Magnesium for Migraine: More Study Needed

We’ve talked often about magnesium for migraine, as one of the best treatments for migraine available today. As with any treatment, however, it works for some people and not for others.

Of course, in spite of our clumsy comparisons of the body with a machine or a computer, each human body is actually incredibly unique and complex. So nailing down the “whys” is sometimes almost impossible.

There are many other factors as well. The type of magnesium, when you take it, what you take it with (for example, if you’re taking magnesium for migraine, avoid taking it along with calcium) (more tips here).

Dr. Alexander Mauskop at the New York Headache Center has shared some interesting observations, which point to the need for further research into magnesium for migraine.

Here are some of his thoughts:

• Magnesium seems to help less than 50% of migraine patients (Dr. Mauskop feels that this is because the rest do not absorb the magnesium).
• About 90% of patients with an actual magnesium deficiency improve with magnesium supplements.
• The other 10% require regular infusions of magnesium, and “these infusions are often life-changing”.

Now there is another interesting new observation here. Of these last 10%, two patients recently noticed a significant difference between two methods of infusion. Dr. Mauskop explains:

These patients tell me that when we give them an infusion of magnesium by “slow push” over 5 minutes they get excellent relief, but when they end up in an emergency room or another doctor’s office where they receive the same amount of magnesium through an intravenous drip over a half an hour or longer, there is no relief.

A likely explanation is that a push results in a high blood level, which overcomes the blood-brain barrier and delivers magnesium into the brain, while during a drip, magnesium level does not increase to a high enough level to reach the brain.

Essentially, and this seems to be the case sometimes with sumatriptan as well, two patients may take the same amount of medication or magnesium, but one has a “quicker” dose. The one who has the “quicker” dose responds better than the other patient.

While we wait for more studies to be done (and a good question is – does generic plain old inexpensive magnesium get the funding that the fancy new medications do?), how can we use this information?

First, if you have tried some magnesium supplements without success, consider actually being tested for a magnesium deficiency. If you are deficient, it will definitely be worth trying more magnesium options, even if it takes time.

Second, remember that there are a lot of options when it comes to magnesium treatments. Try some different supplements, and consider talking to your doctor about infusions.

Finally, if you do receive infusions, ask about the 5 minute “slow push” method that Dr. Mauskop mentions. It may do more to stop those symptoms than the slow-drip method.

For tips from our community, check out:

• Which Magnesium Supplements Work?
• Magnesium for Migraine 2 – Combos?

For the full article from Dr. Mauskop, see More on intravenous magnesium for migraines, muscle cramps, PMS, and other symptoms