People who suffer from migraine or cluster headaches may experience a deficiency in magnesium, which may lead to more frequent headaches. Magnesium is a mineral found in your body's bones, cells, tissues and organs. Although more research is needed, preliminary evidence suggests that regular use of magnesium supplements may reduce or prevent these headaches in some people.
Identification
A magnesium deficiency can affect the blood vessels in your head, causing inflammation, changes in size and increased brain excitability. Magnesium comes from the foods you eat, including such foods as bananas, potatoes, whole wheat bread, spinach and milk. If you don't eat enough foods high in magnesium, you can develop a deficiency. While magnesium deficiencies aren't common, they may be more likely to occur if you have Crohn's disease or another condition that limits the body's ability to absorb magnesium, or if you take some diuretics or antibiotics, reports the Office of Dietary Supplements. If you have a magnesium deficiency, you may exhibit no symptoms or may experience digestive problems, loss of appetite, coldness in the feet or hands, cramps in the muscles of your legs, nausea and trouble with coordination. Women with a magnesium deficiency may experience pre-menstrual syndrome.
Headache Treatment
A variety of tablets are readily available at health food, grocery and discount stores, but effectiveness varies depending on the form of magnesium. Slow-release magnesium, magnesium oxide, water soluble magnesium and chelated magnesium allow the body to absorb higher amounts of magnesium. The Office of Dietary supplements reports that the tolerable upper intake level for magnesium supplementation for both males and females over age 19 is 350 mg daily.
Considerations
Taking magnesium supplements may also be helpful for children who suffer from headaches. A study of children aged 3 to 17 who suffered from migraines discovered that treatment with magnesium led to a significant reduction in headache days. The study, conducted by F. Wang and other researchers, was published in the June 2003 issue of "Headache." Consult your doctor before giving magnesium supplements to a child.
Warning
Diarrhea is a common side effect of taking magnesium supplements, although this effect may be less likely if you choose forms that are more readily absorbed. Because some laxatives and antacids contain magnesium, taking large doses of these products while also taking magnesium supplements can lead to magnesium toxicity. Taking magnesium supplements if you have kidney failure can also cause toxicity, as can taking more than the recommended amount of magnesium supplements. Signs of magnesium toxicity include confusion, loss of appetite, trouble breathing, low blood pressure, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat and low blood pressure. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking magnesium supplements and contact your doctor immediately.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- Migraine Survival; Should You Be Taking Magnesium?; Christina Peterson, M.D.; June 2008
- "Headache"; Oral Magnesium Oxide Prophylaxis of Frequent Migrainous Headache in Children; F. Wang et al.; June 2003
- National Pain Foundation: Dietary Supplements for Headaches, Christina Sun-Edelstein, M.D. et al.
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