According to the National Headache Foundation, migraines affect more than 28 million people. Almost half experience chronic migraines. And magnesium deficiency could be one of the main causes.
Migraine sufferers typically experience pain on one side of the head, accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to both light and sound.
Migraines can occur at any time, but morning time is typical and can last from hours to days.
There are two types of migraines; classic and common. Classic migraines are characterized by an aura, light spots that occur just before the onset of the headache. A common migraine is one that occurs without the aura.
During a migraine, blood vessels in the head go through a cycle of constriction and dilation. The nerve pathways in the brain change and the blood vessels become inflamed.
Common “triggers” of migraine headaches include:
- Food allergies and sensitivities, the most common being gluten
- Food additives like MSG and nitrates
- Medications
- Stress
- Hormone changes
The best treatment for migraine headaches is one of prevention.
Migraine prevention may include changes in diet, implementing healthy stress management techniques, getting adequate sleep, regulating hormones, and proper supplementation, specifically magnesium.
More than 50% of migraine sufferers have low levels of magnesium!
Magnesium deficiency in migraine sufferers is not surprising at all, since studies have consistently shown Americans in general are not getting enough magnesium. In fact, nearly 80% don’t get the RDA.
Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body.
It is a necessary mineral for the transmission of nerve impulses, temperature regulation, detoxification and energy production.
Besides migraines, some other commons signs of low magnesium status include, muscle spasms, restless legs, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, constipation, menstrual cramps, arrythmias and palpitations.
The neurotransmitter serotonin regulates pain messages in the brain via the trigeminal pathway.
There is evidence linking changes in serotonin levels and receptor activity, to the occurrence of migraine headaches.
Magnesium concentration has a positive effect on serotonin receptors as well as a variety of other migraine related receptors and neurotransmitters.
The role of magnesium therapy has been studied extensively as natural preventative treatment for migraine sufferers.
Two double blind trials found that oral magnesium reduces the incidence of migraine headaches. In one study, a 20-day treatment of oral magnesium normalized 90% of the patients.
Summary
Persons with migraine headaches may have lower levels of serum magnesium which affects serotonin receptors. Serotonin regulates pain messages in the brain. Daily supplementation of 500-1000 mg of magnesium is recommended. If you are looking for a high-quality, highly absorbable, magnesium supplement, click HERE for the one we recommend.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. ~Benjamin Franklin
8yr old grand is experiencing daily headaches. Would like to supplement with magnesium only she has a problem taking pills any suggestions?
Hi Cindy. You could try Natural Calm — which is a powder that you dilute with water.
We take baths in Magnesium. From what I understand our bodies absorb more magnesium this way. Your grandchild could try this method. I love bathing in it, my body actually craves it. You can buy it at natural food stores, whole foods or Amazon. This is also what people make magnesium oil with, but I find bathing in it worked WAY better for me. Hope this helps.
I read that the magnesium type in Epsom salts quickly leaves your body once you exit the tub. Have you tried magnesium oil? It is absorbedby the body more efficiently.
Thank you so much for this article! My migraines have gotten worse lately (I think due to stress and change in the weather). I was taking a Magnesium supplement but I wasn’t taking a high enough dose! Only 200 mgs. I have increased that dosage today!
Keep me posted with how you do with the increase in magnesium!
Try Magnesium Glycinate. It absorbs differently and is not as harsh on your stomach. I take around 600mg daily in supplements (then whatever mg I get with food) and I’ve never had a problem 🙂
Thanks for the article! I had been supplementing with magnesium daily but switched to a couple times a week because of stomach sensitivity. I ended up with a migraine yesterday. Does supplementing with a topical magnesium have the same benefits as taking it orally?
It’s worth a try, but hard to say how much is absorbed. The studies are done on oral intake.
What kind of magnesium do you recommend? I know it comes in didferent forms.
I make recommendations in the summary section of this post.
Oral magnesium makes my husband, who has chronic headaches, vomit. Magnesium oil spray burns him and gives him a rash. Any suggestions?
What types and brands of oral magnesium have you tried?
