Detox Headache: Is There Any Relief?
A detox headache is the most common side effect of a detox diet. Such diets have been around since the “grapefruit diet” dating back to the 1930s. The purpose of this severe type of diet is to reduce the harmful effects caused by consuming toxins in the foods you normally eat.
What is a detox diet?
The usual diet lasts from two days to three weeks and consists of a limited consumption of food in both variety and quantity. Additionally, you will be asked to eliminate caffeine from your diet and increase the amount of water you consume on a daily basis.
What Causes a Detox Headache?
When you stop eating the things your body is used to, this can cause headaches. The first few days of such a diet can be very difficult for some people as they have to eliminate the things they love to eat and drink from their diet. Although these foods are generally not called “medications,” you will still experience a withdrawal effect when those foods are no longer in your system. Headaches are the most common withdrawal effect.
Caffeine withdrawal
When you go on a detox diet, you will need to cut out caffeine completely. If you are a coffee lover and drink a cup two or three times a day, when you are going through caffeine withdrawal, you are most likely suffering from a headache. This was documented in 1990, when a British medical journal published a study that concluded that one of the most common side effects of caffeine withdrawal is headaches. Other side effects of caffeine withdrawal include migraine attacks and irritability.
Low blood sugar
Detox diets require you to consume a lot of water and drastically reduce your calorie intake. Suddenly reducing calories results in low blood sugar levels, which can lead to headaches. Also, when you suddenly reduce the amount of calories you eat, this slows down your metabolism and puts your body into starvation mode. If you have epilepsy or diabetes, having low blood sugar will be dangerous to your health.
Hyponatremia
Also known as water poisoning, hyponatremia is one of the most common causes of a detox headache. According to the BBC, in 2008, a British woman experienced severe neurological side effects from hyponatremia after consuming too much water as directed by her diet.
Consuming too much water can cause your blood to thin and flood your organs and cells with water as the sodium levels in your body drop. When this happens, your brain cells can swell and cause increased pressure in your skull, causing a headache. Two other possible side effects of hyponatremia are breathing problems and seizures.
Headache relief
Drinking water is perhaps the best way to relieve a detox headache, if you don’t overdo it and lower your blood sugar too much. Water has the ability to cleanse your system and eliminate the symptoms that are causing your headaches. You should also start eliminating the foods you are addicted to before starting your detox diet.
