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The Migraine headaches can be debilitating , and difficult to manage.
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Researchers are still trying to identify the factors that affect migraine and to determine the most effective methods of treating and preventing these headaches.
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A study conducted recently found that diets that were high in B vitamin thiamine are associated with a lower chance of developing migraine.
The Migraine headaches can be extremely painful and hard to manage.
The exact symptoms and duration vary for each individual affected.
Experts are working hard to discover the reasons why migraine headaches occur and what preventative steps individuals should take.
A recent
Study
Published in
Headache A journal of Head and Face Pain
There is evidence that eating an ingredient known as the B vitamin thiamine can aid in preventing migraines for some people.
The information gleaned from this study suggests some sort of protective factor that can aid in improving the outcomes of people who suffer from migraine.
Migraine
is a neurologic disorder that can cause severe headaches which are usually concentrated to one region of the head.
The pain may be severe and sufferers may have other symptoms like vomiting or nausea. Migraine headaches may be linked to a specific
triggers
Stress, for example, or hormonal changes.
Diet is one of the areas that could trigger migraine headaches. But the details are something experts are still trying to comprehend. Certain triggers for food or preventative measures may differ for every person.
Dr. Clifford Segil, DO neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California has provided a few instances of this to Medical News Today:
“Dietary triggers are common in migraine. Foods like cheese, wine and caffeine can cause migraine headaches. I encourage patients at their first visit to keep a journal of their headache to determine if they are taking any medications that cause headaches. Caffeine is a stimulant that can cause and assist with headaches as well, which is why it’s difficult to know the cause of or eases headaches.”
Individuals suffering from migraines might collaborate with their doctor as well as other specialists to pinpoint the triggers for headaches.
As more information is revealed concerning the link with diet, and headaches the clinical guidelines regarding treatment might be modified.
Researchers in the latest study studied the connection with two B vitamins, namely thiamine (vitamin B1)) and the riboflavin (vitamin B2) and the possibility headaches that are severe. headaches or migraine.
Researchers examined the data of participants of this survey. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (
NHANES
) between 1999 and 2004 for their cross-sectional research.
More than 13,000 people for their analysis. Of the participants 2,745 of them had suffered from an extreme migraine or headache within the last three months. Researchers studied the intake of dietary the thiamine and riboflavin in studying data gathered from computer-aided interviews with participants.
T hey took into account a variety of variables, such as participants age, lifestyle and demographics as well as the presence of comorbidities.
Researchers found that higher levels of thiamine consumed was associated with lower risk of suffering from migraine. This was especially the case for female participants. The researchers didn’t find any significant decrease in the risk of developing a disease due to the riboflavin.
Professor. James Giordano, a professor of biochemistry and neurology of the Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., who was not part of the research, attributed the following in the study of the MNT:
“This study provides significant evidence to prove that nutritional factors may be significant in the onset of migraine headache. It is noteworthy the fact that this study revealed the statistically significant role played by Thiamine (vitamin B-1) in the prevention of migraine. Thiamine is known to be particularly crucial in controlling brain levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter Serotonin levels are lowered, and abnormalities in its function are directly linked to the pathophysiology behind migraine.”
The study does have limitations.
The first is that the data relies on the self-reporting of participants, which is often in error. For example, when looking at the severity of migraine it is possible to assume that those who have reported severe headaches likely had migraine. The 24-hour recall technique also is susceptible to mistakes in the data collection.
Additionally the interviews did not contain questions about any digestive diseases, and the researchers didn’t look into the dietary habits of people.
Researchers did not also study the intake of nutritional supplements which could have had an impact on the intake of thiamine or Riboflavin.
Additionally, there is the possibility of mistakes due to the methods of analysis employed. This kind of study is not able to prove the absence of thiamine is responsible for migraine.
In the end, the study highlights the effect thiamine could be having on migraine headaches. It may open the way to further studies on this subject and then give specific clinical guidelines.
Giordano reported the following:
“Taken together it is possible that thiamine can be an effective dietary supplement to migraine sufferers who are moderately or mildly magnesium deficient or suffer from metabolic disorders of magnesium and calcium metabolism.”
H e also outlined the following areas of need for ongoing study:
“While studies are definitely interesting and valuable further studies must be conducted to discover the specific functions of Thiamine as well as other vitamin co-factors that could prove beneficial clinically in decreasing or preventing headache.”
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