My husband was suffering with chronic headaches lasting 4-5 days with little relief. The neurologist told him about these magnesium studies. He started taking tablets and within a few hours the headaches were gone. He began getting the headaches again and did some research on magnesium. The tablets he was taking were combined with zinc. He read that that was not a good combination and the zinc caused the magnesium not to absorb as well into the body. He decided to try magnesium citrate powder and that has been working well for a while now. Taking one heaping teaspoon full a night mixed with water (or juice) has kept the headaches away. He was having issues with irregular heartbeats while he was having the headaches and that has stopped as well.
I make magnesium body butter. It stopped my leg cramps after 2 days. Magnesium is better absorbed by the skin than taking it is orally. And doesn’t upset stomach
Sue,
Can you be more specific? What kind of Magnesium are you using to make this with? And what, exactly, are you mixing it with? (body butter)
I buy pure magnesium “Ancient Minerals, pure bath flakes” Its mined in
Utah. I make body butter with pure oils, no chemicals. I melt the magnesium in water to make the oil. Its weird, but it does turn oily.It also contains Mango oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil. I do both unscented and scented. The cocoa butter give it a chocolate scent and I add peppermint. Smells good enough to eat! Anyway. I also use it in bath salts. It works much better than Epsom salts.
The body butter melts instantly into the skin, and is not greasy after a couple of minutes. I know its hard to believe, I actually started making the magnesium body butter to help with leg cramps, which is does, and then discovered the benefit for migrains, which I use to have every other day, and now, hardly at all.
I tried using just the magnesium oil, but didn’t like how it felt on my skin. MUch nicer to have it in a cream instead that leaves your skin smooth.
Yes, magnesium! Don’t forget that the article also mentions the triggers of migraines….food allergies, food additives, medications, hormones, and stress. Many ailments are a sign that you’re putting something into/on your body that it can’t handle. It’s a warning sign.
I am paying more attention to the triggers as well. I had not had a migraine for a couple of weeks and I made a very bad mistake- one night out of the blue I was craving Whataburger. I don’t know why, as I don’t eat junk food too much anymore. Oh boy how I paid the price the next 3 days. Awful migraine.
I have frequent headaches and migraines, about once a month in the migraines 🙁 my youngest is 15 months almost and still nurses 8-10 times daily, is it ok to take magnesium while nursing? Thank you 🙂
Be sure to consult with your midwife or doctor. I took magnesium while both pregnant and nursing.
I have suffered from migraines for years. I started taking magnesium for my nails because I read somewhere it was good for the ridges in them. Then I read it was good for migraines so I started taking it once a day. The strength 50g of mag phosphate, 50g mag amino acid chelate, 25g mag ciltrate, 209g mag oxide heavy. Total elemental magnesium 334mg. I also have Fybromyalgia and I noticed its good for restless legs, muscular, restless sleep I have all of the above. So can you tell me what is the right amount for me to take. I see that it is recommended to take 500-1000.
Are you getting a good result from your current amount?
I take 750mg magnesium every night. I was getting 3+ migraines in a week…using Imitrex helped. However once I started taking magnesium the migraines disappeared. Now I get maybe 3 a year at most,.
Thank you for sharing your success. That’s fantastic!
It seems as though, from the comments, that I should take magnesium before bed. Will this dosage leave me stranded in the bathroom each morning? The directions on NaturalCalm suggest gradually increasing dosage.
Hi Tracy, if stool becomes loose then you are taking too much.
Instead of supplementing with mineral salts, what foods can I eat more of to increase the bioavailability of magnesium?
I forgot to check mark that I wanted notification if and when Sue replies to my comment. Can you let me know if she does?
I suffer from Migraines. But once in a while I also get the Ice Pick Headaches. The one I now have I’ve had for a couple days. At times I have been in tears when they hit. They are intense too!!! It feels as if someone is stabbing me in the skull with an ice pick; hence the term.
Anyone else have these? I am going to run into town and see about getting some Magnesium (without the zinc) as someone above stated to not take with the Magnesium.
Vanessa, thanks a bunch for posting this informative information!! I am much obliged.
