Simple Lifestyle Changes and Supplementation Can Help with Migraine Headaches

There are some lifestyle changes and supplements that have been researched and found to help migraine sufferers.

  1. Roadmap to Health diet: Diet is one of the best ways to reduce inflammation and pain. Click here to download the diet.
  2. Magnesium may be the most important supplement for migraine sufferers. IV magnesium can shut down a migraine attack in 15-45 minutes1,7. Magnesium is an effective treatment for migraines3 and has been found to be comparable to drug therapy2. Studies show that magnesium supplementation can result in fewer headaches and milder headaches4-8.
  3. Riboflavin: Studies have shown that high dose riboflavin (200-400 mg/day) can reduce the intensity and frequency of migraines9,10,11,12,13. It helps prevent migraines by boosting cellular energy in the brain and reducing neuroinflammation. It works as a preventative daily supplement rather than a quick pain reliever

Try This (talk to your doctor first):

  1. Follow the Roadmap to Health diet. This will reduce overall inflammation and help get blood sugar and insulin insensitivity under control. You don’t need to follow it forever—just until your symptoms improve.
  2. Take Magnesium: Magnesium glycinate or magnesium taurinate is good. It does not matter much, except, DON’T USE MAGNESIUM OXIDE. Take it right before bedtime on an empty stomach. A good dose is 400-600 mg (elemental magnesium) per day. Too much magnesium can soften stools. If this dose causes soft stools or diarrhea, you will need to take less.
  3. Take Riboflavin: Take 400-600 mg/day.

Less than perfect results? You need to understand that we are not “treating” your migraines. We are balancing common biochemical problems seen in migraine sufferers. This program will help many migraine sufferers, but it will not completely stop migraines for everyone. Click for Part 2 [Why Am I Having Migraines] for more suggestions and some detective work.

Selected Resources

  1. Pain Physician. 2016 Jan;19(1):E97-112. Effects of Intravenous and Oral Magnesium on Reducing Migraine: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
  2. Am J Emerg Med. 2021 Jan:39:28-33. MAGraine: Magnesium compared to conventional therapy for treatment of migraines
  3. Expert Rev Neurother. 2009 Mar;9(3):369-79. Role of magnesium in the pathogenesis and treatment of migraine
  4. J Headache Pain. 2021 Apr 7;22(1):21. Comparative study of magnesium, sodium valproate, and concurrent magnesium-sodium valproate therapy in the prevention of migraine headaches: a randomized controlled double-blind trial
  5. Headache 2014 Feb;54(2):313-24. Effects of acetaminophen and ibuprofen in children with migraine receiving preventive treatment with magnesium
  6. Magnes Res. 1994 Jun;7(2):123-7. Migraine treatment by oral magnesium intake and correction of the irritation of buccofacial and cervical muscles as a side effect of mandibular imbalance
  7. Cephalgia 2002 Jun;22(5):345-53. Intravenous magnesium sulphate in the acute treatment of migraine without aura and migraine with aura. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
  8. Cephalgia 1996 Jun;16(4):257-63. Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: results from a prospective, multi-center, placebo-controlled and double-blind randomized study
  9. Nutr Neurosci. 2022 Sep;25(9):1801-1812.  Effect of Vitamin B2 supplementation on migraine prophylaxis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
  10. J Fam Pract. 1998 Jul;47(1):11. High-dose riboflavin for migraine prophylaxis
  11. 1998 Feb;50(2):466-70.  Effectiveness of high-dose riboflavin in migraine prophylaxis. A randomized controlled trial
  12. Eur J Neurol. 2004 Jul;11(7):475-7. High-dose riboflavin treatment is efficacious in migraine prophylaxis: an open study in a tertiary care centre
  13. Cephalgia 1994 Oct;14(5):328-9. High-dose riboflavin as a prophylactic treatment of migraine: results of an open pilot study