Hunger headaches

tomatoey
tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok I haven't had to deal with these much at all, but I've got one now, and it's a guarantee that it'll happen if I don't eat enough (ie less than 1800-1900. Which is fine, I lose/maintain on 2000, depending on exercise).

But does everyone get hunger headaches (when they don't eat enough for them)?

Replies

  • Clarewho
    Clarewho Posts: 494 Member
    No, never sorry. But I do drink plenty of water.

    I'm going to ask the obvious question - are you sure it's not dehydration?
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited May 2015
    Clarewho wrote: »
    No, never sorry. But I do drink plenty of water.

    I'm going to ask the obvious question - are you sure it's not dehydration?

    I am NOT sure of that! I usually drink *tons* of water but might have had less than usual today. Thank you! Ha! Good question :)

    But, truthfully, I usually do drink like gallons of water and although I can't confirm it, I believe on the days I've not eaten enough, it's often had to do with the amount of food I've eaten. I honestly thought it was a universal!

    Today though absolutely could be related to not enough water :)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Did you recently cut back on caffeine?
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Did you recently cut back on caffeine?

    I did for a bit, but I'm back on it now, and the difference wasn't accompanied by a headache either way.

    Another good question! (No hunger headaches for you?)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    No, I don't get hunger headaches. I feel the hunger in my stomach and I sort of ignore that feeling for a little while. It goes a way.
    Too much water can cause headaches.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    No, I don't get hunger headaches. I feel the hunger in my stomach and I sort of ignore that feeling for a little while. It goes a way.
    Too much water can cause headaches.

    Interesting, thank you.

    I find stomach hunger sometimes ignorable, but only if I'm just a little hungry. If I go under by too many calories, it's a headache for sure. I have never had a headache from too much water, though.

    I honestly, 100% thought that every human on the planet must experience these dang headaches at too large a deficit (whatever that might mean individually). It's one reason I've always gone with a conservative cut.
  • SlimBride2Be
    SlimBride2Be Posts: 315 Member
    I just neck a paracetemol and get on with my day. Dieting is bad enough without enduring headaches. They happen less and less as time has gone on but I keep them with me just in case.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    SlimBride2Be wrote: »
    I just neck a paracetemol and get on with my day. Dieting is bad enough without enduring headaches. They happen less and less as time has gone on but I keep them with me just in case.

    I just don't think I could deal with it at all on any kind of regular basis!
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    No headaches from hunger here. I did have horrible headaches when my blood pressure was super high, but that's been resolved. Are you sure there isn't another medical reason for them?
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »
    No headaches from hunger here. I did have horrible headaches when my blood pressure was super high, but that's been resolved. Are you sure there isn't another medical reason for them?

    i guess it's possible, and yeah i have my things, but i don't think they're related (eg bp is normal). I am very surprised by everyone except for SlimBride2Be not getting headaches, lol
  • eva_svi
    eva_svi Posts: 24 Member
    edited May 2015
    Yeah I get headaches every time my deficit is too high (say more than 600 - 700 kcal under maintenance). It doesn't matter if the deficit is created by low intake or by long strenuous exercise. I always end up with a headache in the evening and have a hard time falling asleep. I don't think the reasons above explain my headaches as I tend to drink more water on low cal days; I have my morning coffee every day and I haven't cut out carbs (50% of my diet). I'd sure love to know what's causing these!
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    tomatoey wrote: »
    Ok I haven't had to deal with these much at all, but I've got one now, and it's a guarantee that it'll happen if I don't eat enough (ie less than 1800-1900. Which is fine, I lose/maintain on 2000, depending on exercise).

    But does everyone get hunger headaches (when they don't eat enough for them)?

    Yup. If I go too long without eating I get a headache, which often turns into a migraine. Too long without caffeine, dehydration, too little sleep, strong smells, barometric pressure and many other things can also trigger headaches/migraines.

