Serum and erythrocyte magnesium concentrations and migraine.

Most people suffering from migraine present a hypersensitivity of the cervico-facial muscles, which may be linked to magnesium deficit. This paper describes a comparative study of serum and erythrocyte magnesium levels in 79 migraine patients and 55 controls. Serum magnesium did not differ significantly in either group, but some values were quite low. On the other hand, there was a significantly greater erythrocyte magnesium deficit in persons suffering from migraine than in controls (in both female and male subjects). This fact correlates with the improved state of migraine patients (already ascertained in earlier studies) following treatment consisting of the intake of magnesium-rich water. The findings support the hypothesis of a magnesium deficit in people suffering from migraine and raise the problem of the relationship between migraine and other pathologies, including chronic magnesium deficit, latent tetany due to magnesium deficit, mitral valve prolapse, and allergy.