Magnesium may help prevent / alleviate migraines

Numerous studies strongly suggest that a person's magnesium status may be associated with the severity and frequency of migraine headaches

Magnesium works on the symptoms of migraines by relaxing blood vessels in the brain and inhibits the ability of calcium to constrict blood vessels.

“We know that 50% of all migraine sufferers are magnesium-deficient,”says Dr. Altura, PhD, professor of physiology, pharmacology and medicine at the SUNY Downstate Medical Centerin Brooklyn, New York. “60% of migraine patients have genetic variances that don't allow them to effectively metabolize and transport magnesium well,”says Dr. Altura.

Some studies supporting use of magnesium against migraines

Quick and sustained pain relief using intravenous magnesium infusions (performed by medical personnel).   More than 80% of a group of 3,000 patients given daily intravenous infusions of 200 mg ionized magnesium had significant sustained pain reduction within 15 minutes of administration.  Mauskop, 1995

Intravenous magnesium infusions eliminated migraine symptoms.   In another study, Dr. Altura noted that magnesium infusion produced a complete elimination of migraine-induced symptoms such as nausea and photophobia.  Mauskop, 1996;

Magnesium prevents menstrual migraines.   These occur in women of childbearing age and tend to be more frequent and disabling than non-menstrual migraines. Boska, 2002.   In fact, lower magnesium levels have been correlated with more severe neurological symptoms during menstrual migraines. Silberstein, 2007; Mauskop, 2001

Prevention is preferable to treatment.    Oral magnesium supplementation has been shown to reduce the frequency and duration of migraines. Mauskop , 1998;  Boska, 2002

References

 Boska MD, Welch KM, Barker PB, Nelson JA, Schultz L. (2002, Apr) Contrasts in cortical magnesium, phospholipid and energy metabolism between migraine syndromes. Neurology.58(8):1227-33.

Mauskop A, Altura BT, Cracco RQ, Altura BM. (1995, Dec) Intravenous magnesium sulphate relieves migraine attacks in patients with low serum ionized magnesium levels: a pilot study. Clin Sci (Lond). 89(6):633-6.

Mauskop A, Altura BT, Cracco RQ, Altura BM. (1996 Mar) Intravenous magnesium sulfate rapidly alleviates headaches of various types. Headache. 36(3):154-60

Mauskop A, Altura BM. (1998) Role of magnesium in the pathogenesis and treatment of migraines. Clin Neurosci. 5(1):24-7;

Mauskop A, Fox B, (2001) What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Migraines, Warner Books, New York.

Silberstein SD, Goldberg J (2007 Oct) Menstrually related migraine: breaking the cycle in your clinical practice. J Reprod Med. 52(10):888-95.