If you’re drinking a beer with a higher alcohol content, such as a strong IPA or a craft beer, the effect of dehydration may be even more pronounced. Additionally, consuming a lot of beer in a short period of time can accelerate this process, making dehydration a likely cause of your headache. A beer headache typically occurs shortly after consuming beer, while a hangover headache occurs the following day.
Can alcohol intolerance affect headache occurrence?

This fluctuation in blood sugar can result in a headache, fatigue, and irritability. If you often find yourself getting a headache after beer, it could be due to these blood sugar swings. As mentioned earlier, alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases the frequency of urination. This causes your body to lose water and important electrolytes, which can lead to dehydration. Beer, being an alcoholic beverage, shares this effect with other alcoholic drinks.
- Even if you don’t feel like it, drinking alcohol while experiencing migraine attacks is best avoided.
- Drinks that are darker in color, such as red wine, bourbon, or dark rum, contain more congeners—substances produced during fermentation.
- Certain nutrients, especially alcohol, may have an impact on headaches or migraines if they are present in your system.
- Furthermore, the type of alcohol you consume plays a significant role in your overall reaction.
Why Does Non-alcoholic Beer Cause Headaches?
Despite this, the Brewmeister Snake Venom beer is by far the strongest on the market, with a 67.5% alcohol by volume. Furthermore, 12 ounces of Budweiser typically contains approximately 14 grams of pure alcohol, making it an excellent choice for those looking for a strong drink. As our body recognizes histamine as a potential threat, the immune system releases more histamine, leading to increased inflammation throughout the body. This inflammatory response can manifest as a headache, among other symptoms, as histamine affects blood vessels, causing them to dilate and potentially leading to discomfort. Some people are sensitive to yeast, why does one beer give me a headache which is a key ingredient in fermentation. Proper hydration can help combat congener-induced headaches as it assists the body in processing these substances more effectively.
Dirty Beer Lines: A Common Issue
Drink water with your alcohol to help prevent dehydration, one of the main causes of alcohol migraine triggers. Yes, dehydration can definitely exacerbate a pre-existing headache. Alcohol’s diuretic effect can deplete fluids further, intensifying the pain. Staying hydrated is crucial for managing any type of headache, including those triggered by beer. Additionally, keeping a diary to track your triggers and being mindful of other factors like stress and sleep can be helpful. The risk of developing an alcohol-induced headache is particularly high with mixed drinks that are composed of multiple types of liquor.
Alcohol Content
The only ones who will be affected are those who sell kegs of unwanted alcohol. When making distilled alcohol, it is common practice for distillers to use double or triple https://edulivethailand.com/alcohol-facts-and-statistics-national-institute-on-2/ distillations to remove impurities. If carbonation is a major factor, opt for beers with lower carbonation levels. Some beers, such as stouts or lagers, typically have less carbonation than lighter ales or wheat beers. If you’re sensitive to carbonation, consider switching to a different style of beer.
The higher the congener content in a beer, the more likely it is to cause a headache. Darker beers, like stouts and porters, tend to have higher congener levels than lighter beers, which may explain why people are more likely to get a headache from these varieties. The most obvious and well-known reason for a headache after drinking beer is the alcohol content.
- Granted, some headaches, like migraine, can be triggered or exacerbated by drinking alcohol, but the throughline is blurry.
- The CO2 in draft beer tends to be more “fresh” and more concentrated due to the manner in which it is introduced into the keg.
- In a 2017 study, researchers found that people of East Asian ancestry drink less alcohol than members of other groups.
Towards the end of my drinking days, I could barely tolerate beer, which I used to love. After one pint, my nose would get congested, and I’d get a throbbing headache. Another factor to consider is the practice of mixing different types of alcohol. If you switch between beer, wine, and spirits, your chances of developing a headache increase. Yeast is responsible for fermentation, converting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

This is because beer and wine often contain more toxic byproducts from fermentation, such as aldehydes. However, darker liquors may still contain a high level of headache-causing congeners. Drinking any type of alcohol in excess, including beer, wine, or liquor, can cause headaches. If you suspect that Alcoholics Anonymous you may be sensitive to gluten or histamines, try switching to gluten-free beers or those that are lower in histamine content.
- He is an active member of the American Headache Society and the American Academy of Neurology.
- Individuals may be sensitive to certain ingredients commonly found in beer, such as sulfites or even the hops themselves.
- Higher CO2 concentrations can also cause dehydration, which is a known trigger for headaches.
- Triptans work best when you take them at the early signs of a migraine.
Alcoholic drinks also contain chemicals called congeners, which may also trigger migraine headaches in certain people. Because the beer was brewed before I had the necessary temperature control, I wouldn’t be surprised if it reached degrees Fahrenheit during fermentation. A compound I’ve never been exposed to before can make an interesting addition to my collection.
Another common cause of beer-induced headaches is dehydration. However, some people may experience a hangover headache after drinking non-alcoholic beer due to the carbonation and/or dehydration from alcohol consumption. Even people who are not prone to headaches will get a headache after a night of heavy alcohol consumption. One or two drinks with food and water over time might be safe for you, but three or more will produce a hangover headache for many people.
Are You Sensitive to Certain Ingredients?
Understanding why requires looking at the complex interplay of factors at play, from physiological responses to specific beer ingredients. Identifying the root cause allows you to take preventative measures and potentially continue enjoying your favorite brews. There is a possibility of bacterial growth forming on the nozzles or outlets of the taps if they are not cleaned at regular intervals. Moreover, the lager may also develop a lot of disease-causing germs that can cause many health problems, including headaches. Also, if the glassware is not cleaned properly, drinking beer in dirty glasses may lead to health issues. Many people complain of a splitting headache while drinking home-brewed beer, even in moderate amounts.













