(Nov 4) For some poor souls, a glass of red wine in front of them is equivalent to misery where even the smallest consumption can bring on a pounding skull. This condition, referred to as "Red Wine Heachache" (RWH) is a well-documented phenomenon but widely misunderstood by millions of sufferers.

Most attribute RWH to one of three causes, either an allergy to sulfites, a reaction to histamines or a problem with tannin. Due to a lack of funding, research has been somewhat limited. However, over the past 30 years, there has been sufficient evidence to show that neither of these can be blamed for the dreaded RWH.

The Sulfite Saga

For decades it was believed that the sulfites in red wine were the cause of so much discomfort for drinkers. Sulfites contain antioxidant and anti-microbial properties preventing the propagation of bacteria and spoilage (browning) during the fermentation process. Effectively, sulfites act as a preservative and can be found in a range of foods, such as dried fruits and cheeses.

In the 1980s, The Food and Drug Administration established that approximately one per cent of the population is allergic to sulfites therefore requiring wine labels to state, "contains sulfites". Many consumers misinterpret this to mean that the sulfite allergies cause the headaches.

This couldn't be further from the truth. Sulfite sufferers (1 in 100,000 people) will go into anaphylactic shock within moments of exposure, choking to death. This is not to say that red wine containing sulfites does not give rise to problems such as asthma attacks, it is merely suggesting that it is not the sulfites, which cause the headache.

Furthermore, it is incorrectly assumed that red wines contain more sulfites than white wines when the reverse is actually true. Sweet white wine in particular, is loaded with sulfites due to its higher sugar content.

Histamine Hysteria

The Histamine debate is even trickier as there is great lack of evidence to prove that histamines found in red wines are the culprits. White wine is made using only the grape's juice or must, while red wine making involves the entire crushed fruit including the skins, which contain the biologically active compound histamine.

As a result, red wine contains 20-200 times more histamine than white wine. Some people are sensitive to histamines because they are deficient in diamine oxidase, an enzyme that breaks town histamine in the small intestine. As alcohol also slows down this enzyme, experts believe that the source of the RWH is a combination of the alcohol content in wine as well as a person's enzyme deficiency.

A study conducted on people with intolerance to wine, reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Feb 2001) found no difference in reactions to low and high histamine wines. While histamines are found in grape skins, researchers believe that they are not found in high enough volumes to be considered problematic.

Tannin Trauma

Tannins are found around the seeds and under the skin of the grape and are therefore present in red wine and to a much smaller extent, white wine, although virtually imperceptible. A lot of research has been conducted on tannin revealing that tannins cause the release of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter.

High levels of serotonin can cause headaches, which are different to migraines. However, migraine sufferers are not necessarily prone to the RWH. Tannin is found in a host of food products such as tea, soy and chocolate and people who are normally affected by RWH can consume these ingredients without any problem.

For sufferers of Red Wine Headache it is a completely frustrating experience, however, many report that not all red wine gives them a pounding head. In fact, many doctors suggest experimenting with different brands, origins and varieties and to keep a list of safe wines to drink as the majority of people afflicted report that the headache sets in within 15 minutes of consumption.

Others attest to taking asprin or ibuprofen before indulging in red wine although there is little clinical evidence to support this theory.

There are a couple of products on the market that advertise a cure for the RWH. One product called Chaser Plus claims that the pills help relieve wine headaches and contain a special ingredient for wine sensitivity? Sounds like a crock to me, be wary!

Perhaps there is not one particular cause, perhaps it is a combination of intolerances and each individual is different. If you are affected by Red Wine Headache then my heart goes out to you but as consolation, the next best thing to red wine is of course, Champagne! In my experience, bubbles can fix just about anything.