Migraine Articles

This page has been archived

To view the new page CLICK HERE

This page contains medical journal articles and/or doctors' commentaries on the role of mineral deficiencies and other factors in illness, and the value of minerals, vitamins, and a proper diet for healthy living.

Migraine Articles...

Making the Magnesium-Migraine Link

This information comes right from the NIH's (National Institute of Health) website.

An increasing number of doctors believe that some of the most severe cases of migraines may actually be caused by an imbalance of key minerals such as magnesium and calcium. "Not all headaches are produced by this imbalance, but we now know that 50 to 60 percent of migraines are magnesium-linked. And that's probably why no prescription therapy on the market successfully treats headaches across the board. They're simply not treating the cause," says Dr. Altura. "Of the 17 people we've treated with magnesium, 13 have had complete improvement," says Herbert C. Mansmann, Jr., M.D., professor of pediatrics and associate professor of medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

The magnesium-migraine link still is not commonly accepted by headache experts. In fact, Dr. Altura says that one of his magnesium studies was rejected by a prominent medical journal at the suggestion of a top headache researcher. (Shortly thereafter, the study was published by another journal.) But the weight of evidence for magnesium's use in the treatment of migraines is building. "There's no question that the literature strongly supports it," says Dr. Mansmann. "The so-called headache experts don't believe the data because they don't know anything about the development of magnesium deficiencies within cells."

To understand why magnesium might do the trick, it helps to take a look at how migraines happen. Migraines are thought to be caused by vascular changes, or changes in the blood vessels, that reduce blood or oxygen flow in the scalp and brain. What causes these vascular changes? Things such as muscle contractions during times of stress and biochemicals called catecholamines and serotonin, which are circulating in the blood. Too much serotonin can cause blood flow to slow; too little can cause blood to move through too rapidly, explains Dr. Altura.

While mainstream researchers have long known that changes in serotonin and catecholamine levels cause migraine pain, stopping these changes has been a hit-or-miss proposition, says Dr. Altura. An aspirin, for example, temporarily inhibits the effects of serotonin but does nothing to prevent a migraine from coming back, he says. Dr. Altura says he's the first to prove that loss of magnesium from the brain is behind the problem. Without enough magnesium, serotonin flows unchecked, constricting blood vessels and releasing other pain-producing chemicals such as substance P and prostaglandins, he says. Normal magnesium levels not only prevent the release of these pain-producing substances but also stop their effects, says Dr. Altura.

It's very likely that magnesium deficiency is a widespread cause of migraines, maintains Dr. Mansmann. What's more, several different things, from the caffeine in just two cups of coffee a day to the chemicals in most asthma medications, remove some magnesium from your system. "We know that intake is low for a lot of people. We know that a lot of medications, such as diuretics (water pills) and a variety of cardiovascular medications, can increase magnesium losses. We know that people with diabetes who have high blood sugar lose a lot more magnesium in the urine and, as a result, run the risk of magnesium deficiency," says Karen Kubena, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition at Texas A&M University in College Station. Even stress, a frequent cause of migraines, can remove magnesium from your system, says Dr. Mansmann.

According to his records, Dr. Altura says that about 50 to 60 percent of his migraine patients have low magnesium levels. But once they begin treatment, he says, they often experience immediate relief. "We can say that 85 to 90 percent of these patients are successfully treated, and that's pretty miraculous," says Dr. Altura. So can getting more than your share of magnesium every day prevent migraines? Dr. Altura says it's still unclear. "I'd like to be able to answer that question. I can't at this point, but my guess is that it would," he says. "The active form of magnesium is ionized magnesium. When a substance is chemically bound, it's sort of neutralized, if you want to use a Star Trek term. When it's ionized, it is available to do what it is supposed to do, which in this case is possibly prevent constriction of blood vessels in your brain and scalp," explains Dr. Kubena.

Migraine and magnesium deficiency

A number of studies have been done on the relationship between magnesium deficiency and migraine. Some excerpts from Medline abstracts are listed below:

Mauskop A, Altura BM; Role of magnesium in the pathogenesis and treatment of migrainesClin Neurosci 1998;5(1):24-7

The importance of magnesium in the pathogenesis of migraine headaches is clearly established by a large number of clinical and experimental studies…However, the precise role of various effects of low magnesium levels in the development of migraines remains to be discovered. Magnesium concentration has an effect on serotonin receptors, nitric oxide synthesis and release, NMDA receptors, and a variety of other migraine related receptors and neurotransmitters. The available evidence suggests that up to 50% of patients during an acute migraine attack have lowered levels of ionized magnesium. Infusion of magnesium results in a rapid and sustained relief of an acute migraine in such patients. Two double-blind studies suggest that chronic oral magnesium supplementation may also reduce the frequency of migraine headaches. Because of an excellent safety profile and low cost we feel that a trial of oral magnesium supplementation can be recommended to a majority of migraine sufferers.

Mishima K, Takeshima T, Shimomura T, Kitano A, Takahashi K, Nakashima K, Okada H; Platelet ionized magnesium, cyclic AMP, and cyclic GMP levels in migraine and tension-type headache; Headache 1997 Oct;37(9):561-4

Decreased serum and intracellular levels of magnesium have been reported in patients with migraine. It has been suggested that magnesium may play an important role in the attacks and pathogenesis of headaches…It is suggested that reduced platelet ionized magnesium in patients with tension-type headache is related to abnormal platelet function, and that increased platelet cyclic AMP in patients with migraine is related to alteration of neurotransmitters in the platelet.

