Is there a migraine magnesium connection? Could you lower your risk of a migraine attack by taking a magnesium supplement? A new study suggests that the answer is yes.
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It was actually over 70 years ago that it was first suggested that there is a migraine magnesium link. Today, many migraineurs take a daily magnesium supplement, and supplements targeted to fight migraine (such as MigreLief) contain magnesium. Magnesium has also been used intravenously in the emergency room to abort migraine attacks. Still, there continues to be argument about whether or not a daily supplement helps.
In June 2008, the journal Magnesium Research reported on a study with migraine patients without aura. Patients were given either a 600mg magnesium citrate supplement, or a placebo. The researchers used a number of techniques, including brain mapping and measurement of migraine attack frequency and severity.
Researchers found two interesting things. First, the patients with migraine on magnesium actually did have fewer and less severe attacks. Also, there was an increase in blood flow to certain parts of the brain in these patients. Somehow the magnesium is causing changes in the brain, and those changes are benefiting the migraineurs.
Taking magnesium for migraine
Notice that the type of magnesium in this study was magnesium citrate. I’ve always recommended the "ate" types of magnesium, such as citrate, because they tend to be better absorbed.
Secondly, the study used a 600mg supplement. The general recommendation for migraine has been 300-400mg. I suggest you try at least 400mg (many multivitamins contain 50-100mg, so you can take both). I recommend the Ultra-Mag Magnesium complex from Source Naturals, which contains a combination of magnesium citrate, taurinate, malate, glycinate, and succinate.
When I first read about this study at Dr. Alexander Mauskop’s blog, I wanted to double check the relationship between calcium and magnesium (Dr. Mauskop is the Director and founder of the New York Headache Center). He was gracious enough to confirm what my research had already told me. For migraine, do not buy a calcium/magnesium blend. Basically, it works like this. If you need calcium, take the calcium/magnesium because it will help the calcium absorb better. But take a separate supplement of magnesium at another meal for migraine. The magnesium will not absorb well in the presence of the calcium.
Again, if you need the calcium, take the calcium/magnesium blend at another meal. Always take the magnesium for migraine without calcium.
More about magnesium and migraine here.
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Great blog entry
I have been sufgfering from migraines for 30 years now, and am right now wondering why I hadn’t thought about magnesium as a preventative treatment. My mother took magnesium faithfully every day for as long as I can remember. I just never thought to ask her why.
Keep up the good work, it is nice to know we are not alone, when seeking alternative relief for our nemesis.
Susanne
The mineral magnesium is a strong antioxidant and at the same time very essential to life. This antioxidant keeps us young and healthy.
Hi James,
I agree that magnesium has benefits. Recent studies showed it dips even further during the menstrual week for menstrual migraineurs. We are advising 800mg per day at the current time. I have seen some startling results but again it doesn’t work for everyone. Still worth a try and the response seems dose related.
Dr. Mauskop is a very nice man. Saw him at the AHS meeting this past summer. He is currently researching a magnesium/aspirin combination for headache prevention.
Thanks for the comments.
Yes, magnesium has a number of “benefits” – or I should say, the lack of it causes a number of issues that are very familiar to migraineurs. For example, weakness and nausea. Magnesium also helps with sleep patterns, so important to migraineurs, cluster headache patients, and others with chronic headache issues.
I have found after suffering from migraines since a child that taking the magnesium and 200 mg of co-enzyme Q 10 in the morning with breakfast is the golden ticket. Would recommend taking a multi-vitamin and calcium with the evening meal.
Good recommendation, Laurie. Glad it’s working for you! Separating the calcium and larger magnesium dose is exactly what you need to do.
I am currently taking magnesium for silent migraines it was working well until recently, but after reading the article I realized I may not be taking the right kind of magnesium the bottle says magnesium oxide this is the second bottle I have bought I bet the first one was the correct kind. I’m off to the store to get the correct kind. Currently taking 500mg of mag and 100mg of vitamin b2
Interesting article. 700 mg of Magnesium was recommended to me by my neurologist. I got the straight magnesium supplements and couldn’t even tolerate 500 mg but tried for a month. It gave me bad diarrhea. So perhaps I need to check and see if the magnesium ‘citrate’ is different? I think I did notice a bit of a difference but I was also taking Lexapro as a preventative at the same time. Still haven’t got the migraines under control…
I found http://www.headache-treatment-options.com/migraine-prevention.html (a highly regarded practice in Virginia) as a link from this site, this doctor recommends magnesium oxide, not citrate. Why would he specify that if citrate is better absorbed?
