A migraine brain is a high-energy brain. Several nutrients involved in energy production and nerve signaling are frequently low in people with migraine, and correcting them can help.

Vitamin D

• People with migraine are more likely to have low vitamin D, and lower levels are associated with more frequent or more severe attacks ^1,2,3.
• Vitamin D supplementation reduced migraine frequency in clinical trials, including in children ^4,5.
• Dr. Harcourt’s target is a blood level of at least 30 ng/mL, confirmed with a simple blood test.

Magnesium

Magnesium calms nerve excitability. Low magnesium has been linked to migraine, and supplementation has reduced attack frequency in trials and meta-analyses ^6,7. Diets higher in magnesium and calcium are associated with less migraine ⁸.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2)

Riboflavin supports the mitochondria, the energy factories in cells. It is listed as a likely effective preventive in migraine guidelines and has been studied in children as well ^9,10.

B6, B12 and folate

Low B12 and high homocysteine are more common in migraine ¹¹. Folic acid supplementation improved outcomes in women with migraine with aura, and genetic differences in how the body uses folate and B vitamins may explain why some people respond especially well ^12,13. Good food sources include beef liver, salmon, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, spinach and clams.

Coenzyme Q10

CoQ10 is another energy-production nutrient. In a randomized trial, CoQ10 reduced migraine frequency and inflammatory markers ¹⁴.

Get tested before you guess

A simple blood test can check vitamin D, B12, folate and other levels. Testing shows whether you actually need a supplement and lets you track progress. See What research says about supplements.

Research cited on this page

1. Rapisarda L, Mazza MR, Tosto F, et al. Relationship between severity of migraine and vitamin D deficiency: a case-control study. Neurol Sci. 2018;39(Suppl 1):167-168. PubMed 29904877 · DOI
2. Togha M, Razeghi Jahromi S, Ghorbani Z, et al. Serum Vitamin D Status in a Group of Migraine Patients Compared With Healthy Controls: A Case-Control Study. Headache. 2018;58(10):1530-1540. PubMed 30341768 · DOI
3. Song TJ, Chu MK, Sohn JH, et al. Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on the Frequency of Headaches in Migraine. J Clin Neurol. 2018;14(3):366-373. PubMed 29971976 · DOI
4. Ghorbani Z, Togha M, Rafiee P, et al. Vitamin D in migraine headache: a comprehensive review on literature. Neurol Sci. 2019;40(12):2459-2477. PubMed 31377873 · DOI
5. Kılıç B, Kılıç M. Evaluation of Vitamin D Levels and Response to Therapy of Childhood Migraine. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019;55(7). PubMed 31261815 · DOI
6. Peikert A, Wilimzig C, Köhne-Volland R. Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: results from a prospective, multi-center, placebo-controlled and double-blind randomized study. Cephalalgia. 1996;16(4):257-63. PubMed 8792038 · DOI
7. Chiu HY, Yeh TH, Huang YC, et al. Effects of Intravenous and Oral Magnesium on Reducing Migraine: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Pain Physician. 2016;19(1):E97-112. PubMed 26752497
8. Meng SH, Wang MX, Kang LX, et al. Dietary Intake of Calcium and Magnesium in Relation to Severe Headache or Migraine. Front Nutr. 2021;8:653765. PubMed 33748178 · DOI
9. Holland S, Silberstein SD, Freitag F, et al. Evidence-based guideline update: NSAIDs and other complementary treatments for episodic migraine prevention in adults: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. Neurology. 2012;78(17):1346-53. PubMed 22529203 · DOI
10. Talebian A, Soltani B, Banafshe HR, et al. Prophylactic effect of riboflavin on pediatric migraine: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Electron Physician. 2018;10(2):6279-6285. PubMed 29629048 · DOI
11. Togha M, Razeghi Jahromi S, Ghorbani Z, et al. Serum Vitamin B12 and Methylmalonic Acid Status in Migraineurs: A Case-Control Study. Headache. 2019;59(9):1492-1503. PubMed 31471907 · DOI
12. Menon S, Nasir B, Avgan N, et al. The effect of 1 mg folic acid supplementation on clinical outcomes in female migraine with aura patients. J Headache Pain. 2016;17(1):60. PubMed 27339806 · DOI
13. De Marchis ML, Guadagni F, Silvestris E, et al. Genetic bases of the nutritional approach to migraine. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(14):2308-2320. PubMed 29517920 · DOI
14. Dahri M, Tarighat-Esfanjani A, Asghari-Jafarabadi M, et al. Oral coenzyme Q10 supplementation in patients with migraine: Effects on clinical features and inflammatory markers. Nutr Neurosci. 2019;22(9):607-615. PubMed 29298622 · DOI