Migraine, tension headaches and irritable bowel syndrome linked?

Croatoan

Well-Known Member
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160223171421.htm
Migraine, tension headaches and irritable bowel syndrome linked?

Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common gastrointestinal disorder worldwide and affects up to 45 million people in the United States. Many people remain undiagnosed and the exact cause of the chronic condition is not known. Common symptoms include abdominal pain or cramping, a bloated feeling, gas and diarrhea or constipation.
"Since headache and irritable bowel syndrome are such common conditions, and causes for both are unknown, discovering a possible link that could shed light on shared genetics of the conditions is encouraging," said study author Derya Uluduz, MD, of Istanbul University in Turkey.
The study involved 107 people with episodic migraine, 53 with tension-type headache, 107 people with IBS and 53 healthy people. Migraine and tension headache participants were examined for IBS symptoms and participants with IBS were asked about headaches.
People with migraine were twice as likely to also have IBS as people with tension headache. A total of 54 percent of those with migraine also had IBS, compared to 28 percent of those with tension headache. Of the participants with IBS, 38 also had migraine and 24 also had tension headache.
When researchers looked at the serotonin transporter gene and the serotonin receptor 2A gene, they found that the IBS, migraine and tension headache groups had at least one gene that differed from the genes of the healthy participants.
"Further studies are needed to explore this possible link," said Uluduz. "Discovering shared genes may lead to more future treatment strategies for these chronic conditions."
 

Cort

Founder of Health Rising and Phoenix Rising
Staff member
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160223171421.htm
Migraine, tension headaches and irritable bowel syndrome linked?

Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common gastrointestinal disorder worldwide and affects up to 45 million people in the United States. Many people remain undiagnosed and the exact cause of the chronic condition is not known. Common symptoms include abdominal pain or cramping, a bloated feeling, gas and diarrhea or constipation.
"Since headache and irritable bowel syndrome are such common conditions, and causes for both are unknown, discovering a possible link that could shed light on shared genetics of the conditions is encouraging," said study author Derya Uluduz, MD, of Istanbul University in Turkey.
The study involved 107 people with episodic migraine, 53 with tension-type headache, 107 people with IBS and 53 healthy people. Migraine and tension headache participants were examined for IBS symptoms and participants with IBS were asked about headaches.
People with migraine were twice as likely to also have IBS as people with tension headache. A total of 54 percent of those with migraine also had IBS, compared to 28 percent of those with tension headache. Of the participants with IBS, 38 also had migraine and 24 also had tension headache.
When researchers looked at the serotonin transporter gene and the serotonin receptor 2A gene, they found that the IBS, migraine and tension headache groups had at least one gene that differed from the genes of the healthy participants.
"Further studies are needed to explore this possible link," said Uluduz. "Discovering shared genes may lead to more future treatment strategies for these chronic conditions."
I love this finding! It's my belief that migraine, ME/CFS and FM are all connected and I cannot frigging wait until the connections become clear - and here one possibility is - the serotonin transporter gene. Very high incidence of migraine, apparently, in ME/CFS and FM.

Check this out - three polymorphisms in that gene found in ME/CFS! (Plus Hornig stated that preliminary results from the CFI gut study highlighted serotonin...)

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Feb;33(2):188-97.Genetic evaluation of the serotonergic system in chronic fatigue syndrome. Smith AK1, Dimulescu I, Falkenberg VR, Narasimhan S, Heim C, Vernon SD, Rajeevan MS.Author information

A nice subject for a blog - any takers?

Abstract

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating disorder of unknown etiology with no known lesions, diagnostic markers or therapeutic intervention. The pathophysiology of CFS remains elusive, although abnormalities in the central nervous system (CNS) have been implicated, particularly hyperactivity of the serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) system and hypoactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Since alterations in 5-HT signaling can lead to physiologic and behavioral changes, a genetic evaluation of the 5-HT system was undertaken to identify serotonergic markers associated with CFS and potential mechanisms for CNS abnormality.

