What Taking Magnesium Regularly Can Do for Your Migraines

Magnesium is a mineral found in the body and is also available in supplement form and as an alternative or complementary therapy for migraine prevention. Regular magnesium intake is generally well tolerated and, although additional studies are needed, the current scientific evidence supporting its benefits in migraine management is positive.

Can magnesium help prevent my migraine attacks?

The results of scientific studies that have explored taking magnesium supplements for migraine prevention are moving in a positive direction. but are always mixed. Therefore, the benefit of regular magnesium intake for migraine prevention requires further research.

All things considered, it is reasonable to consider magnesium in combination with traditional migraine preventive medicationsor as an initial trial in people preferring a natural remedy.

Dosage recommendations include:

• For migraine prevention, the American Headache Society recommends magnesium oxide at a dose of 400 to 500 milligrams (mg) per day.
• Other experts suggest 600 mg of magnesium dicitrate per day.
• Still, others suggest focusing on increasing magnesium intake via dietary sources.

Keep in mind that supplements, including magnesium, are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the extent that medications are. If you are considering migraine supplementation for migraine prevention, please do so only under the supervision of a healthcare professional to ensure your safety and correct dosage.

How to get more magnesium?

Magnesium is found naturally in many foods, such as:

• Spinach
• Nuts (for example, almonds and cashews)
• Seeds (e.g. chia and pumpkin)
• Whole grains (for example, brown rice and quinoa)
• Black beans
• I am milk

Magnesium is also available as a dietary supplement in various formulations, such as:

Magnesium supplements are inexpensive, available over-the-counter (OTC), and have a favorable safety profile. The main side effects of magnesium are diarrhea and stomach cramps, which can usually be relieved by reducing the dose or frequency of the supplement.

How might magnesium work to prevent migraines?

Many studies have linked magnesium deficiency to migraine, although it is unclear whether increasing magnesium levels is an effective strategy for preventing migraine.

Experts are exploring different ways that magnesium might prevent migraines, and they’re close to putting the puzzle together.

Over decades of accumulated research, scientists have gathered this basic information about how migraines develop:

• Migraine attacks are initially triggered by overstimulation of the trigeminal nerve, a cranial nerve that provides sensations to the face.
• Overstimulation of the trigeminal nerve can occur on its own or be triggered by factors such as stress, certain foods, sleep disorders or hormonal imbalances, among others.
• When the trigeminal nerve is overactivated, it releases various substances, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P.
• CGRP and substance P transmit pain signals from the face to the brain and trigger various inflammatory responses, such as dilation of blood vessels in the meninges (the membranes that cover and protect the brain).

With this in mind, here are the possible mechanisms:

• Magnesium decreases the release of CGRP and substance P, which are key players in the pathogenesis of migraine.
• Magnesium also regulates the brain chemical serotonin (neurotransmitter) which interacts with the trigeminal nerve and, in a complex manner, activates migraine pain pathways.
• Magnesium reduces excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate by blocking NMDA receptors (glutamate docking sites). Glutamate triggers nerve cell firing and is involved in cortical spreading depression (CSD). CSD is a wave of excessive nerve activity that spreads throughout the brain and is widely believed to be the cause of a migraine aura.