Migraines more common in men with higher levels of oestrogen, finds study

Female sex hormone known to increase frequency and severity of the headache attacks in women

Headache attacks can be debilitiating and have previously been linked to oestrogen levels in women (Rex)

Men with elevated levels of the female sex hormone oestrogen, appear to be more susceptible to migraines than those with lower amounts, a study has found.

They were also more likely to have symptoms of fatigue and sexual disorders commonly seen in people with a testosterone deficiency, researchers said. This was despite testosterone levels being the same as men who did not have migraines.

Oestrogen, which is responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics, is known to increase the frequency and severity of the headache attacks in women who suffer from migraines.

The study published in the journal Neurology, has found that this also appears to be a factor in men - a finding which could help to understand and treat some of the underlying causes of these often debilitating neurological attacks.

“Previous research has found that levels of oestrogen can influence when women have migraines and how severe they are, but little is known about whether sex hormones also affect migraine in men,” said the study’s author Dr W P J. van Oosterhout from Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands.

“Our research found increased levels of oestrogen in men with migraine, as well as symptoms of lower levels of testosterone.”

For the trial his team took daily blood samples from 39 men, including 17 who were regular migraine sufferers and were of similar age and health.

Initial blood sampling took place on a non-migraine day and the researchers found that between migraines men who suffered the attacks had an oestrogen level about 50 per cent higher than those who did not – 97 picomoles per litre of blood compared to 69 pmol/L.

This was despite baseline levels of testosterone – the male sex hormone – being similar between both groups, meaning those with a migraine had a lower ratio of testosterone to oestrogen.

To understand if this ratio was important the researchers surveyed the two groups about symptoms usually found in men with low testosterone, including low sex drive and energy and mood disorders.

It found the majority of men who suffer with migraines – 61 per cent – reported these symptoms, compared to 27 per cent of men without.

Though this was only a small sample Dr Van Oosterhout says more teams should now look at how these hormone patterns can affect the onset of migraine.