Could Your Heartburn Meds Be Giving You Headaches? New Research Reveals Surprising Link

The risk of migraines and severe headaches can increase due to the consumption of acid-reducing drugs has been revealed.

The research results suggesting that the risk of migraines and severe headaches can increase due to the consumption of acid-reducing drugs have been published in Neurology Clinical Practice Journal.

Acid reflux generally occurs after meals or when lying down, causing heartburn and potentially leading to peptic ulcers. People who frequently experience acid reflux may develop Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), which can potentially lead to esophageal cancer.

The research team noted that acid-reducing drugs are widely prescribed and often overused. The main goal of the research was to precisely assess the impact of these drugs, referring to previous studies suggesting a link between these drugs and various diseases ranging from migraines to dementia.

They analyzed data from 11,818 participants who responded about their use of acid-reducing drugs and whether they had experienced migraines or severe headaches in the previous 90 days.

Of the participants who took Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI), the most commonly prescribed type of acid-reducing drug, 25% experienced migraines or severe headaches. This percentage was higher than the 19% of participants who did not take PPI and experienced headaches.

Furthermore, 25% of participants who took H2 blockers, a type of acid-reducing drug, experienced severe headaches, while only 20% of participants who did not take H2 blockers experienced severe headaches.

The research team explained that 22% of participants who were taking any acid-reducing drug experienced severe headaches. In comparison, the rate was 20% for those who took no acid-reducing medicines.

They reported that even considering factors such as gender, age, alcohol, and caffeine intake that could influence the risk of migraines, those taking PPI were 70% more likely to experience migraines than those who did not take PPI.

They added that taking H2 blockers and acid inhibitors increased the risk of experiencing migraines by 40% and 30%, respectively.

However, the research team cautioned the limit of this study only suggesting a correlation between acid-reducing drugs and migraines or severe headaches and does not fully explain a causal relationship.

In addition, experts explained that while it is a known fact that there is a correlation between acid-reducing drugs and migraines, it is still unclear whether reducing acid levels has a significant impact on migraines.

They speculated that the central nervous system or glutamate levels, which are part of the pain pathway, could be the link between GERD and headaches.

The researchers also argued that people with high levels of stress tend to produce more stomach acid as a stress response and experience more frequent headaches, which could explain why people taking PPI have a higher rate of headaches. However, experts agreed that because there is a clear correlation between GERD, excessive stomach acid, and migraines, special care is needed when prescribing acid-reducing drugs to patients with migraines.