Magnesium for Migraines

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Yazmin (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ) on 05/07/2023:
4 out of 5 stars

Never had migraine before but had right side headache twice within 2 years. 3rd time this week n had been on paracetamol. I'm 48. Tried 400gm of magnesium citrate and it didn't go full blown. It's there but bearable. At least I can reduce paracetamol for now. TQ for the tip.

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ORH (TEN MILE , TN) on 09/01/2021:
5 out of 5 stars

ORH here and my tractor driver has learned that keeping her magnesium up reduces her mirages. When she has one coming on her vision starts to go, so she takes more magnesium and puts ice on her neck. That normally works. I had them in my youth and no one knew what to do. I just got in the bed and cried. ====ORH====
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Beth (London, England) on 07/24/2020:
5 out of 5 stars

Magnesium L-Threonate

I've had chronic migraine for decades, not associated with medicine overuse nor unhealthy habits. Over the years I've tried most remedies without success. Propranolol as a preventive did seem to halve the frequency for the first year or two of use, at the heavy cost of lack of mojo and brain fog. But in the third year migraine days crept back up to 11/month. I experimented with increasing the dose a little but even 10 mg more caused disabling lethargy. By this year status migraine developed. I had some initial success in breaking that with a Cefaly device. This was expensive and again the efficacy waned after a few weeks.

The stated dose for Magnesium L-Threonate is 3 capsules a day. I tried just one at first, mid morning, with an additional sprinkle of magnesium citrate (400mg) daily with breakfast and within 2 days ,not only was the headache gone but also the brain fog. First clarity I've had in 3 years. I reduced the Propranolol gradually and so far so good. I've now had 2 weeks of clarity and only one mild headache. Early days but even two weeks off is a major breakthrough.

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Guy (Toronto) on 03/17/2016:
5 out of 5 stars

Magnesium supplement taken daily will prevent migraines even when chronic lifelong recurrence has been the norm. In some cases, it also dramatically increases the ability to sleep soundly where this has been a concurrent issue though improved sleep is a benefit experienced by a minority of migraine sufferers using supplementary magnesium.
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Bethbs (London) on 02/16/2016:
1 out of 5 stars

Update 1 year on.

Magnesium was helpful at first but after a few months migraines became more and more frequent, at least 3 a week, untreatable - nothing touched them.

Stopped everything for while and gradually reintroduced the 400 mg B2,1000 IU D3,800 microgram Folic acid + a few strands of saffron daily but no magnesium.

Migraines are down to about 3 a month and those have been treatable. (The saffron was the recommendation of an acupuncturist but no, the 8 months of acupuncture didn't seem to help - couldn't even reduce a headache present at the time of treatment).

Everyone's different and migraines seem to follow cycles so one can never be sure what is and isn't helping, but on this regime, so far, so good. Possibly magnesium can be overdone, over time.

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Bethbs (London, GB) on 10/24/2014:
5 out of 5 stars

I've had frequent migraines since I was a teenager and tried many remedies over the years with little success. Painkillers don't touch the pain; triptans don't work, ACV triggers one within minutes and I've tried pretty much everything else to boot. So I recently visited a specialist migraine consultant and thought I'd share the advice.

Firstly, magnesium in much larger doses than one would normally think. Even if blood levels are normal the specialist suggested that individual body chemistry may result in deficiencies at the transcellular level. She suggested any or all of:

Transdermal magnesium oil (solution of magnesium chloride and distilled water, 50:50 by volume - buy the crystals in bulk online) 10 sprays per day - may sting at first - wash off after 30 mins if uncomfortable

Ionic magnesium: 2.5 ml per day diluted in a large glass of water

Magnesium malate (better absorbed than many of the other forms taken orally). She didn't specify a dose for this but implied it can be taken up to one's tolerance level - if it results in diarrhoea, take less

Epsom salt baths. If it seems extravagant to put 1 lb of Epsom salts in the bath and then run it all out down the plughole, use a half cup in a footbath instead.

A lot of people have posted that they sleep better after using magnesium at night. I found it kept me awake so I use it earlier in the day. Everyone's different.

So far so good - 3 weeks and no migraines, despite a number of potential triggers.

In addition she recommended 400 mg/day of Vitamin B2; and 1000 IU Vitamin D3 (I would suggest not to take this dose long term - perhaps have a break in summer).

And at first sign of an acute attack to take some form of gastric protection such as 10 mg Domperidone or 20 mg Omeprazole before any painkillers.

I hope this helps.

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Melanie B (Los Angeles, Ca, Usa) on 06/25/2012:
5 out of 5 stars

The following month I tried this same remedy (Fenugreek & Thyme) and did not receive the same comfort as before. I have now learned the monthly headaches have been caused by a magnesium deficiency. A few days before I expect to begin menses I soak my feet in warm water with about 1-2 cups of Epsom Salt in it.

I do this for a few days. Sometimes if I start to feel a headache coming on I will soak in a warm bath of Epsom Salt, 2 cups or the full container. I haven't had a headache come on for the past couple months now, and I used to suffer through 3 days of headaches prior.

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Alison (London, England) on 04/29/2010:
4 out of 5 stars

I have been having menstrual migraines for the last 15 years - up to 10 a month recently - and had been put on all sorts of drugs. I came across a site which mentioned lack of magnesium being a cause of migraine. When I asked to be put on a trial to see if it would work for me the doctors at hospital said they had never heard of such a thing so I started taking a supplement myself. Since taking the Magnesium I am down to 2-3 migraines a month. I am now taking the ACV mixture and look forward to seeing the effects of that.
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Carrie (Palmdale, CA) on 06/30/2009:
5 out of 5 stars

magnesium cured my migraine. I took 400mg and within a half an hour it was gone!! Thanks to those who previously listed this as a cure. I will never take my prescription medication again.
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ClaudineK (Owings Mills , MD) on 11/04/2008:
5 out of 5 stars

Hi all. I love this site! I've had migraine attacks since i was 15. 30 years later I continue to suffer from them. They are most often triggered by the hormonal changes I have when getting my cycle. Symptoms began yesterday, sensitivity to light and nausea started and I realized one was coming. I have been drinking ACV daily for about 2 months now and although it has improved my overall health, it didn't stop my migraine from coming back. I did take 60 mg of zinc supplements and read that magnesium also helps. I didn't have any but did have Milk Of Magnesia so took a little bit of that. To my surprise my symptoms lessened significantly. By now i would be in a full blow episode but I am doing okay! As all migraine sufferers know, the constant pain can be truly debilitating I'm so relieved this seems to have worked!
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