More than two daily caffeinated beverages could raise migraine risk

For people prone to migraines, drinking three daily caffeinated beverages may raise the risk of a debilitating headache—especially if they usually only drink one or two, according to a new study led by Elizabeth Mostofsky, a researcher at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and an instructor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, published online August 8, 2019 in The American Journal of Medicine, found that these individuals also have an increased risk of developing a migraine on the day after they drink their extra cup.

While some migraine sufferers use caffeine to treat their headaches, the link to second-day headaches suggests that they be making their suffering worse, Mostofsky said in an August 8 article in Time. She also noted that an individual’s tolerance to caffeine likely influences their risk of a migraine after drinking caffeinated beverages. Some people who are heavy consumers of caffeine can develop headaches if they drink less than their usual dose.

“The complex thing with caffeine is sometimes it’s harmful and sometimes it’s beneficial,” she said. “It really amounts to the dose and the frequency of having it.”

Read Time article: Here’s How Much Caffeine May Trigger a Migraine, According to a New Study

Read NBC News coverage: An extra cup of coffee could up the odds of a migraine