Why does wine cause headaches?
There are a few reasons why drinking wine could cause a headache and the answer really depends on the individual. The first cause is simply dehydration. Not keeping your body hydrated when drinking any alcohol can cause a headache. The second cause is tannins. Tannins, which are found in the skins of grapes and are the compound that causes your mouth to feel dry and puckery when you’re drinking red wine, have been shown to make the body release seratonins and high levels of seratonins can cause headaches. Tannins are present at much higher levels in red wine than in white wine, so if only red wine gives you headaches, tannins may be the cause. The third potential cause is histamines. Histamines are also present in the skins of grapes and the fact that some people lack an enzyme to break down histamines efficiently has led researchers to believe that histamines can contribute to headaches. This theory, however, has been questioned based on other studies that have not supported it. Once
