Magnesium for Migraines: Does It Actually Help?

What Are Migraines?

Migraines are intense headaches that can cause a throbbing sensation and other symptoms like impaired vision, blurriness, vomiting, eye pain, and more. They can occur on one or both sides of the head.

While scientists are still unclear as to exactly what causes migraines, there are some common triggers which can include:

• Excessive alcohol intake
• Too much or too little sleep
• Exposure to bright or flashing lights
• Hormonal imbalances
• Drinking too much caffeine
• Certain medications have been known to cause migraines
• Excessive stress and feelings of anxiety

Migraines can affect every aspect of your daily routine and have a negative impact on your quality of life. Many users report that they can’t do anything but lie in bed in the dark when a migraine strikes.

Migraines can keep you from operating a vehicle, concentrating at work, engaging in social activities, and disturb your normal sleep patterns.

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What Causes Low Magnesium?

Deficiency of magnesium is a condition that exists more often than people might realize. Some specific practices and health issues can lead to low magnesium without you realizing it.

The common causes of magnesium deficiency are as follows:

• Eating a diet that is mostly made up of processed or refined foods without any magnesium.
• Too much consumption of coffee and alcohol.
• Stress and poor quality sleep on a daily basis.
• Taking certain medicines such as diuretics, birth control pills, acid-reflux drugs like Nexium and Prilosec.
• Having type 2 diabetes, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, chronic kidney disease.

All of them slowly result in the condition known as magnesium deficiency. In particular, it becomes dangerous for people who suffer from migraines because this can make the problem worse and increase its frequency.

If you have at least one of the mentioned health issues, then you should check your magnesium intake.

The Science Behind Magnesium and Migraines

Some people take magnesium for migraines because there has been some scientific research that purports that it can help relax the muscles all over the body including the head and neck which are areas that are most affected by migraines.

There has also been some scientific evidence to suggest that magnesium could inhibit the signaling of pain through neurotransmitters, possibly blocking pain signals altogether^[1].

This is one of the reasons magnesium levels have been linked to migraine frequency. Another reason is that low magnesium levels have been observed in people who suffer from migraines regularly. Just take a look at the following NIH quote referring to studies conducted on magnesium’s link to migraine frequency^[2]:

“In addition, they suggest magnesium deficiency could be an independent risk factor for migraine occurrence.”

Omaira Ferreira, a Functional Health Practitioner (FDN-P, HHP), emphasized the connection between magnesium and migraines:

Omaira Ferreira, FDN-P, HHP

According to her, Magnesium plays a big role in nerve function and helps regulate neurotransmitters, which can be beneficial for migraine sufferers. It can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraines by relaxing blood vessels and decreasing inflammation.

She further adds, Magnesium deficiency has been linked to an increased frequency of migraines due to low levels, leading to heightened excitability of neurons and reduced blood flow to the brain.

So does magnesium help with migraines? Some studies say yes. For instance, one study conducted on 40 people who suffer from migraines found that 85% of them reported migraine severity relief when serum magnesium levels were elevated^[3].

Best Forms of Magnesium for Migraine Relief

So what is the best form of magnesium for migraines? There are a few different types of magnesium and their benefits to discuss that may help reduce migraine symptoms:

• Magnesium Glycinate - Magnesium glycinate has been known to be helpful for tension relief which may lessen the severity of migraines.
• Magnesium Citrate - Magnesium citrate may be helpful because it absorbs very well into the body and may help reduce symptoms of constipation.
• Magnesium oxide - Magnesium oxide for migraines may be helpful because some research suggests that it can reduce headache pain. It also allows for a considerable amount of magnesium absorption.
• Magnesium L-Threonate - This is a mineral supplement that may increase the number of magnesium ions in the brain and treat low magnesium levels in the blood.

So what’s the best magnesium for migraines? Magnesium oxide is the one that is typically used for migraines specifically and it has an absorption rate that is higher than most other magnesium forms.

An expert explains how magnesium can help reduce migraine frequency by relaxing muscles, improving blood flow, and regulating neurotransmitters involved in pain signaling. It also highlights the link between magnesium deficiency and increased migraine risk.

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How to Take Magnesium for Migraines

Now that you know about some of the best types of magnesium for migraines, let’s talk about dosages. In general, men should take about 400mg of magnesium per day to avoid migraines.

Women should take about 300 mg dosage and children are recommended 200mg per day as a general magnesium for migraines dosage. At this point, you may be wondering, ‘What is the best time of day to take magnesium for headaches?’

