- Migraine and cluster headaches are associated with low Vitamin D
- Adding Vitamin D both prevents and treats migraine, cluster and other headaches
- A random controled trial has proven Migranes to be reduced by vitamin D (50,000 IU weekly)
- Magnesium appears to be needed in addtion to Vitamin D to treat some types of headaches
(Lots more headache information below on this page)
Learn how Vitamin D is essential for good health
Watch a 5 minute video "Does Less Sun Mean more Disease?"
Browse for other Health Problems and D in left column or here
see also Supplementing and More in the menu at the top of every page
If you have a disease associated with low Vit D take Vit D
Raising your Vit D levels will substantially prevent other low-Vit D health problems
Proof that Vitamin D Works Getting Vitamin D into your body
Books and Videos
Reasons for low response to vitamin D Why are doctors reluctant
Cancer studies include: Breast
Colds and flu Dark Skin
COVID-19 treated by Vitamin D - studies, reports, videos
Cluster Headache
- Cluster Headaches treated by high-dose Vitamin D, etc. (interview and transcript) - Feb 2022
- Cluster headaches virtually eliminated in 7,000 people with high-dose vitamin D and cofactors - Feb 2022
- Comparing High-dose vitamin D therapies
Migraine Headache
- Migraine headaches treated by Vitamin D – meta-analysis Jan 2021
- Headaches helped by Vitamin D in 7 studies – Jan 2020
- Migraine headache 5X less likely if optimal level of vitamin D – Oct 2018
- Migraine headaches cut in half by 4,000 IU of vitamin D – RCT Sept 2018
- Chronic migraine headaches 1.4 X more likely with low vitamin D – July 2018
- Acute Migraine 35 times more likely if low Magnesium levels – May 2016
- Migraine headaches quickly reduced with Magnesium – Meta-analysis Jan 2016
- Migraine headaches reduced with 50,000 IU vitamin D weekly – RCT July 2015
Table of contents
- All Headache items in VitaminDWiki
- Magnesium and Migraine practice- April 2021
- Headaches helped by Vitamin D in 7 studies – Jan 2020
- Why do Humans have Headaches?
- What was thought to be tension headaches in 3 girls were treated by Vitamin D - Feb 2016
- Deficiencies of young Migraine patients - June 2016
- A form of CoQ10 reduced both the number and severity of migraine headaches- RCT Aug 2018
- Weekly headache 2X as likely if low vitamin D - Jan 2017
- Headache - Magnesium
- Migraine Headaches associated with metal excess/deficiencies (Mg, Zn) - July 2015
- Mg treats Migraine - Theory to Practice - March 2022
- 12 Proven Natural Therapies to Prevent and Relieve Migraines GreenMedInfo Feb 2019
- Migraines, riboflavin, CoQ10, Vitamin D, and Magnesium - Mercola Sept 2016
- Migranes and low Magnesium - Mercola Jan 2019
- Magnesium, Vit D, some Vitamin Bs, etc reduce Migraine Headaches - March 2018
- Migraine and Magnesium update 2019
- Headache - Omega-3
- Headache - other
- New, very costly Migraine drugs getting better (nothing about vitamin D) - Dec 2018
- Just 2,000 IU of vitamin D added to Simvastin reduced by 9 the # of migrane headaches days - Sept 2015
- Melatonin reduced the frequency of Migraine Headaches by 2.7 times - May 2016 (nothing about vitamin D)
- People with headaches are 2.1 X LESS likely to die of COVID-19
- Poor Vitamin D Receptors (less D in brain cells) may increase risk of Cluster headaches - Sept 2021
All Headache items in VitaminDWiki
- wiki page:
- Headaches decreased by Vitamin D, Magnesium etc. – Review March 2022
- Cluster Headaches treated by high-dose Vitamin D, etc. (interview and transcript) - Feb 2022
- Migraines have low vitamin D, Migraines plus Restless Leg have far lower vitamin D (no surprise) – Dec 2021
