Natural Migraine Preventative Medications

A migraine typically presents as severe pulsating pain, generally on one side of the head. It is frequently accompanied by nausea, vomiting, as well as sensitivity to light and sound.

These painful attacks may last from hours to days interfering with activities of daily living. If these attacks are few and far between a migraine preventative may not be warranted. If, however, the frequency and severity have increased, a preventative medication (natural or otherwise) may well be needed. Here are a few natural remedies that have been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of migraines.

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is found in many foods (Leafy green vegetables, dairy products, milk, eggs, lean meats, nuts, to name a few). B vitamins help the body to convert carbohydrates into glucose, which is used to produce energy.

A research study showed that just over 50% of participants that took 400 mg/day of vitamin B2 for 3 months experienced at least a 50% reduction in migraine. Side effects were few but included diarrhea, excessive urination, and fluorescent yellow colored urine.

Magnesium is another natural migraine preventative. It is found in leafy vegetables, spices, nuts, cereals, and cocoa.

Successful research studies used a daily dose of 600 mg of magnesium citrate. Magnesium can cause diarrhea and therefore it may be prudent to start at lower doses of magnesium and titrate up slowly as tolerated. The studies eluded to the fact that magnesium can be helpful, in particular, to both menstrual migraine, and migraine with aura.

Coenzyme Q10 is involved in the making of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is the major source of energy for all the cells in the human body. It is found in fish oil, liver, and whole grains.

Research demonstrates that while taking 300 mg daily approximately half the patients saw a decrease of about 50% in both frequency and severity of migraines over 3 months of use. It can cause some nausea, a burning sensation in the mouth, or loss of appetite.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list of natural migraine preventatives but may be a good starting point. When it comes to migraine pain, any reduction in either frequency or severity is typically quite welcome.