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Home > Nutrition > Can Eating Bananas Cause Migraines?

Can Eating Bananas Cause Migraines?

February 2, 2023
3 min read
By Shiza Khan, M.Sc. – Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics | Dietitian/Nutritionist

In this article:

  • In Whom Does Banana Cause Migraines?
  • Can Banana Improve Migraines?
  • How Many Bananas Should I Eat to Treat a Headache From Migraine?
  • Final Word

Have you ever experienced a sudden migraine in the midst of having a good day? It could be after you ate something, didn’t drink water for too long, or didn’t sleep enough the night before. Whatever may be the situation, a migraine can severely affect your daily activity.

can eating bananas cause migraine?

Usually, people who suffer from migraine have a known list of triggers that can lead to a migraine. These triggers include certain types of foods, lack of sleep, excessive heat, or very bright light. (1)

Among fruits, banana can lead to a bout of migraine after its consumption. (2)(3)

In Whom Does Banana Cause Migraines?

Before discussing why banana can be a trigger, it is important to clarify that banana is not a common trigger at all. (2)

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So why does banana trigger migraines?

Ripe bananas contain a compound called tyramine, (4) which is a breakdown product of the amino acid tyrosine.

Recent findings have discovered some people have sensitivity to foods containing tyramine and these foods can act as triggers for migraines. (5)

Can Banana Improve Migraines?

can eating bananas help reduce migraine symptoms?

Now the question arises whether people for whom banana is not a trigger can eat the fruit. The answer is yes.

Ripe banana fruit contains magnesium (30 mg for every 100 g), (6) and consuming oral salts of magnesium has been identified as a remedy against migraine. This mineral is known to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks with no side effects. (7)

How Many Bananas Should I Eat to Treat a Headache From Migraine?

You can eat one medium-sized banana at the peak of attack.

Final Word

Migraine is a debilitating condition that can affect the quality of life. No standard treatment for migraines exists, and most people manage the condition by avoiding triggers.

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Certain foods can bring on migraines, and bananas can be a trigger in some but not all people. Many people are sensitive to a specific compound in ripe bananas, called tyramine, that can cause migraines.

References
  1. Kesserwani H. Migraine triggers: An overview of the pharmacology, biochemistry, atmospherics, and their effects on Neural Networks. Cureus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8088284/. Published April 1, 2021.
  2. Tai M-LS, Yap JF, Goh CB. Dietary trigger factors of migraine and tension-type headache in a South East Asian country. Journal of pain research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6029602/. Published June 28, 2018.
  3. Özön AÖ, Karadaş Ö. The effectiveness of diet restriction in elderly with migraine. Noro psikiyatri arsivi. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8419733/. Published January 7, 2020.
  4. Borges CV; Belin MAF; Amorim EP; Minatel IO; Monteiro GC; Gomez Gomez HA; Monar GRS; Lima GPP; Bioactive amines changes during the ripening and thermal processes of bananas and plantains. Food chemistry. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31260965/.
  5. Biochemistry, Tyramine – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563197/.
  6. Oyeyinka BO, Afolayan AJ. Comparative evaluation of the nutritive, mineral, and antinutritive composition of musa sinensis L. (banana) and musa paradisiaca L. (plantain) fruit compartments. Plants (Basel, Switzerland). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6963461/. Published December 12, 2019.
  7. Domitrz I, Cegielska J. Magnesium as an important factor in the pathogenesis and treatment of migraine-from theory to practice. Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912646/. Published March 5, 2022.
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