- Migraine headaches treated by Vitamin D – meta-analysis Jan 2021
- Iranian children and youths with low vitamin D have many health complaints – Jan 2021
- Migraine Headache association with poor gut – Feb 2020
- Why Do Multiple Sclerosis and Migraine Coexist – Jan 2020
- Headaches helped by Vitamin D in 7 studies – Jan 2020
- Migraine headaches associated with low vitamin D, 4,000 IU often helps – review Aug 2019
- Migraines in youths with low Vitamin D wonderfully treated by Vitamin D – June 2019
- Comparing High-dose vitamin D therapies
- Migraine headache 5X less likely if optimal level of vitamin D – Oct 2018
- Migraine headaches cut in half by 4,000 IU of vitamin D – RCT Sept 2018
- Chronic migraine headaches 1.4 X more likely with low vitamin D – July 2018
- Widespread pain, arthritis pain and muscle pain are associated with low vitamin D – meta-analysis March 2018
- Headaches 3 X as often if Obese – March 2018
- Hypothesis - Dysfunction of Autonomic Nervous System is associated with low vitamin D – April 2017
- Migraines double the risk of strokes (both are associated with low vitamin D) – Jan 2018
- Children with headaches had less vitamin D – Oct 2017
- Magnesium in Healthcare (Rickets, Stones, Pregnancy, Depression, etc.) with level of evidence – Sept 2017
- Headaches (chronic tension) 3X more likely to have low vitamin D – also muscle weakness and bone tenderness – May 2017
- Fewer headaches and other benefits of higher vitamin D – Jan 2017
- Acute Migraine 35 times more likely if low Magnesium levels – May 2016
- Migraine headaches quickly reduced with Magnesium – Meta-analysis Jan 2016
- Migraine headaches reduced with 50,000 IU vitamin D weekly – RCT July 2015
- Pain not reduced by vitamin D (only used 1,000 IU) - RCT Dec 2014
- Childhood migraine in Vitamin D deficient children reduced 6X by addition of daily 5,000 IU and amitriptyline – April 2014
- Migranes not reduced by those having a fraction of a nanogram more vitamin D (no surprise) – Jan 2014
- Hypothesis– Chronic headache and musculoskeletal pain both result from low vitamin D – Oct 2013
- Cluster headaches virtually eliminated in 7,000 people with high-dose vitamin D and cofactors - Feb 2022
- Headache
- Headache 20 pcnt more likely if low vitamin D, even after adjusting for vitamin D problems – Nov 2012
- Migraines may be due to lack of lack of Magnesium in half of sufferers – May 2012
- Migraine and Vitamin D
- Vitamin D and Migraine – Nov 2010
- Headaches related to latitude and season – perhaps vitamin D - May 2010
- Headache with vitamin D may mean you need Magnesium
- Dark skin people in Norway 2X more deficient and have 3X more headaches if low on vitamin D – July 2010
- Headaches vary with latitude and season and perhaps vitamin D as well -May 2010
Magnesium and Migraine practice- April 2021
Magnesium as an Important Factor in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Migraine - From Theory to Practice
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Headaches helped by Vitamin D in 7 studies – Jan 2020
Headaches helped by Vitamin D in 7 studies – Jan 2020
Why do Humans have Headaches?
Dr. Gominak, April 2014
Download her 119 page PDF from VitaminDWiki
She also has excellent ideas on Sleep Apnea and Vitamin D
What was thought to be tension headaches in 3 girls were treated by Vitamin D - Feb 2016
Vitamin D deficiency mimicking chronic tension-type headache in children
BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Feb 2;2016. pii: bcr2015213833. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2015-213833.
Prakash S1, Makwana P1, Rathore C1.
