There may be a connection between migraine headaches and magnesium deficiency. A number of scientific studies have explored this link. In the journal Cephalgia (1992;12:21-7) a study involving 90 headache patients were compared to 40 patients without headaches who were used as controls. Patients with both migraine and tension headaches had lower salivary and serum magnesium levels than the age-matched controls. In addition, serum magnesium tended to be even lower during migraine attacks. Another study, appearing in the journal Headache (2001;41:171-177) 30 migraine sufferers (24 women, 6 men aged between 20 and 57 years) were given either 1 gram of IV magnesium or 10 milliliters of saline solution as a placebo. In the group receiving the magnesium, nearly 87% of the subjects experienced complete relief of their pain, over 13% had a reduction in pain. In the group receiving the magnesium, accompanying symptoms like nausea and photophobia were eliminated in all subjects.  In the placebo group, there was reduction  pain severity (as opposed to complete relief in the treatment group), but accompanying symptoms only disappeared in 20% of that group. Research in the Medical Tribune (May 18, 1995;7) found that about half of a group of subjects who suffered from frequent migraines had low ionized magnesium and that IV magnesium therapy provided these patients with relief.