Using Minerals and Vitamins in Headache Care

If you’re trying to go the natural route in headache care one other alternative to peruse is the use of vitamins and minerals. This experiment in natural healing can be tried by anyone. It only requires eating more of the right foods that contain these minerals or vitamins that are known to help prevent or treat ongoing headache pain. The only problem is that often you cannot get enough of the mineral or vitamin based on how much you eat in a day and so its suggested that supplements by taken to ensure enough Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, B6 also called pyridoxine, calcium or magnesium is ingested.

The benefits of magnesium in headache care are well known. Studies have been conducted that show that many migraine sufferers have diminished amounts of magnesium in their brains and since this mineral is necessary for the proper performance of serotonin this might show a connection between headaches and low magnesium. As well, magnesium affects the arteries. People with low magnesium levels find that their arties constrict more. This can be another cause of headache pain. So it seems that increasing the intake of magnesium is a winning decision. If you are going to try o do his by eating the right foods, you’ll have to eat more dark green leafy vegetables, whole grain foods like cereal and bread, seafood, beans and nuts. The problem, other than how much of these can you eat in a day, is that some of them, like nuts, are headache triggers. Instead taking a daily supplement would be easier. This mineral has been proven to assist in the prevention of, or at the very least diminishing the intensity of, migraines and menstrual headaches.

Calcium, like magnesium, is found in dark green leafy vegetables, it’s also in dairy products, seafood and some fish. It’s also known to benefit menstrual headaches. You cannot take calcium supplements and magnesium supplements at the same time of day as the calcium can block the body’s ability to properly absorb the magnesium. It’s therefore better to take one in the morning and the other at night. Vitamin B2, which is often called riboflavin, when taken in hefty doses has been proven to minimize the number of migraines a person has. It’s had very good results in preventing them. Research has shown excellent results when using this vitamin. Vitamin B6 also works well in keeping migraines away, having its best results with menstrual migraines. Research has shown that some people prefer to take a B complex supplement, but these same studies have shown that taking the other B vitamins does not improve the headache control. Though it does seem to lessen stroke risk.

The only problem with using any of these in supplemental form is that they are not recommended for long-term use. Studies have not gone far enough to know if there are long-term side effects from extended usage. It’s recommended not to take them for more than six months at a time.

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