The Role of Magnesium in Preventing Migraines

🌐 INTRODUCTION

Migraine is actually a word we hear very commonly around us because millions of people are suffering from migraines all over the world, and it has the capability to disturb normal life, daily activities and routines.

The symptoms of migraine, like intense headache, feeling sick, sensitivity to light, and dizziness, can definitely spoil your entire day. Even though there are different medicines which can treat migraine, a large number of people prefer to try natural and long lasting solutions. Now I can tell you one promising solution is magnesium, which is a mineral that has a major and important role in your brain or nervous system.

Now, let's dive into the pool of information on how magnesium can help in preventing migraines and how you can use it in a safe and most effective way.

💙 Migraines

A migraine is something more than just a headache, and it is actually a complex neurological problem which is usually identified by some specific features, like:

• Pulsating or throbbing pain which is normally felt on one side of the head.
• Feeling that you might vomit or vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to the light, sound, or smell, which will make you uncomfortable.
• Aura, the visual disturbance or sensory disturbance that you might feel before the migraine gets started.

The common factors that can cause migraines are stress, insufficient hydration, inadequate or bad sleep, hormonal changes, some specific food items like chocolate or cheese, and deficiency of certain nutrients, including magnesium.

What is Magnesium?

Magnesium is a mineral, which is absolutely necessary for more than 300 biochemical reactions in your body. Its benefits include:

• Muscle Function: Magnesium helps the muscles to contract and relax in a smooth way by avoiding cramps or spasms.
• Nerve Function: Magnesium helps to send and receive information between your brain and all other parts of your body.
• Magnesium helps in the regulation of blood glucose level and blood pressure level.
• Magnesium helps in energy production.
• Magnesium has a role in brain and mood balance.

Recommended Daily Quantity:

Men require almost 400-420 mg per day.

Women require almost 310-320 mg per day.

Natural Sources of Magnesium

• The leafy vegetables, like spinack and kale, are rich sources of magnesium.
• The nuts and seeds, like almonds and pumpkin seeds, are loaded with magnesium.
• Whole grains, dark chocolate and legumes contain high amounts of magnesium.

What is the Connection Between Magnesium and Migraines?

Various studies have proved that the deficiency in magnesium is very common in the individuals who are badly suffering from migraines, mainly in people with aura.

• Magnesium supports the blood vessels present in the brain to properly maintain their structure and fucntion and to stay intact.
• Magnesium helps to reduce the tendency of the brain to become overactive or react too strongly to the stimulus.
• Magnesium helps in the regulation of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is mostly involved in migraines.

🧠 Magnesium Level & Brain Activity

Actually, migraine is not only a blood vessel-related issue; it has a very strong association with brain activity. One major process which is taking part mainly in migraine with aura is known as Cortical Spreading Depression.

This cortical spreading depression is actually a wave of abnormal electrical signals which travels in a slow manner over the brain's surface, and this wave can make disturbances in the normal or typical nerve signalling and create symptoms such as vision problems, tingling sensations or problems in speaking prior to an upcoming migraine episode.

Now, let's discuss the role of magnesium here. At the time when the level of magnesium in your body gets reduced, your brain cells may become more reactive and sensitive, and because of this, it makes it very easy for these atypical wave patterns to begin.

What does magnesium do?

👉 Magnesium stabilises your nerve cells and reduces the risk of over-excitation.

👉 Magnesium helps in regulating the entry of calcium into your brain cells.

👉 Magnesium decreases the probability of atypical electrical activity from occurring.

So, from the above information, we can come to the conclusion that keeping a correct magnesium level in your body can reduce the episode of migraine aura and also can limit the severity levels of migraines.

Indications of Magnesium Deficiency

• Experiencing involuntary contractions or tightening in your muscles, which causes pain or discomfort.
• Feeling of extreme tiredness.
• Anxiety and frequent mood changes.
• Not getting proper or enough sleep.
• Tingling sensation or feeling numb

📚Magnesium Supplement Handbook

Like any other supplements, taking magnesium supplements in a proper way is very important to get a good outcome. There are many individuals who take the supplements but do not get the desired result, and the reason for this is they are not taking them in the proper way.

⏰ When to Take Magnesium?

Magnesium is usually advised to be taken at nighttime because magnesium can help in relaxing your body and can also enhance the quality of your sleep. Getting a good sleep can directly help in reducing the migraine triggers.

It is also good to consume the magnesium along with your food to increase its absorption and also to decrease the abdominal discomfort.

🥘 Absorption of Magnesium

There are various forms of magnesium available, and they are getting absorbed differently in your body. They are:

Magnesium Glycinate: This will get highly absorbed in the body and help you get relaxed and reduce the anxiety.