I use a magnesium spray from Radiant Life, I haven’t had a migraine since I started using it a couple of months ago. Before that I would get cluster migraines about once a month, 2-3 times over a week or so.
http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/ancient-minerals-magnesium-spray/salts-minerals
I all so suffer from cluster migraines ! I take 500mg magnesium a day and 200mg of B2 which has made my life so much better! After reading Martha’s post I am going to look into
The magnesium spray! Unfortunately i do take topiramate., but with out the magnesium &
B2. I do not think my headache would be this good! I use to have them 5 to 6 times a week!
Martha:
Your link on Radiant Life sells an 8 oz bottle of the Magnesium spray. Do you just spray it into your mouth?
Are you taking this daily or when needed for your headaches?
Chris:
I find it interesting that you are taking B2 in addition to the magnesium. Did you know Alzheimer’s sufferers usually are found to be deficient in B12? So, something is going on with the B’s as far as the head does.
I might look into this also.
Thanks for both comments!
Usually Magnesium spray oil is for skin, not orally.
I get head aches all the time intermittently. Haven’t been able to figure out why.
Interesting article here, gonna check out some magnesium now.
THANK YOU! This has been a literal answer to prayer! I was having 3-5 migraines a week. Couldn’t take care of my small children. I was getting really concerned. Read your article and started taking 400 mg a day. (I’m a nursing mom.) I’ve had 3 migraines in 3 months. And not as severe. You can read more about it at http://thefourhshousewife.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-i-won-my-life-long-battle-against.html Seriously, thank you so much!
Wow Julie! Thank you for sharing!
I just wanted to share my experience with magnesium in eliminating my migraines. I have not had a migraine in 15 months since I started taking magnesium glycinate. I suffered from severe migraines for over 16 years; five to six days a week with SEVERE headaches. Nothing helped – prescription medications or OTC – nothing helped. In recent years, I have resorted to drinking three to four caffeinated sodas a day (I wasn’t a soda drinker before at all) and taking three to four doses of motrin a day to get only a slight bit of relief. Someone told me about magnesium but that didn’t seem to help either. However, I was taking the wrong kind of magnesium. Fifteen months ago, I read that you have to take magnesium glycinate. I tried it and have been completely migraine free for FIFTEEN MONTHS! I still can’t get over it. I feel like I have been set free! I take two 200mg tablets for a total of 400mg a day. I feel like a new person! I have not had any motrin or prescription migraine medication in fifteen months.
I now know of four other people who have also started taking magnesium glycinate and it has stopped their migraines as well.
That’s OUTSTANDING Debra! Thank yo for sharing!
I have been suffering from migraines for 2 years- while in nursing school. I am the most stressed, anxious, emotional, and angry that I have ever been. My husband is so laid back and I want to be so stress free. I have migraines 4 and 5 times a week. One time for 10 days and actually today is day 6. I just graduated and passed my boards and I feel so care free- no stress! But the migraines are still there. And it confuses me because I thought they’d go away once I passed my boards. I have tried immitrex, maxalt, topiramate, amotriptyline, and even zoloft for anxiety to help reduce stress. Nothing helps- it works for a month and then stops. I changed birth controls also. Maxalt takes the pain away and then it comes right back. It scares me because I take SO much medicine just for migraines. I also am newly married and want children in the next couple of years but all my migraine medicine is contraindicated during pregnancy. I literally could cry reading this article. I am going out to buy this today in hopes it will help! I have been telling myself to get off these medications and just deal with it for the sake of having healthy children oneday. I literally could cry!! My husband is so understanding and my migraines make him worry about me so I’m going to try this. Thank you so much! I am so thankful this crossed my path today.
Thank you for this information. I am reading a book about magnesium and started supplementing a few weeks ago. After a day or two my headaches decreased. I had such severe light sensitivity I had special glasses and sun type glasses I wore inside all the time. Magnesium has helped with my headaches and light sensitivity. I have tried the baths, oils and the oral doses. Thank you for giving me a daily dose to shoot for. 500-1000 mg per day. Magnesium has been nothing short of miraculous. The head pain and light sensitivity were debilitating and with this new supplement regime I wake up pain free and most days I am functioning so much better.
I have suffered from migraines for many many years. I would rarely go a week without at least one or two headaches. In February, I read an article about low magnesium in migraine sufferers and decided to give the supplement a try. It has changed my life! I have not had a headache in two and a half months. I no longer take my imitrex. Just my magnesium supplement.