Which Magnesium Supplements Work?

by James on 16 May 2012

We’ve had a lot of discussion here about magnesium for migraine.  One of the most popular versions of magnesium for migraine is magnesium citrate.  But some ask, what if magnesium citrate isn’t working?  Or is there a better magnesium citrate supplement for headache?  What about the dosage of magnesium for migraine?

Instead of bringing a lot of new information today, I went over some of the practical suggestions that we’ve discussed here before.

Which Magnesium should I take for migraine?

Here are some of the key suggestions:

  • Do NOT take a magnesium supplement that contains calcium.  Read the label.  If you take calcium supplements, take them at another time of day.
  • Usually, the "ate" forms, such as citrate or glycinate are better absorbed.  Although some have recommended magnesium oxide, most people are still going for the "ate" forms.
  • If magnesium tablets aren’t working well for you, try capsules or liquid/water soluble magnesium.
  • If you’re getting diarrhea, your magnesium probably isn’t absorbing well.  Try another type.

Now, what specific brands or types of magnesium have been recommended here?  Here are the most common:

I notice that it can be confusing how much you get in a bottle.  Watch for how many capsules, for example, you need to get a serving.

Here are a few specific comments from you our visitors:

Liz says: I had only been told by my neurologist to take Magnesium during menstruation.  Also i take a more rare, and highly unavailable kind-magnesium glycinate.  It didn’t seem to make much of a difference, but after doing more research I’ve up’d my dose to 400mg/day and will likely double that will menstruating.  It has already begun to make a difference!

Judith:  Recently (summer 2010) you published a testimonial by a reader who indicated that she had had impressive results by using Solaray brand Magnesium Asporotate.  I switched to Magnesium Asporotate in August 2010.  In September the frequency of my migraines began to drop off. … I credit the magnesium asporotate with my 8 week freedom from migraines.  This is huge!

Angie:  I am still on Magnesium, James.  I still have severe attacks but also mild ones and less vomitting.  I am able to walk my dog even while having an attack…I also found this Mg citrate in liquid form [Flora Floradix Magnesium Liquid Mineral Supplement].  It is what I am taking now.

Aurora:  It didn’t stop me from having my attacks, but I am a bit "useful" now than before and the nauseous feeling is lesser so I vomit lesser, too.  I found this Magnesium in syrup form—Floradix Magnesium!  Tastes like tropical fruits with honey so I don’t have to take those large chewable tables.

Evie:  I’ve been taking the Solaray brand of magnesium citrate from Whole Foods because it comes in a capsule which is more easily absorbed than a tablet. … I really noticed a difference and though I’d still get migraines, they were less often and much, much more bearable.

Now, there are some combinations, magnesium + something else, but we’ll talk about those tomorrow.  Let’s talk about dosages next.

How much magnesium supplement should I take?

With the disclaimer that you should always talk to your doctor about the dosage that’s right for you, here are some suggestions and comments from our visitors.

First, let me tell you what my research has turned up.  Generally, around 400mg per day seems to be a good place to start for migraine.  But many are now suggesting larger doses, like 800mg-1200mg.  So you’re probably looking at 400-1200mg of magnesium daily, usually in more than one dose (ie 400mg 3x per day).  Your doctor will probably recommend starting with a lower dosage and raising it slowly.

Now let’s see some of the experiences of our visitors.

Stephen says:  My neurologist told me that the key to dosing magnesium is to increase until it causes diarrhea and then back off until it doesn’t.   I am up to 1250 mg and climbing but it is magnesium oxide so I don’t really know how much I am absorbing.

Shari writes:  700 mg of Magnesium was recommended to me by my neurologist.

Rachael:  [My doctor] recommended I take 500 mg of magnesium every day.  I started this two weeks ago and I have had two minor headaches that I didn’t have to take any medication for and I have not had a migraine since starting the magnesium.

Also we have Liz’ comment above, saying that she wanted to try 400mg and double that during menstruation.  We do know that magnesium levels change in women depending on your time of the month.  See more about Menstrual Migraine here.

So if you haven’t taken magnesium, give it a try!  If your magnesium citrate isn’t working, try a different type of magnesium, or a liquid supplement.

There should be a lot of ideas here to get started.  But there’s more – a lot of people are trying combinations, and that’s what we’ll talk about tomorrow.

Meanwhile, what are your suggestions?  Is there some form of magnesium you’ve found especially helpful?

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Migraine Awareness Month (USA)

by James on 15 May 2012

Next month in the USA is Migraine Awareness Month!  The idea has been founded and promoted by the National Headache Foundation.

Migraine Awareness Month

If you’re in the USA and you’d like to help the NHF continue its efforts to "encourage employers, insurers, health care providers, government agencies, and even family members to recognize migraine and other headache disorders as a serious neurobiological disease", you can donate just $5 and get a cool Migraine Awareness Ribbon (who doesn’t want a cool Migraine Awareness Ribbon?!)!

How do you get it?  Simply zip over to this page right now, and look for the $5 for 2012 Migraine Awareness button.  I’m sure you can take it from there!

And make sure you tell everyone what your new cool ribbon means (yes, even something small like that can make a big difference!)!

