Magnesium Cure for Migraine Headaches

A migraine is a painful, persistent and sometimes debilitating headache. Although no one knows exactly what causes migraines, theories include environmental factors, changes in the trigeminal nerve (a major pain pathway), and an imbalance in the brain's chemicals, most likely serotonin, which helps regulate pain in the body's nervous system. Magnesium deficiency has been shown as a possible symptom of persistent migraines, and magnesium therapy has long been used as a preventive measure and cure.

Efficacy

• Using magnesium as an alternative to conventional migraine treatments is considered a holistic preventive treatment and has mixed support in medical circles. Although there is no hard proof that magnesium deficiency in the brain is a cause of migraine headaches, it is interesting to note that according to www.migraines.com, magnesium deficiency is a common symptom in a large amount of migraine sufferers. Because of this, many migraine sufferers both use magnesium supplements to ward off the onset of migraines as a preventive measure and take large doses of magnesium if they feel a migraine coming on to lessen the duration and intensity of the pain. A double-blind placebo-controlled study (69 patients) showed a negative result in proving magnesium as a treatment for migraines; however, another previous and smaller study showed positive, provable results in using magnesium supplements.

Strategy for Treatment

• Magnesium, generally taken orally is used as a preventive and is not considered nearly as effective as a treatment for someone with an oncoming or already occurring migraine. Purchase a bottle of 400mg tablets of magnesium at a health store or supermarket. The 400mg of magnesium is about 100 percent of USDA recommended consumption for daily value, so take one every morning with a cup of water. Eat before taking the tablet because food consumption makes it easier to digest and metabolize it. Because 400mg magnesium (the bottle may say magnesium oxide or magnesium sulphate) is recommended daily, taking a double dose would not be unhealthy and may be prudent depending on how well your body metabolizes and absorbs vitamins. Many people who take vitamin supplements do not get the full intended dose because the body does not absorb the entire pill, so if you continue to have migraine problems after starting magnesium treatment, taking one 400mg tablet in the morning and one at night before dinner may be the best approach.

  People come in many different sizes and shapes. If you want to make sure you're getting the correct dosage the best approach to keeping the correct amounts of magnesium in your system to stop persistent repetitive migraines may be to intake at least 6mg magnesium a day for each kilogram of body weight. You can take up to 10mg magnesium per kilogram of body weight; however, it can have a laxative effect at that high a dosage so if you begin to experience that kind of bowel symptom cut back down to 6mg per kilogram. A kilogram is about equal to 2.2 pounds, so a 200-pound person would be about 91kg (rounding up), so that's about 546mg magnesium at 6mg per kilogram or 910mg of magnesium at 10mg per kilogram. If you want to figure out your dosage just take your weight (W) and divide it by 2.2 and then multiply by 6mg or 10mg respectively. If you are getting a benefit from taking the magnesium as it applies to migraines but are experiencing the laxative effect you can break the dosage down into three or four parts taken at different times of the day.

  Do not take magnesium hydroxide in place of other magnesium supplements because it is not useful as a migraine preventative and is only used as a laxative.

  Intravenous magnesium treatments have been used and shown efficacy in lessening the pain of migraines after onset; however, do not intravenously inoculate yourself with magnesium without a medical professional available to set the dosage. Ask your medical practitioner before you use intravenous magnesium treatment for migraines.