I have been taking Magnesium oxide for about 18 months. No problems with it. It has reduced my migraines from 2-3/week which kept me in bed for many hours while Zomig tried to remedy it… to NONE. It has been a godsend for me. I get a headache (not migraine intense) about 1-2 times a month now which is alleviated with ibuprofin and a decongestant. I will NEVER stop taking the magnesium! It’s just a pity my neurologist kept prescribing Zomig, and never mentioned magnesium. I couldn’t stand the pain anymore and researched this on the internet (something doctors have a habit of telling their patients to never do), tried it and finally found relief.
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! And a bonus is that i’m able to wean myself from my preventative, Topamax, which i believe is a devil drug. If the magnesium ends up giving me a laxative effect it will be welcome because the Topamax has given me *awful IBS with constipation for over a year now. I believe the most relief i’ve had in years is in sight with magnesium!
Wow! What great information here in the Comments section too. Thank you all so much for the info. Apparently, I’ve been on the wrong kind of magnesium (oxide not citrate) and at the wrong dosage (500 mg not 800 mg). Mary Kay — read your article too. Thanks for the detailed info. I get both hormonal migraines and barometric pressure migraines. Perhaps changing to citrate and boosting dosage to 800 mg will help even more.
Pharmacy told me that Magnesium Citrate only comes in liquid form. Anyone else hear that? Liquid is lemon-flavored and I put it in my morning smoothie. But would like to confirm what forms Mag Cit comes in.
Magnesium Citrate does come in tablet form. I get mine at Whole Foods — it comes in a bright orange bottle and costs around $8.00.
Trouble is, the article says research was done, was it double blind trial.
Are the results to be published in medical journals of standing, otherwise it comes over as an advert.
For many years, I suffered from excrutiating migraine headaches without aura. Before I found relief with magnesium oxide and coenzyme Q10 I was having them as much as twice/week, and could literally not function for often two days at a time. It was horrible. My father, a physician, suffered from them as well, and would have to take codeine and go to bed. But, because migraines have “auras”, he was never diagnosed with migraines and they were not treated as such. I thought there was nothing I could do either, except deal with them the best I could. I was 56 years old by the time a neurologist diagnosed me with migraines w/o aura. He prescribed Zomig. But, this was far less than sufficient, having to take them several times a week, having side effects and feeling completely “out of it”, continued to render me less than functional. Then, about two years ago, I read something somewhere about magnesium and coenzymeQ10, and tried them. After a few weeks, I realized my migraines were GONE! I take 400mg CoQ10 and 500mg magnesium oxide, which I get at the local Wal-Mart, and I really am migraine-free! It has truly been life-altering.
all posts are very interesting and some helpful. have had headaches/migraines since age 18 and am currently 51. been to many drs./neurologists and have researched everything. i do believe magnesium and coq10 help. am working on dosage and type of magnesium to see further improvement. am interested in reading more posts.
If you suffer from migraines and haven’t tried Magnesium PLEASE TRY IT!! I have had migraines since I was 6 years old. I am now 39. I have been on countless anti-depressants and anti-seizure type meds as preventatives…some worked – some did not, but all had some major side effects. If you’ve taken them, you know what I mean. 5 months ago, I started developing “stroke-like” right sided hemiplegia with my migraines and then subsequently “seizure-type” episodes. They were not strokes, as confirmed by an MRI and they were not seizures per se, as confirmed by an EEG….just all apart of my changing migraines. After a neurologist told me that I needed psychiatric help when I kept complaining about the side effects from the “newest” seizure med they had me on, I knew I was on my own. A friend from work told me that her Dr had told her about a Magnesium/Riboflavin (B2) combo that seemed to be helping her, I felt like I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. IT WORKED! The Mag Oxide was not overly helpful, but the Mag Citrate made all the difference in the world. I still get migraines, but they are functional migraines (worse around menses) – no nausea, no need to stay in a dark room, I can go to work, etc. But the hemiplegic and seizure type zone-out episodes are GONE completely. And I feel like I have my mind back – the fog that I had experienced while on Topamax and Zonisamide, etc has lifted. I CAN THINK AGAIN!!! I am going to try adding the CoQ10 and upping my Mag dose (I’m only doing 400mg) and see if that helps the menstrual headaches anymore. I always thought vitamin “pushers” were just plain weird (sorry), but here I am telling you it’s working for me!! Good luck.
