Dietary inflammatory potential and severe headache or migraine: a systematic review of observational studies

We conducted the current systematic review to investigate the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and severe headaches or migraine among adults via synthesizing observational evidence.

We conducted a systematic literature search of observational studies through PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception until July 2024. The PECO framework was implemented to select eligible studies as follows: Population (adults with severe headache or migraine), Exposure (individuals with the highest adherence to a pro-inflammatory diet), Comparison (individuals with the lowest adherence to a pro-inflammatory diet), Outcome (risk of developing severe headache or migraine, headaches frequency, duration, severity, and migraine-related disability).

After reviewing six studies involving 31,958 individuals, we found that following an anti-inflammatory diet is associated with a lower frequency and severity of migraine headaches. Additionally, our research revealed that individuals with migraines tend to have lower adherence to an anti-inflammatory diet when compared to people without migraines. Surprisingly, adherence to a pro-inflammatory diet was linked to a reduced risk of chronic daily headaches.

Present findings imply a negative link between an inflammatory diet and severe headaches or migraine. However, further well-designed longitudinal studies are needed to interpret the causality and shed light on the underlying mechanisms.