For a long time, I’ve told people that red wine headaches are likely du to a histamine issue, and I’ve recommended that people take an antihistamine to solve the problem. Today, I learned from NPR Science Friday that it’s actually due to Quercetin, which we’ll explore in this article.
The Case for Histamines
In my most recent article, “Dealing with RWH, Red Wine Headaches,” I mentioned that The Wine Cellar Insider points to histamines as being one of the two culprits of RWH. They say that histamines dilate your blood vessels and bring on the flushing and inflammatory sensations.
Oregon Wine Press went on to say that “Histamines…are present in grapes and a bi-product of fermentation. When combined with alcohol, histamines can sometimes cause cranial swelling and headaches to those sensitive to them.”
The Case of Quercetin
According to Wikipedia, “is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves, seeds, and grains; capers, red onions, and kale are common foods containing appreciable amounts of it. It has a bitter flavor and is used as an ingredient in dietary supplements, beverages, and foods.
WebMD tells us that “Quercetin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that might help reduce swelling, kill cancer cells, control blood sugar, and help prevent heart disease.”
So why is quercetin problematic when it comes to red-wine headaches? Nature.com provides the information in a highly technical way. They say that “the headache caused by red wine is due to the presence of quercetin and its glycosides, which upon metabolizing to quercetin glucuronide, inhibits ALDH2 enzyme activity. With the concurrent consumption of alcohol, the in vitro inhibition of ALDH2 by quercetin glucuronide would lead to an accumulation of toxic acetaldehyde, resulting in headaches. Further studies on human subjects are needed to verify this hypothesis.”
UCLA Health explains it a little more understandably: Quercetin “…is produced in red grapes as they are exposed to sunlight. Quercetin impedes the body’s ability to completely metabolize alcohol. This results in the buildup of a compound known as acetaldehyde. Although small amounts of acetaldehyde are manageable, accumulations can become toxic. The researchers suspect this may be the mystery compound behind the red wine headache. Until this new theory is proven, red wine drinkers susceptible to getting headaches will have to take evasive measures. These can include taking a defensive dose of an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication before drinking, or choosing a white or rose wine, each of which is low in quercetin.”
I’ll look forward to learning more as the scientists learn more.