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Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS Awareness: Migraine and Chronic Headache Big Issues

by James on 12 May 2012

Today is Fibromyalgia Awareness Day.  Actually, it’s also Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) Awareness Day.

Both Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS are nasty relatives of migraine.  Fibromyalgia in particular is a well-known comorbid condition with migraine.  How exactly these interact is a complicated issue.

We do know that chronic headache and/or migraine conditions are very common in patients with fibromyalgia.  There are also many treatments common to both.

If you can get a proper diagnosis of ME/CFS and/or Fibromyalgia, your doctor may be able to help you get treatments that are more likely to help with migraine as well.  If your doctor can have a more full knowledge of your medical history, she has a better chance of finding treatments that work.

Here is a little more information:

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Cluster Headaches may ease in Pregnancy (and other surprising facts about women and cluster)

by James on 10 May 2012

A recently published study explored the unique character of cluster headache in women.  Cluster in women has not been studied a lot because it’s so rare.  In fact, cluster in men is rare, but it’s much more common in men than in women.

So how are woman clusterheads unique?  Here are a few of the findings:

  • Women tend to develop cluster at a younger age
  • About half the time, symptoms improve with pregnancy
  • Women generally don’t respond as well to sumatriptan (nasal spray/injection), but respond better to inhaled lidocaine.  Women tend to be less responsive to preventatives in general.
  • Women tend to have more attacks per day
  • Cluster attacks are more likely to be triggered by migraine triggers
  • Women are more likely to have pain in the jaw, cheek and ear
  • Comorbid conditions for women are more likely to include asthma and/or depression
  • Women tend to have shorter aura duration than men

The researchers admit that one drawback of this study is that often cluster patients do not get properly diagnosed, or people are diagnosed with cluster when they have something else.  Finding a large group to study is very difficult with a rare condition such as cluster.

To read more of the details, check out Female cluster headache in the United States of America: What are the gender differences?

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Precision Tinted – Especially to Fight Migraine

by James on 7 May 2012

There has been an increasing interest in tinted glasses for migraine patients.  Although tinted glasses are nothing new, research is beginning to bring us some decent science behind using tinted glasses to fight migraine symptoms (see for example this from USA Today:  Special tinted glasses may stymie migraines).

There are a number of different approaches.  Of course, quality sunglasses have helped a lot of people.  There are also custom made precision tinted glasses, where a patient is tested and given a tint that seems to help them the most.

But even custom made precision tinting is an imprecise science, as we continue to learn more about how migraine impacts the brain.  And such a service may not be readily available where you are, or within your price range.

However, there is another option.  There is increasing interest in precision tinted non-prescription glasses that can be produced at a lower cost in higher quantities.  This can be done because certain tints seem to help migraineurs in general, and so lenses can be produced for migraine patients in general instead of being custom made.

Now Available: A New Lens Designed to Fight Migraine

TheraSpecs
(These are all the same pair of TheraSpecs – it’s the pictures that are tinted differently!)

There’s a new precision tinted therapeutic lens – and the good news is, it wasn’t developed by some engineer in a office building who doesn’t know anything about migraine.  These glasses were developed by Hart Shafer and his wife Kerrie Smyres.  Many of you will know Kerrie from her blog, The Daily Headache.

This means that the glasses were tried and tested over time by someone dealing with real migraine attacks.  (I’ve followed and communicated with Kerrie for many years – I know she’s the real deal)

For example, here’s Hart explaining how they had found some lenses that worked well, but…

But they were far from perfect. When she wore them she also always put on a baseball cap and often held her hands up beside her eyes to block light from the sides and reflections behind. The glasses simply let in too much light from around the lenses, especially from above. That’s when we started talking about the ideal glasses for people who suffer like she does.

Once Hart and Kerrie had come up with a design they liked, they sent them out to various other migraineurs, myself includes.  The reports that came back were good.

I’m still experimenting with the ones I have – Indoor TheraSpecs – but I did know right away that I liked them.  Here are some of the reasons why:

  • They are light weight.  What migraineur wants something heavy pulling on their face?
  • They have a wrap-around design.  That means that they block out light from the sides, while still giving you a good field of vision.
  • They’re flexible and strong.  They’re not going to break easily – they’re built to last, as an investment in your health.

There’s more.  There are indoor and outdoor versions, meaning that the indoor ones are lighter (great for under flourescent lights you can’t escape or in front of a computer screen) and the outdoor ones are polarized, which cuts down glare (seriously, if you’ve never tried polarized sunglasses, you’ll be amazed at the difference).

James in TheraSpecs

If you have migraine, and especially if you’ve found that fluorescent lights or computer screens bother you (either when you have a migraine attack or when you don’t), this is an excellent option to consider.  Many people have been very surprised at the different that can be made with precision tinted glasses such as the TheraSpecs.

I won’t go into any more detail, because the TheraSpecs have an excellent website of their own with lots of information.  If it helps, though, I will say that I am not being paid or given a commission to promote these glasses.  I have seen the product, and I’ve been watching the research over the past few years, and I believe that the evidence is there.  Take a look and see what you think.

If you’ve tried the TheraSpecs, leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

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