    Although not everyone gets them-"hunger headache" is a very real thing. (Google it!! I'm sure mayo Clinic or a government website can explain better than I could) For me, if I wait until I have the headache to eat it will not go away and im stuck in bed the rest of the day.
  • David_2015
    David_2015 Posts: 231 Member
    I've had a few, but have started to realise the reasons for them - and it's usually if i go too long without eating something (e.g. if I have a snack at about 3pm, go out somewhere straight from work and then have dinner at about 9pm when I get home.) I sometimes even got an eye ache (weird?!) but now if I know I won't be eating for a while I will work a tin of wholesome soup (c. 150 calories) or 100 calories of nuts/banana into my day just before leaving work and that will always prevent a headache later. Hope that is helpful.
  • MeganKyGirl82
    MeganKyGirl82 Posts: 110 Member
    I get them, but I think I have mine figured out. Mine are basically a culmination of everything the previous posters said. I have to drink a ton of water, especially on a day I push my work out further than usual. If I go too long without eating, they can be brutal. I try to keep something quick and healthy around to snack on for the days that are super chaotic.
  • Redbeard333
    Redbeard333 Posts: 381 Member
    I get headaches from not sleeping enough or not eating enough. Mondays are usually the worst for me since I'll get maybe 5-6 hours of sleep Sunday night. By the time I get home my head is thumping! Taking some ibuprofen and then eating helps get rid of it sometimes; so does taking a small nap.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    I never get headaches from hunger no matter how hungry I am-I do get irritable though if I'm very hungry.
    I rarely get headaches from not drinking enough water so I make sure I do.
  • kdt000
    kdt000 Posts: 27 Member
    I did when I tried a 1200 calorie diet and not eating back exercise calories. I'd be fine until right around dinner time and my head would just pound and I realized it was too few calories and I lasted about a week at that. Now I've switched to 1400-1500 and eating back exercise calories which isn't a huge difference, but I don't get headaches anymore. I also started eating more frequently, eating more nutritious foods and drinking close to a gallon of water a day, so that could also be part of it as well.
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    edited May 2015
    I have gotten these in the past, when attempting really restrictive diets (never went past day 2 exactly because of the crippling headaches). I tend to think it's not just the hunger but the nutritional balance - enough protein, carbs, fat.

    I have not sought a scientific explanation honestly, so this is entirely anecdotal and from personal experience, but having a decent amount of food at each meal with enough protein (20g at the very least for me) and some starchy carbs (bread, potatoes, rice etc) helps me have energy and avoid the headaches and occasional blood sugar crashes.

    ETA: that's 20g at least per meal, not per day, I try to keep it above 100g there.
  • shinisize
    shinisize Posts: 105 Member
    I definitely get them, usually not on the first day of eating too little, but for sure by the second night. I also get the same exact headache any time I have a morning blood sugar crash after eating too many simple carbs before bed. I am so not a dessert person because of this.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    No hunger headaches, but I try to plan so that I don't get too hungry. When I start to get too hungry, I feel it in my mood. I get cranky...bitchy...want to scream.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I used to associate headaches with hunger because sometimes I would eat and they would go away. Now it seems drinking water is at least as effective so it probably wasn't hunger most of the time.
    But if you are eating below your calories and getting headaches you might try eating more to see if it helps.
  • julesmm44
    julesmm44 Posts: 6 Member
    I get them, I am glad I am not the only one. They happen more often on days when I forget to eat/am really busy. I try water and then food, but eventually have to take something to get rid of them...grr
  • redd_87
    redd_87 Posts: 53 Member
    I get migraines due to various things, and going too long without food or not eating enough is one of them. Unfortunately by the time it's in full swing I'm usually too nauseous to eat and make up for what I missed so I take some meds and relax. My other triggers are aspartame, msg, too much or too little caffeine, and not enough water, to name a few. I'm familiar with most of my triggers at this point so I control the ones I can, and that's the best I can do.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    Good potential reasons listed so far (dehydration, caffeine withdrawal) but I'd add a lack of fat in the diet. Try eating a glob of peanut butter. If that fixes it, you know fat was the problem and you should be eating more.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    Oh yeah, like I said, it only happens if I don't eat enough, which is very rarely, because I never go that low in cals.

    Thanks for your comments! Very interesting.

    I think it's neat that it's an interplay of a blood sugar response and muscular tension, the body's so weird
  • AMSmit88
    AMSmit88 Posts: 100 Member
    I had to give up 5:2 because the headaches were killing me on my fast days. I know it works wonders for some people but my body just did not like it at all.
  • WeoooBeans
    WeoooBeans Posts: 85 Member
    I do get hunger headaches occasionally, but only if I got too long of a period without eating.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    I used to think that hunger was part of the migraine equation for me.

    Now, I realize that as long as I am drinking 10-12 glasses of water a day, I rarely have a migraine. Another thing that helps a lot is to drink diluted Gatorade (low cal works fine) when you are doing especially intense exercise. So hydration and electrolytes are maybe 95% of the solution for me.

    If you are not familiar with the low-Argenine diet, that is another thing to look into. I find that some of the triggers on that list do not bother me in small quantities (example: soy sauce) but if I have multiple servings over a couple of days, then I have problems.
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