Magnesium and Migraine.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing existing literature without systematic review methodology or meta-analysis.
PubMed 40005053 · doi:10.3390/nu17040725
What was done
This paper reviewed published literature—including case reports, case-control studies, observational studies, and randomized placebo-controlled trials—to summarize the role of magnesium deficiency in migraine pathogenesis and the effectiveness of magnesium supplementation for migraine prevention and acute treatment.
What was found
The narrative review reports that magnesium supplementation shows effectiveness in alleviating migraine both acutely and chronically. It identifies several mechanistic links to magnesium deficiency, including spreading cortical depression, vascular changes, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, neuronal excitation, neurotransmitter release, and electrolyte imbalances. The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or counts of included studies.
Why it matters
Migraine is a leading cause of disability worldwide in children, adolescents, and adults. Clarifying the mechanistic and clinical evidence for magnesium supplementation informs low-cost, accessible nutritional strategies for headache management.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search protocol, formal quality appraisal, and meta-analytic synthesis. The abstract provides no specific dosages, forms of magnesium, patient sample sizes, or quantitative outcome measures.
Cited by
- supports Ultra-processed foods, chemicals, and nutritional deficiencies such as magnesium deficiency contribute to the development of migraines.