An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine.

BACKGROUND

Migraine is an incompletely understood, debilitating disorder that lacks a universally effective treatment. Magnesium participates in a variety of biochemical processes related to migraine pathophysiology, and a deficiency could contribute to migraine development.

METHODS

A review of the literature from 1990 to the present on magnesium and migraine was conducted.

REVIEW: The authors identified 16 studies aimed at magnesium status assessment in migraine, and four intervention trials assessing the efficacy of oral magnesium supplementation, independent of other therapies, in the prevention of migraine.

CONCLUSION

The strength of evidence supporting oral magnesium supplementation is limited at this time. With such limited evidence, a more advantageous alternative to magnesium supplementation, in patients willing to make lifestyle changes, may be to focus on increasing dietary magnesium intake.