Migraines And Magnesium

Migraines And Magnesium

When it comes to migraines, you have probably tried numerous supplements and remedies all claiming to be the best thing ever. Some may have temporarily reduced your symptoms, but it is extremely difficult to say that you have found something that prevents it all together or reduces symptoms significantly. And you’re not alone; millions of people suffer from these debilitating headaches and are desperate for a solution.

Enter magnesium, a mineral you would not typically associate with being a treatment for migraines, as it is well known for being important for other functions, such as bone health, enzyme function, and in the synthesis of protein. But, add migraine relief to the long list of functions magnesium already performs, as you are about to be shocked.

Everyone With Migraines Should Be Using Magnesium

Two studiesi,ii conducted on migraines have found that patients have low levels of magnesium whilst experiencing migraines and that supplementation with this important mineral helped to reduce the occurrence of migraine headaches by 41% over the course of 12 weeks.

However, magnesium doesn’t just magically “cure” migraines, as it works through various mechanisms, all believed to play a role in the occurrence of migraines. These include:

• It Boosts Serotonin- serotonin is one of the brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, with whom low levels result in associated migraine attacks. By supplementing with Magnesium, this cause of migraines is typically relieved.
• Affects Nitric Oxide- nitric oxide is a vasodilator or a compound that causes blood vessels to expand. This is usually good, but in the blood vessels of the scalp, this contributes greatly to the pulsatile spasms associated with migraines. Magnesium is also able to regulate the “tone” of blood vessels so that it is more flexible to respond to changes in nitric oxide blood levels.
• Interaction With NMDA Receptor- is this sounds technical, relax it won’t go over your head. To put things simply, think of the NMDA receptor as a target for calcium to act, and initiate pain signals in the nervous system. If Magnesium reaches the NMDA receptor first, it occupies it and blocks calcium from interacting. The result is an “antagonism” of the receptor so that pain is not transmitted as highly as if calcium was allowed to interact freely.

Other Benefits Of Magnesium On Migraines

In addition to the ways magnesium can alter brain chemistry to relieve migraines, are these other benefits it can provide that either directly or indirectly help with migraines. These include:

• Magnesium Promotes Rest- one associated cause of migraines is due to lack of sleep. Poor sleep does not offer the body sufficient restoration of cells, and chemical processes, and can leave your brain and body physically worn. Depletion of brain chemicals is likely, as you will feel groggy all day, and you will be sensitive to stimuli such as noise and light- both known triggers of migraines.
• Magnesium Helps Modulate Mood- unpredictable mood alterations are a precursor to migraines, sometimes occurring with increased anxiety. Magnesium helps boost levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which reduces depression risk and boosts mood.

Best Sources Of Dietary Magnesium

The best place to start is by ensuring you consume foods high in magnesium content. Good sources include:
• Avocadoes
• Bananas
• Black beans
• Tuna and mackerel
• Almonds
• Yogurt
• Dark chocolate (with high cacao content)

If you still believe you are not consuming enough magnesium from the diet, a supplement supplying about 600mg is advised. Magnesium may be associated with diarrhea in some individuals.

Conclusion

Magnesium is an essential mineral, we’ve just underestimated its utility for a very long time. Start off by eating more foods rich in magnesium, then if necessary top it up by using a good supplement.
i Mauskop, Varughese. Why all migraine patients should be treated with magnesium. Journal of neural transmission.2012

ii Pfaffenrath V, Wessely P, Meyer C, et al. Magnesium in the prophylaxis of migraine–a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Cephalalgia. 1996