butterbur

15 May 2020

Butterbur: Is it safe?

The discussion is continuing about the safety of butterbur, especially after the release of a study earlier this year affirming the safety of Petadolex, a well-known butterbur supplement.

One of the study’s authors, Dr. Jurgen Borlak, has actually been a consultant for the manufacturer of Petadolex, although the company did not have input into the study.

A brief background – there have been concerns about toxicity to the liver in butterbur supplements. Specifically, the pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in butterbur are what should be avoided. So at the very least, you should be looking for supplements that are specifically labelled PA-free. We still don’t have long term studies, but so far the study results are good.

However, there have been questions even about high quality “PA-free” supplements like Petadolex, and just how carefully they are manufactured.

More recent information has led the American Headache Society to lend their support to true PA-free butterbur products.

But – is the label really enough to give you confidence? Due to recent concerns about supplements not containing what they’re supposed to, never mind having details about the extraction process, many studies are sticking close to specific butterbur brands, in particular, Petadolex itself (which would include the Nature’s Way version above). So there seems to be good reason to remain cautious.

My understanding is that Petadolex is now available for purchase in Germany (previously it was not allowed for sale due to safety concerns). I don’t think it’s available in the UK yet, but maybe my readers can confirm this.

In the USA, Petadolex can be purchased here. In Canada and many other countries, you can order the Nature’s Way Petadolex from iHerb.

For more:

18 September 2017

Migravent: Migraine Preventative (Supplement)

James Treatments 1

Recently I was reading an article which listed the remedies that 19 different people used to fight migraine. Although I wouldn’t recommend all the remedies listed, the article is worth it, just to see the animated gifs! (Check it out – 19 People Dish On The One Thing That Makes Them Feel Better When They Have A Migraine)

One of the preventatives certainly deserves a little space here because it has helped a lot of people, and that is Migravent.

Migravent is one of many supplements taken to prevent migraine, although it is one of the more popular ones. It is designed to be taken with food, 2-3 times a day.

The ingredients are mostly well known for their migraine-fighting properties. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), magnesium (oxide and citrate), coenzyme Q10, and butterbur. It also contains piperine (BioPerine), an extract from black pepper, which helps with nutrient absorption (and may also be a mild antidepressant). Migravent is gluten free.

There has been a recent concern with butterbur products, but the company notes that the butterbur has been tested for safety by a 3rd party lab.

Although these ingredients are certainly available in individual supplements, researchers try to find special blends and delivery methods that will have maximum impact. Migravent is one of those products.

As you will see from the reviews on amazon, this product doesn’t help everyone. But the reviews are generally very positive.

As with most supplements like this, I would recommend that you check with your doctor, and keep a headache diary so you know if it’s helping. Usually 90 days is a minimum amount of time to see if something like this is really making a difference.

Have you tried Migravent? If so, leave a comment with your experiences.

The Butterbur Controversy (Podcast)

James Information, Treatments 0

Many people aren’t even aware of the confusion and controversy surrounding butterbur as a migraine preventative. But after listening to this podcost – well, at the very least you can join in the confusion!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Supplements as Preventatives for Children – what works?

James Discoveries & Stats, Treatments 2

We know that many supplements have been used to prevent migraine in adults, but what about children? A recent review published in the journal Cephalalgia asked the question – and you may not like the answer.

The authors of the study reviewed research that’s been done into complimentary and alternative preventative treatments for children – specifically, various supplements used for migraine prevention. Based on the research, they made some recommendations, but their conclusion may be the biggest issue.

So what did they recommend? For one, butterbur – but only Petadolex. Also recommended was magnesium, but only certain formulations (read more here). Finally, coenzyme Q10.

Supplements that were not recommended included riboflavin, ginkgolide (from Ginkgo biloba) (at least not in isolation), and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Now why would those three not be recommended? Aside from the polyunsaturated fatty acids (which researchers felt did not work), the problem was not that they don’t work, but simply that there’s no good evidence that they do.

In this case, it doesn’t mean there’s no studies. But the studies were small or poorly designed.

How far behind is migraine treatment for children?

Now we understand that, with so many options, it’s not wise to try a bunch of treatments that have no evidence behind them before we try the many treatments that are much more likely to work. Far too much time and money is wasted on treatments that may be well marketed but are actually of little benefit.

But in the world of paediatric migraine treatment, the problem is that there are simply not enough good studies.

Now we know that migraine research in general is woefully under-funded. But if you’re a child with migraine, you’re at an even higher risk, because there are even fewer studies.

Although the recommendations of the researchers for supplements are helpful, they themselves do not emphasize the benefits of COQ10, magnesium, and butterbur. Instead, in their abstract (Nutraceuticals in the prophylaxis of pediatric migraine: Evidence-based review and recommendations.), they conclude simply:

Overall, the quality of the evidence for the use of nutraceuticals in pediatric migraine prophylaxis is poor. Further research needs to be done in order to study the efficacy of nutraceuticals for the prophylaxis of pediatric migraine.

This review should be helpful to parents and guardians who are looking for effective treatments for children. But we could help them even more by promoting further research into alternative and complimentary paediatric treatments.

2 August 2012

Serious Concerns about Butterbur

James News, Treatments 6

Safety concerns are changing opinions about using Butterbur as a migraine treatment.

Butterbur recently rose to become one of the best preventative treatments for migraine.

But the recommendation was always given with a caution. Be careful – very careful – about what butterbur product you buy. Butterbur contains toxic compounds known as alkaloids, which may damage your liver or even cause cancer.

Now the toxic elements can be removed – and they were. The product was manufactured in Germany and it underwent very strict testing to ensure that the dangerous compounds had been totally removed.

However, according to a recent report from the New York Headache Center, the manufacturer changed the process of manufacture and did not repeat all the safety procedures. So they believe that the risk is now too high. From the center’s blog:

We no longer recommend butterbur to our patients. … Germany is no longer allowing butterbur to be sold there because the manufacturer changed its purification process and did not repeat all of the required safety studies. Butterbur made in Germany and in the US is still sold in the US, but our FDA does not regulate herbal products and does not require the extensive safety tests that are required in Germany. This is why we no longer recommend butterbur for our patients.

For the time being, you’re probably better off to try other treatments until this mess gets sorted out. Other excellent and well-researched supplements include things like magnesium, feverfew, coenzyme Q10.