. I figure it has to be an allergy of some sort, but I can't determine what. I've spent plenty of time perusing Google and beer forums like this looking for the answer, but keep coming up empty handed. A couple beers other than Hoegaarden have had the same affect on me, but it has been so long since those occurrences, I can't even remember which brands they were. I also consume red wine from time to time and never have a problem with them. Here is a list of beers I currently consume on a regular basis that NEVER have undesirable affects on me:

Heineken
PBR
Guinness
Labatt Blue
Bud or Bud Light (which I prefer not to drink, but sh%t happens)

As you can see, I'm pretty much stuck drinking boring beer as a result of my fear. I've also consumed Oberon and Bass lately without any problems. I just need to find out which ingredient is causing this so I can try some new suds without feeling like someone has hit me in the head with a frying pan. I checked Hoegaarden's site and this what they say their beer contains:

*Hoegaarden is a natural white beer, brewed from wheat, malt, hops, herbs and pure spring water.
*Hoegaarden is bottled without being filtered to retain all the goodness of the beer.
*Hoegaarden contains living yeast. It's natural cloudiness shows just how alive the beer is.

[newportstorm]

Allergies can be tricky. Allergists can help you narrow down what might be causing your reaction (if it truly is the beer).

I believe Hoeggarden is brewed with coriander and orange peel for spices (maybe others). Any reaction to these when you've consumed them in an entree?

Many people have reactions to yeast, though I think the most common is of the intestinal variety. And some believe migraines can come on from a lack of B-vitamins, which brewer's yeast would actually provide. Odd.

Also, brews that leave behind lots of residual sugars could be a factor, though I'd think it would take more than 1 or 2 to lead to a migraine. You could try sticking with highly attenuated beers that are a little drier.

Try a local filtered craft brew and see what happens. Best of luck.

Cheers!

p.s. I'm no doctor, nor do I play one on the web. See your physician.

[Seymour]

There are many triggers of migraines, one of which is alcohol. It may simply be a fluke you haven't had a migraine from the other beers. On the other hand, indeed it could be the yeast strain they use. Also, aren't wits brewed with wheat? It could be you're not a wheat beer type of guy. Your list of beers that don't set you off are brewed with good ol' malted barley (or in the case of PBR and Bud, rice. Bleah.). You may be a guy who could get into the craft ales--believe me, Bass is merely a stepping stone--and find some really tasty brews without being racked out with a headache. Good luck in your search.

[kinjar]

I get migranes on a semi-regular basis (four a year or so).

Both Rolling Rock & Heineken have been triggers in the past, so as a result, I tend to skip green-bottled beer (except for Yuengling Lager).

[Halgarmeister]

Originally posted by Seymour
There are many triggers of migraines, one of which is alcohol. It may simply be a fluke you haven't had a migraine from the other beers.

Good points, it may be a matter of alcohol content and your (stereo's ) sensitivity to it. I know back in my "drinking days" if I consumed an equal amount of water as alcohol throughout a given evening, I got no headache or hangover. Forget the water and I'd get a noggin thumper to beat all noggin thumpers.

I don't know the ABV of any of the brews mentioned, but that may be a place to start your search.

[stereo]

Originally posted by Halgarmeister
Good points, it may be a matter of alcohol content and your (stereo's ) sensitivity to it. I know back in my "drinking days" if I consumed an equal amount of water as alcohol throughout a given evening, I got no headache or hangover. Forget the water and I'd get a noggin thumper to beat all noggin thumpers.

I don't know the ABV of any of the brews mentioned, but that may be a place to start your search.

Well, I regularly consume decent sized quantites of hard liquor, also. Whiskey, vodka, etc. They have never triggered a headache while drinking, just the day after. And these headaches are nothing like a hangover-like headache. Those I can handle. These are something entirely different. I'm convinced it's an ingredient in the beer. Perhaps wheat is the culprit?

Thanks everyone for the input :D

[The Alchemist]

I know this won't help you in pinpointing a cause, but just to let you know that you are not alone, I have a friend that always gets a migraine from drinking beer. He is one of the few men that I know that has migraines on a consistent basis. He takes Imitrip and prior to the pillform, used to inject himself with the pen. If he didn't like beer so much, I wonder if he would subject himself to the headaches. I believe that darker, maltier brews are more likely to cause them for him. But, that certainly isn't true across the board. I can't imagine having headaches on a regular basis. If I get one a year, that is to many.