So THAT’S Why Red Wine Gives Some People A Headache

urbazon via Getty Images A new study suggests a component of red wine may be the reason it causes head pain. It’s no secret that alcohol can cause you to wake up with a brutal, throbbing headache but red wine, in particular, is known for making certain people’s heads ache within a few hours. According to a new study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, red wine contains quercetin, a flavanol naturally found in grapes, that may impair how the body metabolizes alcohol and cause a toxin called acetaldehyde to build up in the body. It’s “a good question,” Waterhouse noted, “but one that will take some time to answer.” The flavanol levels also vary significantly in different types of red wines and largely depend on how the grapes are grown. According to Waterhouse, less expensive red wines generally contain less quercetin since the grapes used are typically exposed to less sunlight.