ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MUSTARD DERIVATIVES CONSUMPTION AND INCIDENCE OF HEADACHE:A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Headache disorders are among the most common
neurological conditions in the world and, in some individuals, are often
associated with dietary factors. Mustard and its derivatives are
condiments that contain bioactive compounds such as allyl
isothiocyanate and glucosinolate derivatives, which affect vascular
function and neurochemical signalling. Despite its presence in everyday
diets, the potential role of mustard as a trigger for headache is
understudied. Therefore, this study aims to explore whether mustard—
in its various forms, including seeds, pastes, and sauces—may act as a
dietary factor associated with headache occurrence.
Methods:This study aimed to 1) investigate the incidence of headache
after consumption of mustard and 2) determine whether an association
exists between frequency of mustard consumption and development of
a headache among adults. A cross-sectional observational study was
performed including 112 adults. The data were collected through a
structured questionnaire that assessed demographic characteristics,
frequency and type of mustard use, occurrence of headache after
consuming mustard, latency between consumption and development of
symptoms and other potential dietary triggers. The main outcome was
self-reported headache after mustard. Descriptive statistics were
obtained, and the relationship between mustard intake frequency and
headache incidence was examined using the Chi-square test.
Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for potential
confounders, such as age, sex and other dietary triggers.