According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, migraine headaches affect an estimated 28 million Americans, approximately 75% of whom are women. Migraines are associated with significant economic impact, accounting for an estimated $13 billion each year in missed work and reduced productivity. As far back as 1991, data published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (January 1, 1991;267(1):64–69) estimated that 8.7 million women and 2.6 million men suffered from moderate to severe migraine headaches. Taken together, these figures suggest that the number of Americans affected by migraines has increased substantially over the past several decades.
There is a substantial body of research suggesting that magnesium supplementation may provide relief for some migraine sufferers. An article published in Clinical Neuroscience (1998;5:24–27) noted that magnesium influences serotonin receptor function as well as the synthesis and release of nitric oxide—both of which are involved in migraine physiology.
One study appearing in Cephalalgia (1993;13:94–98) measured red blood cell (RBC) magnesium levels in 90 migraine patients (30 with aura and 60 without aura) and compared them to 30 healthy, matched controls. Between migraine attacks, RBC magnesium levels were significantly lower in migraine patients than in controls. Patients with migraine accompanied by aura had lower magnesium levels than those without aura. Interestingly, magnesium levels did not change during an active migraine attack. Similar findings were reported in Cephalalgia (1992;12:21–27), which found lower serum and salivary magnesium levels in headache patients compared to healthy individuals.
Magnesium has also been studied as an acute treatment for migraine. Research published in the journal Headache (2001;41:171–177) evaluated the effect of intravenous magnesium sulfate in treating acute migraine attacks. In this single-blind, placebo-controlled study, 30 patients presenting to a headache clinic received either one gram of intravenous magnesium sulfate or a placebo. Thirteen of the fifteen patients receiving magnesium experienced complete relief of pain, while the remaining two reported symptom improvement. In contrast, only one patient in the placebo group reported pain reduction.
Magnesium supplementation may also help prevent migraines. A randomized, placebo-controlled study published in Cephalalgia (1996;16:257–263) followed 81 migraine patients with an average of 3.6 attacks per month. Participants received either 600 mg of magnesium per day or a placebo for three months. During the final month of treatment, migraine frequency in the magnesium group decreased by more than 41%, compared to a 15.8% reduction in the placebo group. Patients receiving magnesium were also able to reduce their use of migraine medications.
