When considering minerals and vitamins for migraines, you may scoff at the notion that these naturally occurring compounds can do anything for the often debilitating symptoms of a cranium crushing migraine headache. After all, it’s common for pain relievers and over the counter medications to do little against them. New and even older studies are showing, however, that migraines and magnesium might be more closely linked than you may think, and along with vitamin B2 might provide relief and prevention of symptoms.
It is thought that migraines and magnesium are related because tests done in 2008 revealed that when compared to placebo, magnesium for migraines was more successful in treating both the recurrence of attacks, as well as the severity of the headache. In addition, another study conducted in menstruating women found that migraines and magnesium were closely related during the time of month when women were most likely to suffer nutrient losses, and their responses to restoration of this critical mineral seemed to indicate a close link between magnesium migraines and deficiency. In addition, there is strong clinical evidence that confirms that magnesium deficiency is generally significantly more prevalent in migraine sufferers than in healthy individuals.
Neurologists advise a minimum magnesium daily dose of 375 mg up to a maximum of 600 mg. According to one clinical study of over 3000 female migraine patients, the success rate of the migraine symptom improvement due to magnesium was at 80%. According to another study, a third of the participant patients felt that the magnesium treatment they had received proved to be even more effective than other more conventional treatment methods!
Vitamin B2, also known as Riboflavin, has been listed as possibly effective cure for migraine headaches. While there is insufficient evidence to prove this theory, several trials and tests seem to indicate that this important B vitamin can be used to treat migraine headaches. It is also possible that vitamin B2 deficiency symptoms can include migraines, or contribute to migraine triggers, although normally a deficiency of this vitamin doesn’t cause immediate physiological effects. Although vitamins B6 and B12 had shown more effective results in long-term migraine cure, a study published by the European Journal of Neurology 2004 concluded that high doses of vitamin B2 can, indeed, prevent migraines occurrences.
Because of the purported benefits of migraines and magnesium and vitamin B2, many people use a supplement containing acceptable amounts of both of these nutrient powerhouses to not only ease the symptoms associated with migraine headaches, but also to reduce the amount of recurrences experienced.
Be sure to speak to your doctor or health care provider before beginning any dietary supplement or regimen, even if all natural. Your doctor will want to discuss potential side effects with you, and contradictions between your supplements of choice and any health conditions you might currently have. Remember that vitamins, just like medications, can have side effects and that it’s important to report any unusual occurrences to your doctor.