A total of 77 polymorphisms in genes related to serotonin synthesis (TPH2), signaling (HTR1A, HTR1E, HTR2A, HTR2B, HTR2C, HTR3A, HTR3B, HTR4, HTR5A, HTR6, and HTR7), transport (SLC6A4), and catabolism (MAOA) were examined in 137 clinically evaluated subjects (40 CFS, 55 with insufficient fatigue, and 42 non-fatigued, NF, controls) derived from a population-based CFS surveillance study in Wichita, Kansas. Of the polymorphisms examined, three markers (-1438G/A, C102T, and rs1923884) all located in the 5-HT receptor subtype HTR2A were associated with CFS when compared to NF controls
 

Croatoan

Well-Known Member
I am certain catecholamine metabolism has everything to do with a range of illnesses. It is, in my opinion, the biggest source of reactive oxegen species production outside of the immune system. There are four variables to look at however, which is why we find uptake inhibitors work for for some, not for others, and also do not solve the catecholamine problem completely. These are:
  1. Creation
  2. Receptors
  3. Transport
  4. Inactivation
In my gene samples I have 100% tied the double short form of the serotonin transporter to migraine in combination with possibly slow MAOA enzyme activity. But it also depends on dietary amines. (I have the double long form and note that I absolutely never get headaches).

Riboflavin, which increases the activity of the MAO enzymes has been proven to be a migraine prophylactic in several studies.
http://journal.medsys-site.com/index.php/JISANH/article/view/705
Yet how many people who go to the doctor for migraines ever hear this? Argh.

Also, note on this thread
http://www.cortjohnson.org/forums/threads/pem-vs-crash.3765/
that all her crash symptoms are also experienced during serotonin syndrome.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/basics/symptoms/con-20028946
I can bet that if she watched her diet she would find a big trigger for her would be high amine foods.

I
 

RuthAnn

Well-Known Member
I am certain catecholamine metabolism has everything to do with a range of illnesses. It is, in my opinion, the biggest source of reactive oxegen species production outside of the immune system. There are four variables to look at however, which is why we find uptake inhibitors work for for some, not for others, and also do not solve the catecholamine problem completely. These are:
  1. Creation
  2. Receptors
  3. Transport
  4. Inactivation
In my gene samples I have 100% tied the double short form of the serotonin transporter to migraine in combination with possibly slow MAOA enzyme activity. But it also depends on dietary amines. (I have the double long form and note that I absolutely never get headaches).

Riboflavin, which increases the activity of the MAO enzymes has been proven to be a migraine prophylactic in several studies.
http://journal.medsys-site.com/index.php/JISANH/article/view/705
Yet how many people who go to the doctor for migraines ever hear this? Argh.

Also, note on this thread
http://www.cortjohnson.org/forums/threads/pem-vs-crash.3765/
that all her crash symptoms are also experienced during serotonin syndrome.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/basics/symptoms/con-20028946
I can bet that if she watched her diet she would find a big trigger for her would be high amine foods.

I
Here's a list of drugs that can cause it. Well, it's just the second page of the article that Croatoan linked, but in case someone doesn't realize it's there.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/basics/causes/con-20028946
 

Croatoan

Well-Known Member
Here's a list of drugs that can cause it. Well, it's just the second page of the article that Croatoan linked, but in case someone doesn't realize it's there.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/basics/causes/con-20028946

Yeah, that is important. Also I think many people taking supplements will cause problems because they do not understand how they act on this pathway.

I feel that if people look at their symptoms and find out what neurotransmitters are associated with them they will gain a lot of insight into their sensitivities.
 

RuthAnn

Well-Known Member
A quick question, I have to get to work and can't post from there, and it would be very helpful for me to know if eating a high carb diet or simply a high carb meal would mess up someone with that issue?
Thanks
 

Croatoan

Well-Known Member
A quick question, I have to get to work and can't post from there, and it would be very helpful for me to know if eating a high carb diet or simply a high carb meal would mess up someone with that issue?
Thanks

That is a big "it depends" . But yes, carbohydrates increase serotoinin;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8697046
http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/2011/09/carbs-and-serotonin-connection-after.html

Fasting always helped me, as did a vegetarian diet in general.
 

