| Every now and then someone tells me they | | | | typically a symptom of sulfite reactions. Despite the |
| don’t like red wine and prefer white wine | | | | seriousness of some reactions, the FDA has reported |
| because the sulfites in red wine gives them a | | | | only 19 sulfite related deaths since 1990. None of |
| headache – commonly known as the Red Wine | | | | these deaths were related to red wine. |
| Headache (RWH). The label “WARNING: Contains | | | | Researchers in Australia studied a group of people |
| Sulfites” seems to justify their claim. The | | | | who were very sensitive to sulfites. The researchers |
| question is do the sulfites in red wine really cause | | | | gave these people a drink that contained 300 mg/liter |
| headaches? | | | | of sulfites, much higher than the amount typically in |
| Sulfites are used as a natural preservative in wine. | | | | red wine. Only 4 test subjects out of 24 showed an |
| The reason it is called a “natural” | | | | asthmatic response. None of the subjects responded |
| preservative is because sulfites are a natural | | | | adversely to drinks with 100 mg/liter. This study |
| byproduct of the fermentation process. More sulfite | | | | published in Thorax (2001 Oct; 56 (10):763-9), |
| is often added by the winery as potassium | | | | showed that “only a small number of wine |
| metabisulfite. This added preservative allows the wine | | | | sensitive asthmatic patients responded to a single |
| to age over many years; otherwise it would quickly | | | | dose challenge with sulfited wine under laboratory |
| turn to vinegar. Organic wines have this aging | | | | conditions. This may suggest that the role of |
| problem. | | | | sulphites [sic] and / or wine in triggering asthmatic |
| All red wine contains sulfites, even the ones labeled | | | | responses has been overestimated.” |
| “no sulfite added”. So do all white wines | | | | This still does not answer the question about RWH. |
| – white wines have much more sulfite on | | | | The fact is no current peer reviewed medical |
| average. All wines contain 40-80 mg/liter of sulfites | | | | research links sulfites to headaches. This does not |
| on average. Organic wines contain less, but they still | | | | mean that red wine does not cause headaches for |
| have sulfite in them. You cannot make wine without | | | | some people. There is research that shows that red |
| making sulfites. It does not matter which country the | | | | wine does cause headaches for some, the culprit |
| wine originates from. The US and Australia list sulfite | | | | however is not the sulfites. |
| warnings on their labels, but the Europeans are not | | | | Most recent medical studies believe that |
| required to do so. European wines still contain the | | | | prostaglandins, hormone-like substances, may be |
| same amount of sulfites. | | | | responsible for the production of some types of pain |
| Sulfites are also used in dried fruit; no one claims that | | | | and inflammation and could be the culprit in RWH. |
| they got a headache from a bag of dried apricots. | | | | Herbert Kaufman, M.D. and Dwight Starr, M.D. from |
| Pancake syrup typically contains more sulfite than red | | | | Mt. Zion Hospital and Medical Center showed a |
| wine. The human body also produces sulfites through | | | | significant decrease in headaches in subjects prone to |
| normal biochemical processes, about 1000 mg per | | | | RWH and given prostaglandin inhibitors. |
| day. | | | | If you are still in doubt, try eating a bag of dried |
| Some studies have shown that some people can | | | | orange apricots. These are heavily sulfited. If you |
| have strong reactions to sulfites. Slightly less than 1% | | | | don’t experience the very rare headache, or the |
| of the population lacks an enzyme to break down | | | | much more common respiratory problems, you are |
| the sulfites. In comparison, peanut allergies affect | | | | not sensitive to sulfites. The best advice is to keep a |
| about 4% of the population. | | | | journal of red wines that you try. Note which wines |
| For these people the inability to break down sulfites | | | | give you a headache, and which wines that have no |
| can be a life threatening problem – much more | | | | effect. In the future, drink the red wines that do not |
| serious than a headache. Symptoms typically include | | | | give you a headache. |
| restricted breathing to varying degrees, especially in | | | | One last note, the headache you get from several |
| asthmatics prescribed steroids. Skin rashes, itching or | | | | wines the night before is called a hangover. Those |
| nausea are rarer symptoms, but headaches are not | | | | can be avoided by not drinking as much! |