Study shows that drinking three cups of coffee increases risk of migraine

If you drink too much coffee, you could increase your chances of getting a migraine, according to a new study.

The American Journal of Medicine published a study conducted by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) assessed the role of caffeinated beverages as a potential migraine trigger.

They found that if migraine sufferers had one to two servings of caffeinated drinks such as coffee, cola and tea, they were not associated with headaches on that day.

However, drinking three or more were associated with higher odds of a migraine headache on the same or following day.

According to the NHS, you can tell you’re having a migraine if you’ve got a throbbing pain on one side of the head, and it’s classed as moderate to severe depending on the person.

Sufferers also experience nausea, vomiting and increased sensitivity to light or sound.

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, they affect approximately 1.04 billion adults across the world, so it’s a very common illness.

MORE: Study reveals this type of meat could actually reduce risk of breast cancer

During the study, 98 adults completed diaries logging their caffeine intake, including coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks. They were also required to fill out twice daily headache reports.

These detailed the onset, duration and intensity of the headache, as well as any medications used.

Study participants also shared information about their other migraine triggers including alcohol intake, activity levels, stress, sleep patterns and menstrual cycles.

Lead researcher Elizabeth Mostofsky said that the role of caffeine in relation to migraines is “is particularly complex, because it may trigger an attack but also helps control symptoms”.

“Caffeine’s impact depends both on dose and on frequency, but because there have been few prospective studies on the immediate risk of migraine headaches following caffeinated beverage intake, there is limited evidence to formulate dietary recommendations for people with migraines.”