A migraine headache, unlike a typical headache, is accompanied by debilitating pain and can also cause nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines can have many causes but tend to occur more frequently in women than men, according to the National Institutes of Health. This type of headache also may have a hereditary component and appears to be caused by impaired activity in the brain. Treatment for migraine headaches often involves prescription medications. Certain vitamins may also help decrease the incidence and severity of migraine headaches. Check with your doctor before using any vitamin supplement.
Vitamin B-2
Vitamin B-2 or riboflavin is naturally found in milk, red meat and eggs and, in a 1998 study published in "Neurology," was found to help prevent migraines. Additionally, riboflavin, in combination with magnesium and feverfew, was found in a study cited by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University to be effective for some migraine suffers, although more research is needed to definitively support this effect. Medline Plus suggests that 400 mg daily of vitamin B-2 is needed to prevent migraines. Vitamin B-2 appears to be ineffective in reducing symptoms or the duration of a migraine that is already in progress.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin at all, but a hormone produced when your skin is exposed to natural light. The American Headache Society explains that between 30 and 100 percent of the elderly, postmenopausal women, the chronically ill and other subgroups are deficient in vitamin D. A 2008 study performed by the Society found nearly half of the people living with recurring migraines were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D appears to have a beneficial effect on the neurological system, which is where migraines develop. Check with your doctor and have your vitamin D levels measured in a simple blood test before using a vitamin D supplement.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps maintain the health of your neurological system. Magnesium deficiency is associated with the incidence of migraine headaches, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center. And women who experience migraine headaches before or during their menstrual cycle may derive relief from taking supplemental magnesium, according to the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center. UMMC recommends a dosage of 200 to 600 mg daily for migraine headaches.
Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B-6, also known as pyridoxine, is a member of the B-complex family of vitamins that is used for production of neurotransmitters, improving immunity and metabolism of proteins. A deficiency of vitamin B-6 is one of the most commonly experienced vitamin deficiencies, according to a 2009 article in "Pharmacogenetics and Genomics," because the vitamin is often lost during the cooking of foods. A combination of vitamins B-6 and B-12 with folic acid, researchers explain, was significantly more effective than a placebo in reducing disability associated with migraine headaches in 52 migraine sufferers.
References
- PubMed Health: Migraine
- Medline Plus: Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- American Headache Society; Vitamin D, Migraine and HealthMedical Complications: Optimize Therapy!; Steve D. Wheeler, M.D., et al.; 2007
- Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center; Migraines, Sleeplessness, Heart Attacks - Magnesium?; Forrest H. Nielsen; 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Migraine Headache
- "Neurology"; Effectiveness of High-Dose Riboflavin in Migraine Prophylaxis. A Randomized Controlled Trial; J. Schoenen, et al.; 1998
