A migraine is more than just a headache. For some people, an episode can involve throbbing head pain, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, visual changes and difficulty concentrating.
Understanding the signs and symptoms of migraine can help you recognise what you are experiencing and know when it may be appropriate to speak with a healthcare professional.
Certain nutrients and botanical ingredients have also been researched in relation to migraine, alongside their established roles in areas such as normal nervous system function and energy metabolism.
What Is a Migraine?
Migraine is a neurological condition characterised by recurring episodes of headache and other symptoms.
Migraine pain is often described as throbbing or pulsating and may occur on one side of the head, although this isn't always the case.
An episode can last for several hours or longer, and symptoms can vary significantly between individuals. Migraine can occur with or without aura.
Importantly, migraine isn't simply a particularly severe headache. It can involve a combination of neurological and physical symptoms that differ from person to person.
What Are the Symptoms of Migraine?
Common migraine symptoms can include:
- Throbbing or pulsating head pain
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Sensitivity to sound
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sensitivity to smells
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Visual disturbances
Some people also notice changes before the headache begins, such as tiredness, changes in mood, food cravings or increased sensitivity to light and sound.
Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, and symptoms can also vary between migraine episodes.
What Is Migraine Aura?
Some people experience an aura before or during a migraine.
Aura can involve temporary changes in vision or sensation, including:
- Flashing lights
- Zigzag lines
- Blind spots
- Tingling or numbness
- Changes in speech
- Dizziness
Not everyone who experiences migraine experiences aura.
If you develop new or unusual neurological symptoms, particularly if you haven't experienced them previously, speak with a healthcare professional.
What Can Contribute to Migraine Episodes?
Migraine triggers are individual, and what appears to contribute to an episode for one person may not affect another.
Commonly reported factors include:
- Changes in sleep
- Stress
- Missing meals
- Dehydration
- Hormonal changes
- Bright lights
- Strong smells
- Certain foods
- Changes in weather
Keeping a migraine diary can help you identify potential patterns.
Recording your sleep, meals, hydration, stress, symptoms and potential triggers may provide useful information to discuss with your healthcare professional.
Can Nutrients Support a Migraine Routine?
Nutrition is an important part of overall health, and several nutrients and botanical ingredients have been investigated in relation to migraine.
Magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) are among the nutritional ingredients that have been studied in migraine research. Feverfew has also been investigated.
It's important to distinguish between a nutrient's established role in normal body function and research investigating its potential relationship with migraine.
The evidence also varies between ingredients, and nutritional approaches shouldn't replace appropriate medical assessment or treatment.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in numerous processes throughout the body.
It contributes to:
- Normal nervous system function
- Normal muscle function
- Normal energy metabolism
Magnesium has also been extensively investigated in relation to migraine, with research examining its potential role in people who experience migraine.
However, migraine is complex and can have many contributing factors. Research into magnesium shouldn't be interpreted to mean that magnesium deficiency is responsible for every migraine or that magnesium is appropriate for everyone who experiences migraine.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and helps the body release energy from nutrients.
Riboflavin has also been investigated in relation to migraine, particularly in research examining nutritional approaches to migraine management.
As with other nutrients studied in this area, research findings relate to the specific doses, populations and study conditions investigated.
Vitamin B12 and Folate
Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy metabolism, nervous system function and red blood cell formation.
Folate also has several important nutritional roles, including contributing to normal blood formation and normal psychological function.
Both are essential nutrients required for normal body function.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10, also known as CoQ10 or ubidecarenone, is naturally found in the body and is involved in cellular energy production.
CoQ10 has also been investigated in relation to migraine.
While some research has examined its potential role in people who experience migraine, findings should be considered within the broader body of evidence rather than interpreted as evidence that CoQ10 will prevent or treat migraine in everyone.
Feverfew
Feverfew, botanically known as Tanacetum parthenium, is a botanical ingredient that has been studied in relation to migraine.
Research into feverfew has produced mixed results, with some studies suggesting potential benefit while other research has identified limitations in the available evidence.
Differences between feverfew preparations and study designs also make the evidence difficult to generalise.
Why Combine These Nutritional Considerations?
Migraine can involve a range of symptoms and contributing factors, and the nutrients and botanical ingredients investigated in migraine research have different biological roles.
Magnesium contributes to normal nervous system function, muscle function and energy metabolism.
Riboflavin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism and has been investigated in relation to migraine.
Vitamin B12 and folate contribute to normal physiological functions including energy metabolism, nervous system function and blood formation.
CoQ10 is involved in cellular energy production and has also been investigated in relation to migraine.
Feverfew is a botanical ingredient that has been studied in migraine research, although the available evidence is mixed.
These ingredients should be understood as individual areas of nutritional research rather than as a replacement for medical assessment or established migraine management.
What Else Can You Do?
Nutrition is only one part of an overall approach to wellbeing.
Maintaining regular meals, staying hydrated, getting consistent sleep and identifying individual triggers can all be useful considerations for people who experience migraine.
A migraine diary can be particularly helpful.
Record when symptoms occur and look for patterns involving:
- Sleep
- Food
- Hydration
- Stress
- Hormonal changes
- Environmental factors
If you regularly experience migraine, speak with your pharmacist or doctor about your symptoms and the most appropriate approach for you.
When Should You Seek Medical Advice?
Not every headache is a migraine.
If your headaches are new, changing, severe, becoming more frequent or otherwise concerning, speak with a healthcare professional.
Seek urgent medical attention for a sudden, severe headache or a headache accompanied by symptoms such as:
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Fever
- Neck stiffness
- Significant changes in vision
New or unusual neurological symptoms should also be medically assessed rather than automatically assumed to be migraine aura.
The Bottom Line
Migraine is a neurological condition that can involve much more than head pain.
Symptoms can include throbbing or pulsating pain, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and, for some people, migraine aura.
Triggers and contributing factors vary considerably between individuals, which is why tracking symptoms and potential patterns can be useful.
Magnesium, riboflavin, CoQ10 and feverfew have all been investigated in relation to migraine, although the strength and nature of the evidence varies between ingredients. Vitamin B12 and folate also play established roles in normal physiological functions, including energy metabolism, nervous system function and blood formation.
Nutrition is only one part of the picture. Regular meals, adequate hydration, consistent sleep and identifying individual triggers can also form part of an overall approach to wellbeing.
If your headaches are new, changing, severe or concerning, speak with a healthcare professional.
References
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Healthdirect Australia. Migraine. Australian Government-supported health information service.
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American Migraine Foundation. Nutraceuticals for Migraine Treatment.
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American Migraine Foundation. Magnesium for Migraine Prevention.
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Cochrane Library. Evidence relating to nutritional approaches to migraine, including Coenzyme Q10.
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Saranitzky E, White CM, Baker WL, et al. Feverfew for migraine prophylaxis: a systematic review. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2009;6(2):91-103.