RuthAnn

Well-Known Member
Here we have a paper about metabolism of dopamine by MAO causing production of H2O2 in Parkinson's. It's interesting that B2 is found to be a good remedy for Parkinson's, too.

http://www.pnas.org/content/94/10/4890.full.pdf

Does that^^^^ look right?

http://www.parkinsonhuis.nl/onderzoek/b2.htm

To include vitamin B2 and exclude red meat! These were two small changes in the diet of 31 Parkinson patients, which resulted in visible benefits.
Those patients, under treatment in the Hospital do Servidor Publico Municipal, verified not only the stagnation of the disease but also its regression.
 

Croatoan

Well-Known Member
I am going to try to go a little lower carb vegetarian diet if my gut will let me eat some salads.

If you buy salad, specifically in the bags, make sure you wash it. There is something in the bagged salads, organic or not, that if I di not wash them it triggered my IBS-D.

And you might want to check out the high amine foods.
 

Croatoan

Well-Known Member
Here we have a paper about metabolism of dopamine by MAO causing production of H2O2 in Parkinson's. It's interesting that B2 is found to be a good remedy for Parkinson's, too.

http://www.pnas.org/content/94/10/4890.full.pdf

Does that^^^^ look right?

http://www.parkinsonhuis.nl/onderzoek/b2.htm

To include vitamin B2 and exclude red meat! These were two small changes in the diet of 31 Parkinson patients, which resulted in visible benefits.
Those patients, under treatment in the Hospital do Servidor Publico Municipal, verified not only the stagnation of the disease but also its regression.

Yes, I remember reading those studies. They were what help lead me to investigate riboflavin for myself. Thanks for finding them!
 

RuthAnn

Well-Known Member
If you buy salad, specifically in the bags, make sure you wash it. There is something in the bagged salads, organic or not, that if I di not wash them it triggered my IBS-D.

And you might want to check out the high amine foods.
Yes, bagged spinach bothers me, since it was washed 3 times I never thought that was causing the problem. I'll try washing it.

I will certainly find out if amines bother me because I just looked at the list and the food I bought for the next couple of days is almost all high in amines. Lower in carbs, no meat, but high in amines, lol.
 

Judith

Member
It's all so confusing, trying to decipher all the information and then figure out if there's a connection to symptoms. I'm in the third day of a bad "tension" headache. I'm getting them more lately. My quality of life goes out the window when I have them, since there's little I can do. I have difficulty reading too long, must avoid being on the computer too long. I have aura-only migraines (no real pain) that come and go; these tension headaches that I cycle through; IBS for many years. My tension headaches "appear" to be related to muscle tightness in the neck, upper shoulder and then tightness/spasm going down one side of the back. They usually come after I've worked on a "project," like jewelry-making/crafts, hyperextending neck more than usual, working in garden, even weather systems worsen them, etc. I use a back knobber to try and help relieve the trigger points along the back muscles. When this headache passes, maybe by tomorrow, I will read these links above and see what I may be able to identify that's relevant to my condition. I am vegetarian and take LOTS of supplements. Prescription wise, I've been on Cymbalta 60 mg. for several years because it's worked well for me; I'm also prone to depression, so I take it for both pain and depression; also 50 mg. tramadol x 2/day and meds to help me sleep. I want to get myofascial massage treatments, but they are expensive; I'm on Medicare. I do think they'd help me.
 

Get Our Free ME/CFS and FM Blog!



Forum Tips

Support Our Work

DO IT MONTHLY

HEALTH RISING IS NOT A 501 (c) 3 NON-PROFIT

Shopping on Amazon.com For HR

Latest Resources

Top