If you suffer from migraines, you'd probably do just about anything to stop the excruciating pain that they can cause. In some cases, something as simple as adding a nutritional supplement may help. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, magnesium has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Consult your doctor before taking magnesium supplements.
What is Magnesium?
Magnesium is an essential mineral, meaning that you need to obtain regular amounts of it in your diet in order to sustain your health. It's a necessary element in more than 300 metabolic reactions that take place in your body. Magnesium aids in the synthesis of enzymes, proteins and DNA, is important in the structure of bones cell membranes and chromosome, and facilitates the transport of charged particles across cell membranes, thus enabling the transmission of nerve impulses and the contraction of muscles.
Low Magnesium and Migraines
Research has revealed a connection between migraine and low levels of magnesium. A study published in the April 2002 edition of "Headache" found that magnesium levels were particularly depleted in women who experienced migraines during menstruation. UMMC adds that magnesium deficiencies are linked to tension headaches, as well as migraines.
Effects of Magnesium on Migraine
Magnesium's role in transporting ions across cell membranes may be part of the reason deficiencies are associated with migraine headaches, according to UMMC. Magnesium depletion may cause brain cells to misfire, which is thought to be a possible explanation for the aura experienced by many who suffer from migraine. The Linus Pauling Institute states that in two placebo-controlled trials using 600 mg dosages, magnesium supplementation lead to modest decreases in migraine frequency. In another trial, a dosage of 485 mg had no effect on migraine frequency. No major adverse effects were observed, though some experienced diarrhea and stomach irritation from the magnesium supplements. However, these dosages exceed the tolerable upper intake level for supplementation established by the Institute of Medicine, and should not be taken unless under a doctor's orders.
RDA and Tolerable Upper Limit
For males between the ages of 19 and 30, the RDA for magnesium is 400 mg per day. For females in that age group, the RDA is 310 mg per day. Beyond the age of 30, a man's RDA for magnesium is 420 mcg per day. For a female in that age group, the RDA is 320 mg per day.
Most of your magnesium should be obtained from the foods you eat rather than from magnesium supplements. Though the magnesium that naturally occurs in food is not associated with toxicity, supplemental magnesium can cause toxicity in high dosages. Thus, the tolerable upper intake for supplemental magnesium is lower than the RDA for some age groups. Adults should not take more than 340 mg of supplementary magnesium per day.
References
- Linus Pauling Institute; Magnesium; Jane Higdon; April 2003
- Paso del Norte Health Foundation: Health Literacy: Migraine
- "Headache"; Serum Ionized Magnesium Levels And Serum Ionized Calcium/Ionized Magnesium Ratios In Women With Menstrual Migraine; A. Mauskop; April 2002
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Migraine Headaches - Causes