Department of Neurology, Smt BK Shah Medical Institute and Research Centre, Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
Headache, musculoskeletal pain and vitamin D deficiency, with possible inter-relationship, are common in the general population. We report cases of three premenarchal girls presenting with chronic tension-type headache and generalised body pain. The patients did not show any response to conventional therapy for tension headache. Investigations showed a severe vitamin D deficiency and biochemical osteomalacia in all three patients. The headaches and musculoskeletal pain responded markedly to vitamin D therapy. We suggest that musculoskeletal pain and headache together in a patient may be part of a single symptom complex, with vitamin D deficiency being the possible cause.
2016 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. PMID: 26838301
- Chronic tension-type headache with vitamin D deficiency: casual or causal association?
2009 study by same author
Deficiencies of young Migraine patients - June 2016
Riboflavin, CoEnzyme Q10, Folate, and Vitamin D Deficiency in Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Migraine Patients
Hagler, S.E.1; OBrien, H.2; Kabbouche, M.2; Kacpierski, J.2; Hershey, A.1; Powers, S.W.3; Green, A.2
1Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 2Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA; 3Headache Center and Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH; University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Results:
Riboflavin was measured in 7691 patients starting in December of 1998 (mean age 13.1 ± 3.4 years). The mean level of riboflavin was 16.6 ± 20.8 nmol/L (2-531.6) with 15.4% below the reference range and 40.9% with a level of 10 or less (the level at which we recommend supplementation).
CoQ10 was measured in 7116 patients starting in March of 2003 (mean age 13.1 ± 3.4 years). The mean level of total CoQ10 was 0.63 ± 0.26 mcg/mL (0.14-5.815) with 30.1% at or below 0.5 (lower limit of reference range) and 71.2% at or below 0.7 (the level at which we recommend supplementation).
Vitamin D was measured in 4569 patients starting in September of 2009 (mean age 13.4 ± 3.4 years). The mean level of vitamin D was 26.8 ± 10.9 ng/mL (4-95) with 88.9% at or below 40, 68.2% at or below 30 and 3.0% at or below 10.
Folate was measured in 121 patients starting in January, 2015 (mean age 13.4 ± 2.8 years). The mean level of folate was 22.2 ± 10.6 ng/mL (3.4-79.6) with 63.6% with a level of 20 or less. When only those patients with a diagnosis of migraine with aura (n=36) were examined, the mean level was 22.6 ± 11.6.
- - - - -
Note: This does not indicate if increasing any of them would reduce Migraine headaches
Note: It did not mention Magnesium nor Omega-3
A form of CoQ10 reduced both the number and severity of migraine headaches- RCT Aug 2018
__The effect of Coenzyme Q10 supplementation on serum levels of lactate, pyruvate, matrix metalloproteinase 9 and nitric oxide in women with migraine. A double blind, placebo, controlled randomized clinical trial
10.1016/j.eujim.2018.06.009
Weekly headache 2X as likely if low vitamin D - Jan 2017
Science Daily 250 men aged 42-60, < 20 nanograms of vitamin D
Headache - Magnesium
Migraine Headaches associated with metal excess/deficiencies (Mg, Zn) - July 2015
Compared blood levels of 25 people with migraines to 25 people without GreenMedInfo
| Metal | Migraine | No Migraine | Migraine Ratio |
| Cadmium | 0.36 ug | 0.09 ug | 4X MORE if increase |
| Iron | 0.97 ug | 0.48 ug | 2X MORE if increase |
| Lead | 1.48 ug | 0.78 ug | 2X MORE if increase |
| Magnesium | 10.6 ug | 34.5 ug | 3.5X LESS if increase |
| Zinc * | 0.24 ug | 5.77 ug | 24X LESS if increase |
* Note: Zinc increases the activation of the Vitamin D Receptor, which allows more vitamin D into cells
Download the Cadnium PDF from VitaminDWiki
Download the PDF of the study from VitaminDWiki
Note also
- Vitamin D increases many metals in the body
Vitamin D increases mineral availability which protect against toxic elements - July 2015 - Magnesium deficiency has been long noticed in people with headaches
Migraines may be due to lack of lack of Magnesium in half of sufferers – May 2012 - Search PubMed for headache (magnesium OR zinc) 333 items as of July 2017
- search Google for migraine zinc deficiency 400,000 hits as of July 2017
