Got Headaches? Is it the Coffee?

Posted on August 22, 2009 in Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine, Recent Studies

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology published a study examining the connection between headaches and coffee. The results were conflicting.

If you drink large amounts of caffeine every day you are more likely to suffer from occasional headaches, but if you drink very little caffeine, you are more likely to get chronic headaches that last for 14 days or more.

Caffeine has been shown to help relieve headaches in certain studies, and cause headaches in others. Researchers still aren’t clear as to the cause and effect relationship between caffeine consumption and the frequency and severity of headaches. Could it be that those who consume large amounts of coffee have less severe headaches because of their coffee habits? Or do individuals with chronic headaches consume less coffee because of their pain? Further studies are needed to answer these questions.

In the meantime, doctors recommend that patients who suffer from frequent or severe headaches consume only moderate amounts of caffeine, meaning 125 mg or one to two cups of coffee per day.