Do Males Have Different Migraine Causes than Females

The development of migraine isn’t fully understood. In males, stress, physical activity, and lack of sleep seem to be among the most common triggers.
Migraine is a neurological condition that can cause headaches and other symptoms like nausea or light sensitivity.
Anybody can develop migraine, but after puberty, females develop migraine at a much higher rate than males. It’s thought this may be at least partially due to fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone at different points in the menstrual cycle.

Researchers have identified many common triggers for migraine. This article focuses on the most common triggers for males and examines the role that hormone levels may play in the development of migraine.
What causes migraine episodes in males
Researchers still aren’t completely sure what causes migraine, but they’ve linked it to stimulation of pain-sensitive nerve endings along the trigeminal nerve. Why this occurs isn’t fully understood, but researchers have identified some common triggers.

Stress
In a 2021 study led by researchers in the Netherlands, study authors surveyed 5,725 women and 1,061 men about their migraine episode triggers.
Males reported stress as their most common trigger. It was reported among 69% of men. In contrast, the most common trigger in women was menstruation. Stress was the second most common trigger in women, reported in 76.7% of people.
Research examining the link between stress and migraine episodes is ongoing.
Physical exertion
Physical exercise or exertion is a common migraine trigger. In the 2021 study, physical exercise or sexual activity was reported as a trigger in 45.8% percent of males compared to 41.7% of females.

Several factors may contribute to the development of migraine episodes after exercise, such as:
• production of lactate
• increased levels of a molecule called calcitonin gene-related peptide during exercise
• dysfunction of a molecule called hypocretin produced by your hypothalamus

Although exercise may trigger migraine episodes in some people, regular physical activity may also be protective against migraine episodes in the long term.
Sunlight and bright lights
In the same 2021 study, 63.2% of men reported exposure to bright light as a migraine trigger. Bright lights were also a trigger in 68.5% of women. It’s unclear why bright light or sunlight may trigger migraine episodes in some people.
Lack of sleep
Lack of sleep was reported as the third most common trigger in males in the 2021 study. It was reported by 60.3% of males and 67.7% of females.
The specific reason why lack of sleep leads to migraine is still largely unknown.

Not eating enough and dehydration
Skipping meals was reported as a trigger in 42.4% of men in the 2021 study. Several mechanisms have been proposed as to why skipping meals may increase migraine episode frequency, such as:
• low blood sugar
• caffeine withdrawal for those who consume caffeine
• dehydration

Low blood sugar
Low blood sugar may trigger migraine episodes by increasing sympathetic nervous system activity.
Certain foods or drinks
Certain foods and drinks are linked to migraine episodes, including:
• caffeine
• alcohol, reported as a trigger in 45.5% of males in the 2021 study
• chocolate
• aged cheese
• fermented foods