Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Headache and Pain logoLink to The Journal of Headache and Pain
. 2009 Mar 24;10(3):153–159. doi: 10.1007/s10194-009-0114-6

High dietary caffeine consumption is associated with a modest increase in headache prevalence: results from the Head-HUNT Study

Knut Hagen 1,2,✉, Kari Thoresen 1, Lars Jacob Stovner 1,2, John-Anker Zwart 1,2,3,4
PMCID: PMC3451984  PMID: 19308315

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between caffeine consumption and headache type and frequency in the general adult population. The results were based on cross-sectional data from 50,483 (55%) out of 92,566 invited inhabitants aged ≥20 years who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey. In the multivariate analyses, adjusting for age, gender, smoking, and level of education as confounding factors, a weak but significant association (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.09–1.23) was found between high caffeine consumption and prevalence of infrequent headache. In contrast, headache >14 days/month was less likely among individuals with high caffeine consumption compared to those with low caffeine consumption. The results may indicate that high caffeine consumption changes chronic headache into infrequent headache due to the analgesic properties of caffeine. Alternatively, chronic headache sufferers tend to avoid intake of caffeine to not aggravate their headaches, whereas individuals with infrequent headache are less aware that high caffeine use can be a cause.

Keywords: Migraine, Headache, Epidemiology, Norway

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (217.8 KB).

Acknowledgments

The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (The HUNT Study) is a collaboration between The HUNT Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU); Norwegian Institute of Public Health; and the Nord-Trøndelag County Council.

Conflict of interest

None.

References

  • 1.Juliano LM, Griffiths RR. A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features. Psychopharmacology. 2004;176:1–29. doi: 10.1007/s00213-004-2000-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 2.Zhang WY. A benefit-risk assessment of caffeine as an analgesic adjuvant. Drug Saf. 2001;24:1127–1142. doi: 10.2165/00002018-200124150-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 3.Silverman K, Evans SM, Strain EC, Griffiths RR. Withdrawal syndrome after the double-blind cessation of caffeine consumption. N Engl J Med. 1992;327:1109–1114. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199210153271601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Dews PB, Curtis GL, Hanford KJ, O’Brian CP. The frequency of caffeine withdrawal in a population-based survey and in a controlled, blinded pilot experiment. J Clin Pharmacol. 1999;39:1221–1232. doi: 10.1177/00912709922012024. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 5.Shirlow MJ, Mathers CD. A study of caffeine consumption and symptoms: indigestion, palpitations, tremor, headache and insomnia. Int J Epidemiol. 1985;14:239–248. doi: 10.1093/ije/14.2.239. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 6.Takeshima T, Ishizaki K, Fukuhara Y, Ijri T, Kusumi M, Wakutani Y, Mori M, Kawashima M, Kowa H, Adachi Y, Urakami K, Nakashima K. Population-based door-to-door survey of migraine in Japan: the Daisen study. Headache. 2004;44:8–19. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2004.04004.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 7.Bigal ME, Sheftell FD, Rapoport AM, Tepper SJ, Lipton RB. Chronic daily headache: identification of risk factors associated with induction and transformation. Headache. 2002;42:575–581. doi: 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2002.02143.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 8.Scher AI, Stewart WF, Lipton RB. Caffeine as a risk factor for chronic daily headache. Neurology. 2004;63:2022–2027. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000145760.37852.ed. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 9.Boardman HF, Thomas E, Millson DS, Croft PR. Psychological, sleep, lifestyle, and comorbid associations with headache. Headache. 2005;45:657–669. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2005.05133.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 10.Wiendels NJ, Knuistingh Neven A, Rosendaal FR, Spinhoven P, Zitman FG, Assendelft WJ, Ferrari MD. Chronic frequent headache in the general population: prevalence and associated factors. Cephalalgia. 2006;26:1434–1442. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2006.01210.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 11.Sjaastad O, Bakketeig LS. Caffeine-withdrawal headache. The Vågå study of headache epidemiology. Cephalalgia. 2004;24:241–249. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2003.00638.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 12.Stovner LJ, Hagen K, Jensen R, Katsarava Z, Lipton R, Scher AI, Steiner T, Zwart JA. Headache prevalence and disability worldwide: a documentation of headache prevalence and disability worldwide. Cephalalgia. 2007;27:191–210. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01288.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 13.Stovner LJ, Hagen K. Prevalence, burden and cost of headache disorders. Curr Opin Neurol. 2006;19:281–285. doi: 10.1097/01.wco.0000227039.16071.92. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 14.Hagen K, Stovner LJ, Zwart JA. Potentials and pitfalls in analytical headache epidemiological studies. Lessons to be learned from the Head-HUNT Study. Cephalalgia. 2007;27:403–413. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01302.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 15.Hagen K, Zwart JA, Vatten L, Stovner LJ, Bovim G. Prevalence of migraine and non-migrainous headache—Head-HUNT, a large population-based study. Cephalalgia. 2000;20:900–906. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2000.00145.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 16.Spigset O. Pharmacological effects of caffeine. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2001;121:3080–3081. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 17.Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society Classification and diagnostic criteria for headache disorders, cranial neuralgias, and facial pain. Cepahalalgia. 1988;8(Suppl 7):19–28. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 18.Hagen K, Zwart JA, Vatten L, Stovner LJ, Bovim G. Head-HUNT: Validity and reliability of a headache questionnaire in a large population-based study in Norway. Cephalalgia. 2000;20:244–251. doi: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2000.00049.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 19.Nastase A, Ioan S, Braga RI, Zagrean L, Moldovan M. Coffee drinking enhances the analgesic effect of cigarette smoking. Neuroreport. 2007;18:921–924. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32811d6d0d. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 20.Carrillo JA, Benitez J. Clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions between dietary caffeine and medications. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2000;39:127–153. doi: 10.2165/00003088-200039020-00004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 21.Zwart J-A, Dyb G, Hagen K, Svebak S, Stovner LJ, Holmen J. Analgesic overuse among subjects with headache, neck and low-back pain. Neurology. 2004;62:1540–1544. doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000123262.96132.fc. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 22.Fredholm BB, Bättig K, Holmén J, Nehlig A, Zvartau E. Actions of caffeine in the brain with special reference to factors that contribute to its widespread use. Pharmacol Rev. 1999;51:83–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 23.Evans SM, Griffiths (1999) Caffeine withdrawal: a parametric analysis of caffeine dosing conditions. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 289:285–294 [PubMed]
  • 24.Aamodt AH, Hagen K, Bråthen G, Zwart J-A, Stovner LJ. Headache prevalence related to smoking and alcohol use. The Head-HUNT Study. Eur J Neurol. 2006;13:1233–1238. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2006.01492.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 25.Rønning M, Strøm H, Blix HS, Litlekare I, Harbø BT, Ullerud TG. Sales per county of other analgesics and antipyretics. In: Øydvin K, editor. Drug consumption in Norway 1994–1998. Oslo: Norsk Medisinaldepot (NMD); 1999. pp. 167–169. [Google Scholar]
  • 26.Barone JJ, Roberts R. Caffeine consumption. Food Chem Toxicol. 1996;34:119–129. doi: 10.1016/0278-6915(95)00093-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Headache and Pain are provided here courtesy of BMC

RESOURCES