Have you ever wondered why some people get headaches or migraines more often than others? The answer may lie in something deep inside us—our genes. These are the tiny instructions in our body that control everything from how we grow to how we feel pain.
Scientists have been trying to learn more about what causes headaches and migraines, and recently, they discovered something interesting. They found that the same genes that increase the chances of getting headaches might also affect how our bodies handle sugar in the blood. That’s right—headaches and blood sugar may be more connected than we thought.
To understand this better, let’s start with what headaches and migraines really are. A regular headache is usually just a dull pain or pressure in your head. Migraines are worse.
They can cause sharp, throbbing pain, make you feel sick, and make it hard to stand light or noise. Some people get migraines once in a while, while others get them often. In fact, about 1 out of every 7 people around the world suffer from migraines. That’s a lot.
Even though migraines are common, doctors still don’t know exactly what causes them. But they do know that genes matter. If someone in your family, like your mom or dad, has migraines, there’s a higher chance that you might get them too. That’s because you share some of the same genes with your family.
Now, let’s talk about blood sugar. Your body needs sugar, also called glucose, for energy. Every time you eat food, your body breaks it down into sugar.
Then, a hormone called insulin helps move that sugar from your blood into your cells, where it can be used for energy. But if your body doesn’t use insulin properly, sugar stays in your blood, which can lead to high blood sugar. Over time, this can cause problems like diabetes.
Some people with high or low blood sugar levels may feel tired, thirsty, or dizzy. And surprisingly, many also experience more frequent headaches or migraines. But until recently, no one really knew why.
That’s where scientists from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia come in. They wanted to find out if there was a connection between genes that cause headaches and genes that affect blood sugar. So they looked at genetic information from hundreds of thousands of people—some who had migraines and some who didn’t.
They discovered that many people who suffer from migraines also have genes that are linked to problems with blood sugar. These genes can cause the body to produce too much insulin, or not enough, or even lead to diabetes. This helps explain why headaches and blood sugar issues often go hand in hand.
This discovery could change how we treat headaches and migraines. If blood sugar is part of the problem, then managing blood sugar levels could help reduce headache symptoms. Doctors might begin checking patients’ blood sugar more often or offer treatments to keep those levels steady.
Of course, everyone is different. Just because there’s a connection doesn’t mean it’s the cause for everyone. But it gives us a new piece of the puzzle, and that’s exciting.
If you or someone you know often gets headaches or migraines, it might be worth looking at your diet and blood sugar levels. Talk to your doctor and see if keeping blood sugar in balance could help reduce the pain.
The study was published in the journal Human Genetics. It opens the door to new ways of understanding and possibly treating headaches—not just by looking at the head, but at the whole body.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
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