Enjoy wine without a headache!

Why do I get a headache when I drink wine?

The simple answer may be overconsumption! Seriously though, more than 10 percent of my students are medical doctors, and none of them has been able to give me the definitive answer to this question.

Some people get headaches from white wine, others from red, but when it comes to alcohol consumption, dehydration certainly plays an important role in how you feel the next day. That’s why for every glass of wine I consume, I will have two glasses of water to keep my body hydrated.

There are many factors that influence the way alcohol is metabolized in your system. The top three are:
1. Health
2. DNA
3. Gender

Research is increasingly leaning toward genetics as a reason for chronic headaches.

For those of you who have allergies, different levels of histamines are present in red wines; these can obviously cause discomfort and headaches. I myself am allergic to red wine and I “suffer” every day.

Many doctors have told me that food additives contribute to headaches. There is a natural compound in red wine called tyramine, which is said to dilate blood vessels. Further, many prescription medicines warn about combining with alcohol.

Regarding gender, due to certain stomach enzymes, women absorb more alcohol into their bloodstream than men do.  A doctor who advises women that one glass of wine a day is a safe limit is likely to tell men that they can drink two glasses.

Remember to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated while enjoying wine. Have your own effective tips on avoiding a wine headache? Please share!

The above post appears in the 2009 edition of the Windows on the World Complete Wine Course by Kevin Zraly, available in bookstores now. Look for the 25th anniversary edition in Fall of 2009. The Windows on the World Complete Wine Course is the world's best-selling, most highly praised wine book.