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Theramine for Migraine?

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Theramine is a supplement that is commonly used for chronic pain.  Could it work for migraine?

Theramine for Migraine?

Theramine has actually been primarily marketed for chronic back pain.  As a “medical food”, it is designed to meet the special requirements of those with chronic pain.  As the product’s info sheet says:

Patients with pain disorders and inflammatory conditions are known to have increased nutritional requirements for tryptophan, choline, arginine, GABA, flavonoids, and certain antioxidants.  These nutritional requirements are such that they cannot be achieved by the modification of the normal diet alone, or by supplementing the diet.  Patients with pain disorders and inflammatory conditions frequently exhibit reduced plasma levels of tryptophan and GABA, and have been shown to respond to oral administration of GABA, arginine, tryptophan, or a 5-hydroxytryptophan formulation.

Theramine has a collection of ingredients which may – or may not – be of help to migraine sufferers.  Certainly some of the ingredients have shown promise for migraine treatment.  But, as with so many supplements, the interactions of different ingredients with different patients can be a very complex thing to study.  And doing good trials on every supplement is a very difficult, lengthy, and expensive endeavour.

The good news is that Theramine seems to be generally safe, with the occasional mild side effect for some patients.  It may also be taken along with other treatments (check with your doctor first!).  It seems to be helpful for some with chronic pain, and so researchers are going to check to see what kind of benefit there may be for those with migraine.

The Theramine study, which should be open to participants soon, with involve patients with episodic (not chronic) migraine, to see if Theramine reduces the number of days with headache.  Researchers will also check to see if participants are less disabled and have fewer migraine attacks in general.

If you have tried Theramine for migraine, tell us about it.  Did it help?

9 Aphrodisiacs for the Romantic with Migraine

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So you want to enhance the romance in the month of love, but you don’t want a spike in the migraine scale.  What you need are some aphrodisiacs – aphrodisiacs designed just for the romantic with migraine.

Although science has given very limited credence to the concept of natural aphrodisiacs, over thousands of years certain foods have been used in the real world to add a little extra passion to relationships.  Here are the picks most compatible when one or both sweethearts are migraineurs:

Aphrodisiacs for migraine?
  1. Ginger – thought to increase desire because of of the way it stimulates the circulatory system, it’s also a headache and nausea fighter.  It’s even included in migraine supplements.  Just the thing for that romantic stir fry.
  2. Honey – yes, they call it a honeymoon because in medieval times lovers gave each other a drink containing honey.  We recently learned it was a great home remedy for headache.  The Migraine Cookbook includes the Roast Duck with Spiced Honey recipe, which includes a powerful tryptophan ingredient (duck).  The body uses tryptophan to make serotonin.  Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and low levels have been linked to migraine, depression, and lack of concentration.
  3. Ginko biloba – a popular though still hotly disputed herb for headache, Ginko is said to increase blood flow to improve alertness and get oxygen to the brain, alleviating headache, including headache from migraine.  It’s also a famous aphrodisiac.  (be careful of taking ginko with headache medications – check with your doctor!)
  4. Passionflower – anxious about that romantic evening?  Passionflower is believed to lower anxiety.  It’s also a natural anti-inflammatory and painkiller.
  5. Garlic – the "heat" of garlic is said to increase passion.  Needless to say, this is one you’ll want to make sure you eat with your partner, and not alone.  Garlic is a migraine-fighter, possibly because of its blood-thinning properties.  An elegant Italian meal with roasted garlic may be just what the doctor ordered.
  6. Cinnamon – Toast with cinnamon and brown sugar has been tried to fight nausea due to migraine, but it’s also helpful for digestion and fighting the bad bugs that might get in your tummy.  A HeadWay subscriber – Greg from the USA – recently told me that he takes 1/8 of a teaspoon on his cereal each morning, and has seen fewer and less severe headaches as a result.
  7. Almonds – these last three need to be eaten with caution, since for some people they are classic migraine triggers.  But if nuts don’t bother you, eating almonds (especially raw almonds) can keep that migraine attack away.  They’re also high in tryptophans Almonds are also believed to increase passion in the females of our race.
  8. Bananas – this classic aphrodisiac can trigger migraine in some, but they’re also high in magnesium, which is a great migraine-fighter.  It might help to make sure the banana you eat is not over-ripe.  Bananas are, of course, a classic aphrodisiac.
  9. Chocolate – I have done an unusual amount of research into chocolate.  Yes, I know that chocolate is a familiar migraine trigger.  Some people just can’t eat it.  But in moderation, "real" chocolate may also be a migraine fighter.  Real meaning dark chocolate with a high % of cacao (or cocao).  It is also a source of magnesium, and has more "antioxidant capacity" than fruits and vegetables.  Chocolate seems to cause the body to increase serotonin production.  And you’re not going to believe me on this one, but in spite of what the label may say chocolate contains little or no caffeine.  Read more about chocolate and headache here.

A couple more notes.  First, be careful of alcohol.  Though it can lower inhibitions, it can also cause changes in the body which make it an anti-aphrodisiac.  It’s also a common migraine trigger.  Finally, if too much passion gives you a headache, you might want to check out this article.

May you have new strength to show true love to many in this month of love!

Food and sleep

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Sleep is a blessing to a headache sufferer – but what if you have trouble sleeping?  In the past we’ve talked about the link between serotonin (levels of which have been linked to migraine, cluster, depression and bulimia) and tryptophan.  

Turkey

But can you increase your serotonin levels by eating tryptophan-rich foods?

Folk wisdom has said that eating turkey (which is rich in tryptophan) makes you sleepy.  And a recent study published in the May 2005 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition seems to confirm the fact that these tryptophan foods really do make a difference in sleep patterns.

In the study, subjects were evaluated overnight after eating either a tryptophan diet or a normal diet.  The subjects who ate the tryptophan rich foods not only slept better, but were more alert in the morning.  This especially applied to those who normally had trouble sleeping.

For ideas on what to eat, check out this page on food and serotonin.

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