Aloisi P, Marrelli A, Porto C, Tozzi E, Cerone G; Visual evoked potentials and serum magnesium levels in juvenile migraine patients; Headache 1997 Jun;37(6):383-5.

…An inverse correlation between increased P100 amplitude and lowered serum magnesium levels was found in children suffering from migraine with and without aura in a headache-free period.

Gallai V, Sarchielli P, Morucci P, Abbritti G; Magnesium content of mononuclear blood cells in migraine patients; Headache 1994 Mar;34(3):160-5.

The migraine patients studied had a reduced mononuclear magnesium content compared to age-matched healthy control subjects. The authors say that the lower magnesium content in mononuclear cells could indirectly indicate the reduction of brain magnesium concentration, which has recently been demonstrated in the course of migraine.

Gallai V, Sarchielli P, Morucci P, Abbritti G; Red blood cell magnesium
levels in migraine patients; Cephalalgia 1993 Apr;13(2):94-81; discussion 73

The authors believe that low red blood cell magnesium levels could be a peripheral expression of the reduced brain magnesium concentration observed in migraine patients.

Gallai V, Sarchielli P, Coata G, Firenze C, Morucci P, Abbritti G; Serum and salivary magnesium levels in migraine: Results in a group of juvenile patients; Headache 1992 Mar;32(3):132-5

"In the last few years a fundamental role for magnesium in establishing the threshold for migraine attacks and involvement in the pathophysiologic mechanisms related to its onset has become evident. In comparison with normal subjects, migraine patients had lower levels of serum and salivary magnesium interictally. Serum magnesium levels tended to be further reduced during attacks (which) could be an expression, at the peripheral level, of reduced cerebral magnesium levels which would contribute, at least in part, to defining the threshold for migraine attacks."

Sarchielli P, Coata G, Firenze, Morucci P, Abbritti G, Gallai V; Serum and salivary magnesium levels in migraine and tension-type headache. Results in a group of adult patients.Cephalalgia 1992 Feb;12(1):21-7.

The authors state that serum magnesium levels and to a lesser extent salivary magnesium levels might express indirectly the lowering of brain extracellular magnesium concentration which occurs in migraine patients.

Taubert K; [Magnesium in migraine. Results of a multicenter pilot study]; Fortschr Med 1994 Aug 30;112(24):328-30.

The hypothesis that magnesium may be useful in the prevention of migraine attacks has been confirmed by this pilot study. Further studies are in preparation.

Welch KM, Barkley GL, Tepley N, Ramadan NM; Central neurogenic mechanisms of migraine; Neurology 1993 Jun;43(6 Suppl 3):S21-5.

This study indicates that low intracellular brain magnesium concentration may be the link between the physiologic threshold for migraine and the attack itself.

Study Links Headaches to Infection
Antibiotics, doses of friendly bacteria eased migraines

By Emma Ross, Associated Press

Some headaches my be linked to infection with a common bug and daily doses of friendly bacteria could ward them off, preliminary research suggests. A study presented Friday in Milan, Italy at an infectious diseases conference found that about 18 percent of chronic migraine sufferers were infected with the stomach bug helicobacter pylori and antibiotics appeared to clear the headaches. Adding friendly bacteria seemed to work even better, leaving most people migraine free for a year and lessening the intensity and frequency of recurring headaches in the others, lead research Dr. Maria Gismondo said.

Helicobacer pylori has been recently linked to a growing list of diseases, including heart disease, autoimmune diseases and skin conditions.

At the end of the year, scientists found that 50 percent of the people who got antibiotics alone were still getting migraines while only 20 percent in the group who took the probiotics or friendly bacteria did.

Essense-of-Life, LLC is NOT ASSOCIATED in any way with the Eniva Corporation, Rainbow Minerals, Wolf Clinic or Nutrition 2000. (...more)

DISCLAIMER: The information contained herein is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of your personal physician (or your pet's veterinarian) or other health care professionals. You must consult your health care provider (or your pet's veterinarian) before beginning any new dietary supplementation program. This information is not intended as a "prescription" for treatment nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Essense-of-life.com does not suggest, endorse, or imply in any way any treatment or cure for any ailment or disease nor does Essense-of-life.com endorse or suggest that you should ever take more than the recommended dose of any nutritional supplement as listed on the label. Essense-of-life.com makes no representations concerning the efficacy, appropriateness, or suitability of any products or treatments. Neither Essense-of-life.com nor any other party involved in providing this Web site are doctors and have no medical background or training. In view of the possibility of human error, no party involved in providing this web site warrants that the information contained herein is in any respect accurate or complete and they are not responsible nor liable for any errors or omissions that may be found in this web site or for the results obtained from the use of such information. The information on this site is for educational purposes only. If you (or your pet) are ill, see a health care professional. Products (or their distributors) mentioned on this site do not make any claim to any specific benefits which might be achieved by using them. This information is not specific to any company's products. Statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The entire risk as to use of this web site is assumed by the user.

MIGRAINE ARTICLES