News Bites Caffeine Eases Headache Pain

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News Bites Caffeine Eases Headache Pain

• HS 460

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• It has long been known that when caffeine is
  combined with acetaminophen or aspirin in pain
  relievers such as Extra Strength Excedrin, it
  bolsters the medications ability to relieve
  pain. Now a new study suggests that caffeine
  also relieves garden-variety headaches when
  combined with ibuprofen, the active ingredient in
  Advil and Motrin, and even acts independently to
  reduce pain.

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• Researchers at the Diamond Headache Clinic in
  Chicago looked at 385 people who typically got
  tension headaches several times a month. Each
  person was given 1 of 4 pills to take next time a
  headache struck a combination pill containing
  400 milligrams of ibuprofen (the amount in 2
  tablets of Advil) and 200 milligrams of caffeine
  (the amount in about 2 cups of coffee) ibuprofen
  pills alone caffeine alone or a dummy placebo
  pill. Overall, those who took the caffeine alone
  reported a reduction in pain for about an hour
  and a half after taking the pill. But then the
  effect wore off and the pain returned.

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• Just the opposite occurred among the people in
  the ibuprofen-alone group they didnt feel any
  relief for more than an hour after taking the
  drug, but once it kicked in, it gave them relief
  for more than 5 hours. Not surprisingly,
  headache sufferers who took the combination pill
  experienced more hours of relief than any of the
  other groups.

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• Experts suspect caffeine helps alleviate
  headaches by constricting the blood vessels in
  the head, which slightly decreases blood flow
  there. In fact, that helps explain why many
  caffeine addicts suffer pounding withdrawal
  headaches when they dont get their usual fix.
  Without caffeine, the blood vessels in the head
  area dilate and the extra blood creates throbbing
  pressure.

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• The researchers point out that headache sufferers
  may not need the 200-milligram dose they used
  in the study. Caffeine-containing drugs
  currently on the market contain no more than 130
  milligrams per standard dose, which may be the
  threshold at which the effect kicks in.

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• Tafts University
• Health and Nutrition Letter
• Vol. 15, No. 4, June 1997