Probiotics Causes Headaches?

 

Online doctors at Just Health Experts have served an amazing role helping individuals remotely. Here’s a response to a frequent inquiry by users of the service.

 

Summary

 

·       Probiotics are living microbes that help make “good” bacteria for the digestive tract._[1]

·       Two reviews were evaluated to conduct the research provided.

·       One review by Dai et al explains the relationship between gut microbiome and brain functions like headaches._[1]

·       A second review by Gazerani describes how headaches are related to dietary influences._[2]

 

Clinical Data

 

The following information should not be construed as a comprehensive collection of all available clinical/published data regarding this topic.

 

Migraine headaches are a common disorder and can last several hours to days._[1] They usually occur with gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is suggested that gut microbiome can affect brain function because it converts complex carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids. These are important for regulating the structure and function of the blood-brain barrier. In other words, it helps filter and regulate what nutrients go into and out of the brain and bloodstream. Probiotics are considered “good” bacteria that improve the integrity of the gastrointestinal environment. It helps repair and maintain gut permeability for better function such as nutrient absorption.

 

In a review by Dai et al, it was shown that better gut permeability and reduced inflammation from probiotic use contributed to less frequency of migraine headaches._[1] This is due to the mechanism of probiotics previously mentioned. In another review by Gazerani, it is reported that there are dietary triggers for migraines._[2] Probiotics are beneficial for gut microbiome and changes in diet may be considered as part of integrative therapy.

 

Conclusion

 

It is suggested that the gut and the brain are related. Many migraine headaches are followed by gastrointestinal side effects. Probiotics have more benefits rather than risks for migraine headaches. It was shown to improve overall gut health and reduce frequency of headaches. For more information about this topic, please visit Nature’s Reveal.

 

References

 

1.     Dai, Yu-Jie et al. “Potential Beneficial Effects of Probiotics on Human Migraine Headache: A Literature Review.” Pain physician vol. 20,2 (2017): E251-E255.

2.     Gazerani, Parisa. “Migraine and Diet.” Nutrients vol. 12,6 1658. 3 Jun. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12061658