- Nutraceuticals in Migraine: A Summary of Existing Guidelines for Use March 2016
includes riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, magnesium, butterbur, feverfew, and omega-3 - Nutraceuticals in Acute and Prophylactic Treatment of Migraine April 2016
". . .even when incontrovertible scientific evidence exists, many physicians remain distrustful of the evidence"
includes magnesium
Pages listed in BOTH the categories Headache and Magnesium
- Headaches decreased by Vitamin D, Magnesium etc. – Review March 2022
- Cluster Headaches treated by high-dose Vitamin D, etc. (interview and transcript) - Feb 2022
- Migraine headaches cut in half by 4,000 IU of vitamin D – RCT Sept 2018
- Magnesium in Healthcare (Rickets, Stones, Pregnancy, Depression, etc.) with level of evidence – Sept 2017
- Acute Migraine 35 times more likely if low Magnesium levels – May 2016
- Migraine headaches quickly reduced with Magnesium – Meta-analysis Jan 2016
- Cluster headaches virtually eliminated in 7,000 people with high-dose vitamin D and cofactors - Feb 2022
- Headache
- Migraines may be due to lack of lack of Magnesium in half of sufferers – May 2012
- Headache with vitamin D may mean you need Magnesium
Mg treats Migraine - Theory to Practice - March 2022
Magnesium as an Important Factor in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Migraine—From Theory to Practice
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
12 Proven Natural Therapies to Prevent and Relieve Migraines GreenMedInfo Feb 2019
- Magnesium is #1 listed
- "The World Health Organization in 2007 estimated that migraine headaches are responsible for more lost years of healthy life in the U.S. than multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ovarian cancer, and tuberculosis combined."
- "A meta-analysis of 21 studies found intravenous magnesium significantly relieved acute migraine within as little as 15 to 45 minutes. Oral magnesium also significantly alleviated the frequency and intensity of migraine."
Migraines, riboflavin, CoQ10, Vitamin D, and Magnesium - Mercola Sept 2016
The Vitamin Deficiency That Can Cause Migraines Mercola
- "Migraines are responsible for at least $20 billion each year in medical costs and lost work productivity."
- "Researchers took baseline levels of riboflavin, vitamin D, folate and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). A high percentage of the children, teens and young adults had mild CoQ10, vitamin D and riboflavin deficiencies.14
- "Interestingly, they found young women and girls were more likely to experience a CoQ10 deficiency and boys were more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency."
- "The Association of Migraine Disorders recommends trying magnesium supplementation for at least three months to experience results. They also discuss supplementation with riboflavin and CoQ10."
- Green light makes Migraines worse, blue light reduces them
- Includes a video interview with transcript
Migranes and low Magnesium - Mercola Jan 2019
Magnesium Is Empirically Recommended for All Migraine Sufferers
Click on the above link to get hyperlinks and references
According to some statistics,10 migraine is the third most prevalent illness in the world, affecting an estimated 1 billion people. Migraine attacks are typically recurring, of moderate to severe intensity, many times occurring only on one side of your head.
Along with throbbing, piercing or "burning" pain, other common symptoms include nausea, visual disturbances, dizziness, numbness in your extremities or face, and extreme sensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch.11,12 While the root cause for migraines continues to be debated, certain nutritional deficiencies have been found to exacerbate the condition, and magnesium deficiency13,14,15 ranks high on this list, as does vitamin D deficiency.16,17
Research shows migraine sufferers are more likely to suffer from magnesium deficiency than non-migraineurs,18 and since magnesium administration is both easy and safe, researchers have noted that empiric treatment with a magnesium supplement is justified for all migraine sufferers.19
In one placebo-controlled study, 20 daily intake of 600 milligrams of magnesium in the form of trimagnesium dicitrate for 12 weeks reduced the frequency of migraine attacks by nearly 42 percent, compared to less than 16 percent in the control group.