I’ve been fighting 20-30 migraines a month for the past 2-3 years now. I’ve been on Topamax for the past 2 years at varying dosages. Maxalt 10MG and recently added Treximet to my line up. Since September of 2007 I was popping Excedring like candy, along the lines of 6-10 per day usually (unless I used a Maxalt). This past August of 2009 I had to detox from Rebound headaches for 2 months, which was a living hell. I would not recommend anyone over use excedrin or any medication. Please use as directed!
After switching my GP and Neuro numerous times I took my fate in my own hands and decided to bite the bullet and order 3 bottles of Migrelief (it says you should give it 3 months to work before you give up on it). I’m sure magnesium isn’t the root cause for everyone. It’s been about a month now and I have weened myself off of my Topamax since starting the supplement to see what kind of results I would get. My first bottle is about 3/4 empty and I have had my first day without a migraine in about 3 months. The past 3-4 days the migraines I did have were little flys buzzing compared to the monsters I’ve been dealing with for the past few years. I have no idea what the future is going to look like as I’ve just started to notice the effects of these supplements but, it seems to be doing an amazing job. They sell it on Amazon.com and there are numerous positive reviews as well.
I would also reccommend checking/adjusting your posture. I also noticed that I was breathing poorly through my nose, and breathing through my mouth helped alot (but was hard to consciously do this 24/7). I purchased a saline nasal irrigation kit which helped me breath out my nose (not sure if I have an alergy I’m unaware of or not).
Steven you sound just like me! I tried everything under the sun as well as multiple doctors and was at the end of my rope. I too decided to take things into my own hands and weaned myself off topamax and zonisimide, then later depakote. I now am ONLY taking supplements. Magnesium, feverfew and CoQ10. I still require prn dosing of imitrex, treximet and both oral and injected toradol (very occasional). Between these things, hydration, and avoiding my triggers i have had the most relief i’ve had in years. I still get maybe 7 or so migraines a month, but like you, it is much better than 25 and the severity is much decreased. I also saw an ENT and an allergist. I’m on mult meds to treat allergies as well which help. Holistics help, but i have not yet tried accupuncture which i keep being told to do.
I have been having severe dizziness and balance problems for several years, i have had numerous hospital tests and have just been told i have severe balance problems!! there’s no treatment so basically ‘go and live with it’ so, after persistently asking to see a neurologist, i got a appointment, she seems to think i have migraine and has prescribed Amitriptyline, i haven’t started taking it as i didn’t think i had migraine, UNTIL, i read about basilar migraine, and it seems to describe my symptoms perfect, but now, i have come across this article about magnesium, but, does it help with this kind of migraine, i haven’t got bad headaches, but my main problem is bad balance when walking which is really restricting my life and making me very upset.
I have Basilar type migraine whch wasn’t properly diagnosed for 30 plus years. I’ve not done well on Amitriptiyine … made my symptoms worse and put on a LOT of weight. Had some luck with Topomax but the side effects finally made it impossible to continue. Magnesium, feverfew, butterbur, Vit. B and CoQ10 are what I’m using to control the migraines – doing much better and NO side effects!!
I’ve known about the magnesium-migraine connection for a while, but didn’t realize the importance of taking the right kind. Looks like a trip to the health food store is in order!
Has anyone tried butterbur, B12 or riboflavin for control? I’m having the best control in years with my supplements (magnesium glycinate, C0Q10, Omega 3 and feverfew) but dont know how many more i can/should add. Always looking to improve!