According to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, most adults take at least one or more supplements every day or occasionally. Although there are many vitamin resources available, some people still can be deficient in one or more vitamins and some of these deficiencies can cause headaches. There are many causes of headaches; vitamin deficiencies are only one possibility. Talk to a health care professional if you have questions or concerns.
About Vitamins
Vitamins were first discovered in the early 1900s and perform a variety of functions. Vitamin deficiencies can have many causes, from insufficient exposure to sunlight for vitamin D to poor absorption of B vitamins. Some vitamins, such as vitamin C, cannot be stored in the body and must be eaten daily. Vitamin deficiencies that are known or suspected to cause headaches include Vitamin B12, niacin, pantothenic acid and vitamin D.
Vitamin B12 and Migraines
Vitamin B12, found primarily in animal food sources such as liver, clams, sardines and egg yolks, is used for neurological functioning and the production of folic acid. It can become deficient in those with inflammatory bowel disease or other gastrointestinal disorders because the intestines cannot absorb it properly. According to Dr. Susan Solomon, symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include migraine headaches.
Niacin and Pantothenic Acid
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, niacin deficiency, the source of the disease pellagra, is uncommon today. Still occasionally seen in chronic alcoholism, niacin deficiency causes headaches. Pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, is required for a variety of functions in the body, including the manufacture of neurotransmitters and the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves and enhances nerve transmission. Vitamin B5 deficiency, although rare and usually only observed in severe malnutrition, can cause headaches.
Tension Headaches
Vitamin D deficiency may be the source of some tension headaches. In a study reported in the September 2009 issue of "Headache," researchers noted eight patients who had both chronic tension headaches and vitamin D deficiency. These patients had not responded to conventional therapy for tension-type headaches but after supplementation with vitamin D and calcium, their headache pain was minimized. Another study, in the August 2010 "Journal of Headache Pain," noted a possible link between low-serum levels of vitamin D and the prevalence of tension-type headaches and migraines.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements; Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know; June 2011
- Council for Responsible Nutrition; Recommended Intakes of Vitamins and Essential Minerals; Annette Dickinson, Ph.D; June 2002
- Linus Pauling Institute; Micronutrients and Cognitive Function; Victoria Drake, Ph.D. and Jeurg Haller, Ph.D.; February 2011
- "Headache"; Chronic Tension-Type Headache With Vitamin D Deficiency: Casual or Causal Association?; S. Prakash, N.D. Shah; September 2009
- SusanSolomonMD.com:Vitamin B12
- "Journal of Headache Pain"; The Prevalence of Headache May be Related with the Latitude: Possible role of Vitamin D Insufficiency? S. Prakash, et.al.; August 2010