In many cases, receiving a high dose of magnesium can also abort an attack in progress. The most effective way to administer magnesium for migraine would be to get an intravenous (IV) infusion. Barring that option, magnesium threonate may be your best option for an oral supplement. It has superior absorbability compared to other forms of magnesium, and its superior ability to cross the blood-brain barrier makes it more likely to have a beneficial effect on your brain.
Magnesium, Vit D, some Vitamin Bs, etc reduce Migraine Headaches - March 2018
The role of nutrients in the pathogenesis and treatment of migraine headaches: Review.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2018 Mar 20;102:317-325. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.03.059. [Epub ahead of print]
Nattagh-Eshtivani E1, Sani MA2, Dahri M3, Ghalichi F4, Ghavami A5, Arjang P4, Tarighat-Esfanjani A6.
OBJECTIVE:
Migraine as a disabling neurovascular disease affects 6% of men and 18% of women worldwide.
The deficiency of many nutrients including magnesium, niacin, riboflavin, cobalamin, coenzymes Q10, carnitine, α-lipoic acid and vitamin D is associated with migraine. Some researchers postulate that mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired antioxidant status can cause migraine. Also increase in homocysteine level can lead to migraine attacks; therefore, some Nutraceuticals play a vital role in migraine prevention. Thus, the aim of the current study was to review randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the effect of nutritional supplements on migraine patients.
METHODS: English articles in the following databases were searched: MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. In this manuscript, RCTs published during 1990-2017 were reviewed.
RESULTS: Evidences indicate that supplementation with magnesium, carnitine, riboflavin, niacin, CoQ10, vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and alpha lipoic acid have prophylactic and therapeutic effects on migraine patients.
CONCLUSION: Due to the possible side effects of pharmacological drugs and drug addictions, the use of nutrient compounds alone or in combination with routine cures have been proposed. However, further constructive studies are required.
Download the PDF from Sci-Hub via VitaminDWiki
Migraine and Magnesium update 2019
- MigraineStop pills have 3 forms of Magnesium + Zinc, etc. (2019)
- Magnesium for Migraines Feb 2017
- Study Finds 3 Cups of Coffee May Trigger Migraine Aug 2019
- Caffeine reduces ability to adsorb Magnesium in the gut
- Magnesium in headache 2011 book chapter, excellent
- Migraine Trust latest reference is 2007
- Magnesium, CoQ10, etc.
Headache - Omega-3
Omega-3 helped reduced the # of migranes per month 80% vs 33% - RCT Jan 2017
Omega-3 diet (with reduced Omega-6) substantially reduced Migraine headaches - July 2021
Dietary alteration of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids for headache reduction in adults with migraine
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Headache - other
New, very costly Migraine drugs getting better (nothing about vitamin D) - Dec 2018
__New drugs, decades in the making, are providing relief for migraines Washington Post
- "... affects 10 percent of the world population and 29.5 million Americans, the majority of them women, often during the prime years of career and parenthood."
- "...monthly injections of erenumab-aooe (Aimovig), one of the three new drugs targeting the pain transmitting signal, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor. Monoclonal antibodies, such as the one in her medication, work by blocking CGRP, the chemical involved in migraine."
- ".... costing about $7,000 a year" - unsure about insurance coverage
Just 2,000 IU of vitamin D added to Simvastin reduced by 9 the # of migrane headaches days - Sept 2015
Simvastatin and Vitamin D for Migraine Prevention: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Annals of Neurology, DOI: 10.1002/ana.24534
Catherine Buettner MD, MPH1,*, Rony-Reuven Nir PhD, BSc2, Suzanne M. Bertisch MD, MPH1, Carolyn Bernstein MD3, Aaron Schain PhD3, Murray A. Mittleman MD, DrPH4 andRami Burstein PhD3
Objective: To assess efficacy and tolerability of simvastatin plus vitamin D for migraine prevention in adults with episodic migraine.
Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with a 12-week baseline period and 24-week intervention period in 57 adults with episodic migraine. Participants were randomly assigned to simvastatin 20 mg tablets twice daily plus vitamin D3 1000 international units capsules twice daily or matching placebo tablets and capsules.
Results: Compared to placebo, participants using simvastatin plus vitamin D3 demonstrated a greater decrease in number of migraine days from the baseline period to intervention weeks 1-12: a change of -8.0 (IQR: -15.0 to -2.0) days in the active treatment group versus +1.0 (IQR: 1.0 to +6.0) days in the placebo group, P<0.001; and to intervention weeks 13-24: a change of -9.0 (IQR: -13 to -5) days in the active group versus +3.0 (IQR: -1.0 to +5.0) days in the placebo group, P<0.001.
In the active treatment group,
- 8 patients (25%) experienced 50% reduction in the number of migraine days at 12 weeks and
- 9 (29%) at 24 weeks post randomization.
In comparison, only 1 patient (3%) in the placebo group (p=0.03) experienced such reduction. Adverse events were similar in both active treatment and placebo groups.
Interpretation: The results demonstrate that simvastatin plus vitamin D is effective for prevention of headache in adults with episodic migraine. Given statins ability to repair endothelial dysfunction, this economical approach may also reduce the increased risk for vascular diseases among migraineurs.
Wall St Journal reviewed the study Dec 14, 2015
See also VitaminDWiki
- Statins and vitamin D
"Simvastatin/Ezetimibe 10/10 mg increased Vitamin D levels 37%"
Melatonin reduced the frequency of Migraine Headaches by 2.7 times - May 2016 (nothing about vitamin D)
- 3 mg of Melatonin Greenmedinfo
"Melatonin was superior to amitriptyline in the percentage of patients with a greater than 50% reduction in migraine frequency."
"Melatonin 3 mg is better than placebo for migraine prevention, more tolerable than amitriptyline and as effective as amitriptyline 25 mg"
People with headaches are 2.1 X LESS likely to die of COVID-19
Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki 171 countries
Poor Vitamin D Receptors (less D in brain cells) may increase risk of Cluster headaches - Sept 2021
VDR Gene Polymorphisms and Cluster Headache Susceptibility: Case–Control Study in a Southeastern European Caucasian Population
Journal of Molecular Neuroscience (2021)https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-021-01892-w $40 paywall
Maria Papasavva, Michail Vikelis, Vasileios Siokas, Martha-Spyridoula Katsarou, Emmanouil Dermitzakis, Athanasios Raptis, Efthimios Dardiotis & Nikolaos Drakoulis
Cluster headache (CH) is a severe primary headache disorder with a genetic component, as indicated by family and twin studies. Diurnal and seasonal rhythmicity are key features of the disease and might be related to vitamin D, as low vitamin D levels have been observed in patients with cluster headache. In addition, the vitamin D receptor (VDR) occurs in brain areas and particularly in the hypothalamus. The aim of the present case–control study was to investigate the association of cluster headache susceptibility and clinical phenotypes with the VDR gene polymorphisms FokI, BsmI and TaqI in a Southeastern European Caucasian population. DNA was extracted from 131 unrelated CH patients and 282 non-headache controls and genotyped using real-time PCR (melting curve analysis). Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis confirmed that BsmI and TaqI, both located in the 3′UTR of the VDR gene, are in strong LD. Genotype and allele frequency distribution analysis of the VDR FokI, BsmI, and TaqI polymorphisms showed no statistically significant difference between cases and controls, whereas haplotype analysis indicated that the TAC haplotype might be associated with decreased cluster headache susceptibility. Intra-patient analysis according to diverse clinical phenotypes showed an association of the BsmI GG and TaqI TT genotypes with more frequent occurrence of CH attacks in this cohort. Therefore, a possible association was observed between VDR gene polymorphisms BsmI and TaqI or a linked locus and susceptibility for cluster headache development and altered clinical phenotypes in the Southeastern European Caucasian study population. Further large-scale replication studies are needed to validate these findings.
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