Tanni Tannins, Wine, and Migraine Headaches What are tannins? Tannins - plant polyphenols - are an integral part of creating a red wine. The red color and the sharp taste both come from the skins of the grape, which are left on during part of fermentation to seep into the wine itself. That color and taste is the result of tannins. Tannins are not only found in wine - they are found in many foods, such as cheeses and nuts, and even drinks such as tea. Wood aging also adds some tannin to red wines. Tannins are used by a plant to prevent creatures from eating it. The bitter taste, as well as other effects it causes on the digestion system of the creature, tend to cause the plant to be safe from being eaten. For humans, tannins are often found to be pleasureable. People who drink tea enjoy its bitter taste, and also the 'buzz' it can give to some. However, as always, various bodies react differently to chemicals. For some people, the tannins found in nature can cause too strong of a 'buzz', leading to mild or severe headaches. What are tannins useful for? Tannins are touted as excellent antioxidants. The tea industry is promoting this aspect of tea, as are all other industries whose foods involve tannin. Polyphenols in general are found to lower total cholesterol, and also improve the ratio of LDL to HDL cholesterol. They lower blood pressure, lessen risks of cancer, stimulate the immune system, and have anti-bacterial properties. How might tannins cause headaches? Tannins tend to bind starches while being digested. These starches are needed by the body to produce serotonin. In some people, who are extremely sensitive to their serotonin levels, it appears the lack of serotonin can lead to a migraine. It sort of "starves" the body for this type of raw material, much as not eating for many hours might lead this person to have the same migraine. Tannin sensitivity is also now thought to be cumulative - a person who begins life with no tannin sensitivities may yet develop one as he or she ages. People who are sensitive to tannins need to moderate their intake of tannins in all forms, and also be sure to eat a reasonable amount of food while ingesting tannins, so the binding affects of tannins do not cause undue stress. Caveat: The Wine Guide is not a doctor ... for detailed answers about how wine will affect you personally given your medical condition and lifestyle, contact your family physician Wine Links Wine and Health Sulfites in Wine Red Wine OK With Immune System Cornell University's Tannin Page University of Surrey Tannin Project Purdue Tannin Research Dietary Tannins: Consequences & Remedies - a good read for the sensitive drinker Plant Polyphenols: Vegetable Tannins Revisited Subscribe to The Wine Newsletter Name Email Previous Features Image courtesy of ClickArt Email this page! Advertising Casino Online Act NOW for 20% Cash Bonus $$ Bell South White Pages Find People on RealPages.com - Phone numbers and addresses worldwide. HotJobs.com Better Jobs for a Better Life Pets.com $10 Off Pay just $15 for $25 worth of great pet products for your favorite furry friend! Marketplace free software casino online meet your match domain names compare prices 0% intro apr book club register a domain sales & bargains free cds sales & bargains compare prices register domains online trading online casino$ Related sites on About Beer/Home Brewing California for Visitors Cheese/Appetizers Cocktails Coffee/Tea Entertaining France for Visitors French Cuisine Italian Cuisine Wine Explore More On The About Network Search Arts/Humanities · Autos · Cities/Towns · Comedy · Computing/Technology · Cultures · Education · Food/Drink · Gadgets · Games · Health/Fitness · Hobbies · Home/Garden · Homework Help · Industry · Internet/Online · Jobs/Careers · Kids · Money · Movies · Music/Performing Arts · News/Issues · Parenting/Family · People/Relationships · Pets · Recreation/Outdoors · Real Estate · Religion/Spirtuality · Science · Shopping · Small Business · Sports · Style · Teens · Travel · TV/Radio · For more information, visit Our Story, Be a Guide, or Advertise. For rules of use, read our User Agreement and Privacy & Kids Privacy Policy. Having a problem? Report it here. About Canada · About UK Copyright © 2000 About.com, Inc. About and About.com are registered trademarks of About.com, Inc. The About logo is a trademark of About.com, Inc. All rights reserved.