Several vitamins, minerals and herbs have research behind them for migraine. The table below summarizes the supplements Dr. Harcourt teaches from the research. Your clinician can help you decide which ones are right for you and how to take them.

Please read first: this is educational information, not a prescription. Supplements can interact with medications and are not right for everyone, including during pregnancy. Always discuss them with your clinician before starting, and test levels where possible.

For prevention

Supplement	Research
Riboflavin (B2)	Likely effective in guidelines; studied in children 1,2
Magnesium	Reduced attack frequency 3,4
Coenzyme Q10	Reduced attack frequency and inflammatory markers 5
Vitamin D	Reduced frequency in trials 6,7
B6, B12, folate	Folic acid improved outcomes in women with aura; B12 is often low in migraine 8,9
Omega-3 fatty acids	Studied with curcumin 10,11
Nano-curcumin	Studied with omega-3 11
Feverfew	In guidelines; studied in combination 1,12
Butterbur (Petasites)	Effective in guidelines 1
Vitamin E	Studied for menstrual migraine 13
Melatonin	Some trials show benefit 14,15

Butterbur safety: raw butterbur contains compounds that can harm the liver. Only purified products certified free of these compounds (PA-free) should be considered, and only under guidance.

During an attack

Option	Notes
Ginger	Compared favorably with a triptan in one trial 16,17
Intravenous magnesium	Given in a clinical setting

Dr. Harcourt’s course materials also review grape pomace extract, S-petasin, topical chamomile and cannabinoid products. Ask your clinician whether any of these are appropriate for you.

Quality matters

Supplements are not regulated like medications. Choose products tested by an independent lab, and bring all your supplements to your appointment.

How long to try

Preventive supplements often take 2 to 3 months to show their full effect. Track your headache days in a diary so you can tell whether something is working.

Research cited on this page

1. 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
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. Kılıç B, Kılıç M. Evaluation of Vitamin D Levels and Response to Therapy of Childhood Migraine. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019;55(7). PubMed 31261815 · DOI
8. 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
9. 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
10. Soveyd N, Abdolahi M, Bitarafan S, et al. Molecular mechanisms of omega-3 fatty acids in the migraine headache. Iran J Neurol. 2017;16(4):210-217. PubMed 29736227
11. Abdolahi M, Sarraf P, Javanbakht MH, et al. A Novel Combination of ω-3 Fatty Acids and Nano-Curcumin Modulates Interleukin-6 Gene Expression and High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein Serum Levels in Patients with Migraine: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2018;17(6):430-438. PubMed 29938621 · DOI
12. Guilbot A, Bangratz M, Ait Abdellah S, et al. A combination of coenzyme Q10, feverfew and magnesium for migraine prophylaxis: a prospective observational study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017;17(1):433. PubMed 28854909 · DOI
13. Shaik MM, Gan SH. Vitamin supplementation as possible prophylactic treatment against migraine with aura and menstrual migraine. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:469529. PubMed 25815319 · DOI
14. Alstadhaug KB, Odeh F, Salvesen R, et al. Prophylaxis of migraine with melatonin: a randomized controlled trial. Neurology. 2010;75(17):1527-32. PubMed 20975054 · DOI
15. Ebrahimi-Monfared M, Sharafkhah M, Abdolrazaghnejad A, et al. Use of melatonin versus valproic acid in prophylaxis of migraine patients: A double-blind randomized clinical trial. Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2017;35(4):385-393. PubMed 28800342 · DOI
16. Maghbooli M, Golipour F, Moghimi Esfandabadi A, et al. Comparison between the efficacy of ginger and sumatriptan in the ablative treatment of the common migraine. Phytother Res. 2014;28(3):412-5. PubMed 23657930 · DOI
17. Martins LB, Rodrigues AMDS, Monteze NM, et al. Double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) in the prophylactic treatment of migraine. Cephalalgia. 2020;40(1):88-95. PubMed 31398997 · DOI