Fish Oil Cure for Migraines

Fish oil is purported to treat a range of maladies, and a recent study suggests fish oil might benefit those who suffer from migraines.

Migraines are a common affliction, but most people don't experience frequent attacks. For those who suffer constant migraines, mainstream treatments often don't work. For that reason, more and more migraine suffers are turning to alternative treatments like fish oil.

What Is Fish Oil?

• Fish oil is a source of naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for optimum health, and fish oil contains two types of fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that are thought to be the beneficial.

  Fish oil gained a following after studies of Alaska's Inuit people concluded that their diet, heavy on fat from fish, seals and whales, was tied to the low incidence of heart attacks. The studies concluded that high consumption of omega-3 fatty acids played a role. Subsequent research indicated that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration agrees. It allows supplements containing fish oil to carry a label that says, "supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease."

Major Studies

• Scientists have conducted more than a dozen medical studies looking at the effects of fish oil consumption for those who suffer from migraine headaches, but findings have been mixed. A 1986 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that omega-3 fatty acids help reduce the severity and frequency of severe migraines. A more recent University of Cincinnati study of 15 patients with migraines supported the same findings; nine of 15 subjects showed reduction in the frequency and severity of migraine headaches while taking fish oil.

  In 2001, however, Cephalalgia, a medical publication, released what was then the largest study of fish oil's effect on migraine headaches. The study of 167 individuals suffering from recurrent migraine headaches found that fish consumption did not lead to significant reduction in either the severity or frequency of test subjects' migraines.

  In 2004, neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon studied fish oil's effects on his patients, who were being treated for non-surgical spinal pain such as degenerative disk disease. Maroon asked his patients to try fish oil supplements instead of anti-inflammatory medications, and he published the findings of his research in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of Surgical Neurology. For two weeks, Maroon's patients took 2,400 milligrams of fish oil per day and gradually lessened their use of anti-inflammatory drugs. After two weeks, patients reduced fish oil consumption to 1,200 milligrams per day. After a month, Maroon surveyed his patients. Of the 125 who responded to the survey, 60 percent reported decreased joint pain and 59 percent responded that they stopped taking anti-inflammatory drugs altogether.

Treating Migraines

• If you decide to treat your migraines with fish oil, be assured that the substance is relatively safe to consume in high amounts. The U.S. government does not set a standard for daily consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, but doctors indicate that a healthy diet should include at least 5 grams of the substance daily (omega-3's can be found in foods other than fish).

  The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week. A 4-oz. serving of salmon contains approximately 1.5 grams of fish oil. If you choose to use fish oil as a dietary supplement, the standard daily dose is 1 tsp.

  Purchase fish oil products certified as being free from significant levels of mercury, toxic organochlorines and PCBs. Also check to see if the fish oil has preservatives in it. If not, be aware that the fish oil might turn rancid at some point.