If you experience chronic headaches, you might have a vitamin deficiency. Research has shown that low levels of certain vitamins and minerals may trigger headaches or increase their intensity. As with any dietary supplement, consult your doctor before taking vitamins for headaches, since some can be toxic when consumed in large amounts.
Riboflavin
Vitamin B-2, or riboflavin, is often promoted for its effectiveness in the prevention of headaches. The National Institutes of Health rates riboflavin as "possibly effective" for the prevention of migraine headaches when it is taken in doses of 400 mg per day. However, although it reduces their frequency, riboflavin does not seem to decrease the intensity or duration of migraine headaches. Riboflavin may also provide additional benefits, such as increased energy, improved athletic performance and healthy reproductive functioning.
Niacin
Other B vitamins, such as niacin, may also help prevent migraine headaches, according to "Headache Relief." In a 2003 case described by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, a 62-year-old woman who had suffered from migraine headaches for 20 years was relieved of her headaches after taking high doses of niacin for three months. Niacin is also commonly used to improve circulation and decrease cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D shows promise for the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches. According to Dr. Michael F. Holick's book, "The Vitamin D Solution," vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the duration and frequency of migraine headaches. Dr. Steve Wheeler of the Wheeler Headache Treatment Center in Miami, Fla., discovered that many of his patients had very low levels of vitamin D. In addition to migraine headaches, they also experienced other symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, such as fibromyalgia and heart disease. Migraine sufferers who had low levels of vitamin D were also more likely to experience migraines at an earlier age.
Magnesium
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, taking vitamin B-2 in combination with magnesium and feverfew, an herb, may help prevent migraine headaches. Magnesium, a mineral, may also be used on its own to prevent migraine headaches. Many people who suffer from chronic headaches also have low levels of magnesium in the blood. Not only does magnesium prevent headaches, but it may also reduce their duration and intensity. Magnesium is particularly effective for headaches that are related to menstruation.
References
- Medline Plus: Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- "Headache Relief"; Alan M. Rapoport and Fred D. Sheftell
- Mayo Clinic Proceedings; "Sustained-Release Niacin For Prevention of Migraine Headache"; David A. Velling, et al.; 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Magnesium
- "The Vitamin D Solution"; Michael F. Holick; 2010
