Can This Mineral Fight Migraine Pain?

By Author: Dr. Victor Marchione
Total Articles: 90
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Part two of the series hones in on magnesium, the most
potent mineral or vitamin to ever wage battle on migraines.
It leads the list of natural supplements and herbal remedies
that just might make painkillers unnecessary.

Magnesium plays a role in smooth muscle and skeletal
muscle function.

Moreover, significantly reduced levels of
magnesium in blood and saliva have been observed in
patients with migraine and tension headaches.

It is known that magnesium deficiency can cause the blood vessels in
the brain to go into spasm and can trigger the increased
release of such pain mediators as "substance P."

Clinical studies over the years have shown encouraging
results using supplemental magnesium in migraine as
follows:

1. In a good-quality study, 20 patients with menstrual
migraine were treated either with 360 mg a day of
magnesium or placebo.

In the magnesium-treated group,
the number of days with headache was reduced.

Plus,magnesium levels inside ...
... cells were significantly raised.

2. In a good-quality study, 43 migraine patients were given
either 600 mg of magnesium a day or placebo. Magnesium
supplementation significantly reduced the number of
migraine attacks as compared to placebo.

3. In another good study, 81 migraine patients aged 18-65
years were given either 600 mg a day of magnesium or
placebo. Magnesium led to a 41.6% reduction of attack
frequency as compared to only 15.8% attack frequency in
the placebo-treated group. Also, the number of days with
migraine and the anti-migraine drug use were reduced only
in the magnesium-treated group. Adverse side effects in the
magnesium-treated patients included diarrhea in 18.6% and
stomach irritation in 4.7%.

4. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

among children aged three to 17 with migraine, 58 were
given magnesium oxide and 60 were given placebo. In the
magnesium-treated children, there was a decrease in
headache frequency, but not in the placebo-treated group.
Moreover, magnesium supplements led to reduced
headache severity as compared to placebo treatment.

5. Intravenously administered magnesium has been shown
to be quite effective in treating severe migraine headaches
in the emergency room.

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