Why do we get headaches after drinking red wine? Research says the culprit is…

Do you enjoy drinking red wine? Then chances are that you must have suffered a headache the next day. The red wine headache phenomenon is a tale as old as time. Over the years, many components of red wine have been blamed for this reaction, including sulfites, biogenic amines and tannin. However, per a new research led by Andrew Waterhouse and Apramita Devi, University of California-Davis, the culprit is one you may not have considered.

What causes headaches after drinking red wine?

Sulfites, biogenic amines and tannin have been popular scapegoats for headaches caused by red wine. However, this study found that there are many other phenolic compounds in grapes’ skin and seeds that make it into red wines from the winemaking process. So, any of them could be the culprit.

Per the research, when people drink red wine, the alcohol causes flushed skin accompanied by a headache. It is caused by a lagging metabolic step as the body breaks down the booze. The digestion of alcohol happens in two steps - first, the ethanol is converted to acetaldehyde, and then the Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzyme converts the acetaldehyde to acetate.

The researchers stated that this second step is slower for people with flushed skin since their ALDH is inefficient. This leads to the accumulation of acetaldehyde, which is a somewhat toxic compound and also linked to hangovers.

What the study found

So, was something unique in red wine slowing down that second metabolic step, leading to headaches? In the list of phenolics abundant in red wine, they found quercetin to be a good inhibitor of ALDH. It is found in the grape skin. It’s much more abundant in red than white wines because red grape skins are left longer during fermentation than white grape skins.

The researchers tested whether quercetin slowed the process of ALDH breaking down acetaldehyde, along with some other phenolics. The tests confirmed the theory. Per the study, when we absorb quercetin from food or wine, most of it gets converted to glucuronide by the liver to eliminate it quickly. However, quercetin glucuronide disrupts your body’s metabolism of alcohol. This disruption means extra acetaldehyde circulates, causing inflammation and headaches.

Additionally, grapes exposed to the sun produce more quercetin, and many inexpensive red wines are made from grapes that see less sunlight.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.