The answer to this question is that there is no best time to take magnesium from a medical standpoint. The best time of day to take magnesium is the time that works best for you and one that you can remain consistent with.

Also Read: Magnesium Citrate vs Glycinate

Magnesium Supplements for Migraines

Magnesium supplements could hold a lot of benefits for the user. Of course, they may work to reduce your migraine frequency and severity. They may also be a more convenient alternative to incorporating magnesium-rich foods into your meals.

Aside from all that, a good magnesium supplement may have peripheral health benefits including improved mood, better digestive function, stronger bones, and increased metabolism.

When you are choosing a supplement, make sure you look at products from reputable companies that don’t add a bunch of fillers. Also, look at the magnesium dosages. If it is less than around 200mg, it probably won’t be effective. You should also choose one that offers a good return policy just in case it doesn’t work the way you want.

Be aware that magnesium supplementation may bring about side effects for certain users. Some of the most common side effects of magnesium include:

• A drop in blood pressure
• Slower breathing rate
• Change in heartbeat

If you experience any of these symptoms while taking your magnesium supplement, stop taking it and get in touch with a doctor as soon as possible.

Magnesium Glycinate For Menstrual Migraines

Magnesium glycinate has been shown to help prevent menstrual migraines, particularly for those who experience headaches linked to hormonal changes around their period. This form of magnesium supports the balance of neurotransmitters and helps stabilize blood vessels, which can be affected during the menstrual cycle.

It is especially beneficial for women who suffer from migraines before or during menstruation, offering a natural way to reduce migraine frequency and intensity. Whether cycles are regular or irregular, magnesium glycinate can provide targeted relief, making it a helpful supplement for women with menstrual-related migraines.

Dietary Sources of Magnesium

Not all people are capable of consuming enough amounts of magnesium with their daily food ration. The fact is that up to 50% of people don't eat enough magnesium. Fortunately, a good selection of food products will help to solve this problem for you.

Consuming foods that contain magnesium is one of the most effective ways to restore the levels of this important mineral in your body. In addition, these products are available for purchase and very easy to include into your menu.

The foods which contain high amounts of magnesium:

• Foods containing magnesium, such as spinach, kale, and swiss chard;
• Avocadoes and bananas;
• Foods containing magnesium (seeds and nuts): almonds, cashews, pumpkin and chia seeds;
• Greek yogurt and low-fat milk;
• Foods containing magnesium (beans and legumes): black beans, edamame;
• Foods containing magnesium (grains): quinoa, brown rice, oats.

You should just include some magnesium-containing foods to your meals and the amount of magnesium consumed will considerably increase.

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Side Effects and Risks

Taking magnesium in necessary amounts is generally considered safe. Still, overdosing on magnesium results in some negative effects.

If you regularly use magnesium, then at some point, the side effects of magnesium may emerge, which include the issues with digestion, such as dyspepsia, diarrhea, and nausea. But in most cases, those side effects are quite minor and last for a short period of time.

If one takes too much magnesium, then it causes some problems, especially for the elderly and the people who have the issues with kidneys, including the following disorders:

• Arrhythmia of the heart
• Hypotension
• The breathing issues
• The muscle weakness
• In very rare cases – cardiac arrest

It is better to consult your doctor before taking magnesium for headaches.

Magnesium for Stress Management and Sleep

In case you need any more convincing to check out magnesium supplements for migraine relief, there are even more potential benefits of this mineral. For instance, one National Institutes of Health study found that magnesium can inhibit the neurotransmitter response related to stress^[4]. They found that:

Numerous studies, both in pre-clinical and clinical settings, have investigated the interaction of magnesium with key mediators of the physiological stress response, and demonstrated that magnesium plays an inhibitory key role in the regulation and neurotransmission of the normal stress response.

There have also been a few studies that suggest that low magnesium levels may be linked to difficulty sleeping and even insomnia^[5]. Furthermore, magnesium could possibly improve sleep quality, induce deeper sleep, and reduce sleep latency.

Other Ways To Relieve Migraines

There is more than one way to treat migraines. The methods can be divided into two major groups dealing with the pain once it comes and avoiding an attack in the first place.

The medicines to provide migraine pain relief act quickly to alleviate the headaches once they occur. The treatment aimed at migraine prevention is taken in order to prevent attacks in the future.

It will be helpful for you to discuss with your doctor whether to choose one of these two options or combine them according to the frequency and severity of the attacks.

In addition to the medicines, there is also something else that can help natural ways of treating migraines. They include such activities as controlling your stress, sleeping enough, drinking enough water, and identifying migraine triggers.