Magnesium Citrate: This has good absorption in the body, but the problem is it can lead to diarrhoea in some individuals.

Magnesium Oxide: This has a lower absorption in the body, but it is very commonly used by the people for preventing the migraine.

📝 Drug Interactions

Taking magnesium supplements can interact with some drugs and can decrease the therapeutic effect if taken in combination. Examples are tetracycline and levothyroxine.

So, to prevent this drug interaction, it is suggested to keep a space of at least 2-4 hours between the intake of magnesium supplements and these drugs.

💡Safety Instruction For You

Start taking the supplement initially in a lower dosage and slowly and gradually increase the dosage only if required because this will help your body to get adjusted to that supplement and may decrease the possibility of getting side effects such as diarrhea and stomach pain.

So, use the magnesium supplements properly to substantially increase their therapeutic effect in preventing the migraine and to boost your overall wellbeing.

Doctors usually recommend almost 400-600 mg per day of magnesium oxide or magnesium glycinate for prevention of migraine. But you should always consult a doctor before starting any of these supplements.

🔍 What Research Says About Magnesium For Migraine Attacks?

The magnesium is not considered as a normal supplement, because it is clearly studied in different clinical settings for the prevention of migraine.

The American Headache Society and National Institutes of Health also clearly mentioned that magnesium has a good supportive function in decreasing the rate of occurrence and severity of migraine.

Some major findings are:

👉 The individuals having migraine issues usually have a low level of magnesium.

👉 The magnesium supplementation can support in reducing the frequency or regularity of migraine episodes.

👉 Magnesium can help in lowering the severity of symptoms such as light sensitivity and headache that people with migraine suffer from.

In certain hospitals, the magnesium is even given in the form of IV in case of acute migraine to get comfort, but mainly in severe cases.

🔖 But keep in mind that magnesium is not considered a curative treatment, and the research evidence says that magnesium can be beneficial in the case of a long-term migraine treatment approach when it is correctly used.

How to Use Magnesium for Migraine Prevention

1) Begin with Food Intake: You can start by increasing the consumption of magnesium loaded food items.

2) Consider Taking Supplements: In case you are not getting a sufficient amount of magnesium from your daily diet, then you must think about taking supplements to give your body the right amount of magnesium.

3) Consume Daily: It normally takes roughly 3 to 4 weeks to start seeing the improvements.

4) Avoid Very High Dose: You should only take the recommended dosages to prevent the occurrence of loose stools or cramps.

Magnesium-Rich Foods

1) One cup of cooked spinach contains 157 mg of magnesium.

2) One ounce of pumpkin seeds has 168 mg of magnesium.

3) One ounce of almonds contains 80 mg of magnesium.

4) One cup of black beans contains 120 mg of magnesium.

5) One ounce of dark chocolate contains 65 mg of magnesium.

Some meal options with magnesium rich foods include spinach smoothie as a morning breakfast, brown rice and beans for lunch, and almonds and seeds as snacks.

Other Natural Techniques That Pair Well With Magnesium

👉 Always Stay Hydrated: Lack of hydration is a main trigger for migraines.

👉 Get Restful Sleep: Magnesium can help you in increasing your quality of sleep, which can in turn lead to a restful sleep.

👉 Vitamin B and Coenzyme Q10: This can help you in reducing the number of migraine occurrences.

👉 Develop Mindfulness: This can help to reduce the stress, and this stress reduction can lower the episodes.

Who Should Not Take Magnesium Supplements?

1) The individuals who are suffering from kidney diseases should avoid taking magnesium supplements because, in such people, there will be difficulty in excreting magnesium.

2) The people who are currently on some specific medicines, like antibiotics or diuretics, are better to avoid magnesium supplement intake.

3) The individuals who are suffering from heart rhythm problems should also avoid magnesium supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Query: How long does it take for the magnesium to reduce migraine symptoms?

Solution: Normally, you can notice the reduction in migraine occurrence and its severity just in 3 or 4 weeks if you are taking it consistently.

Query: Is it really safe to take magnesium every day for migraines?

Solution: Yes, of course, lots of people take magnesium supplements every day in the form of a preventive measure, mainly the people who are suffering from chronic migraines. But one thing: you should always begin with dietary sources and consult your physician.

Query: What is the most suitable form of magnesium for migraine relief?

Solution: The most suitable forms of magnesium which are widely used are magnesium glycinate and magnesium oxide. The magnesium glycinate will help you relax and sleep well.

CONCLUSION

The magnesium is always showing positive results in reducing the number of occurrences, duration and severity of migraines. So taking a sufficient amount of magnesium, either by consuming magnesium-loaded foods or by taking supplements, will be a powerful and natural way to control or manage the migraine symptoms. So, from this you can understand that the frequent headaches might be an indication that your body requires more magnesium.