Migraine patients who have multiple vitamin deficiencies may experience worse headache symptoms than those with only one vitamin deficiency, according to a new study presented at the American Headache Society’s 66th Annual Scientific Meeting, held June 13-16 in San Diego, California.1
Multiple vitamin deficiencies linked to worsening migraine symptoms / goodluz – stock.adobe.com
Approximately 16% of U.S. adults suffer from migraines or severe headaches, but more women than men. The burden of this serious chronic disease can put many at a disadvantage: Approximately 40% of people who suffer from migraines or severe headaches are unemployed, and a similar number are classified as poor or near poor.2
Read more: Rural patients more likely to use emergency departments for migraine treatment
Research has found that vitamin deficiencies, including niacin, riboflavin, and vitamin D, may be linked to migraines.3 Vitamin supplementation has now become a common treatment for patients who suffer from migraines and severe headaches. However, while research has been conducted on the relationship between individual vitamins and migraines, there is currently a lack of research on how multiple vitamins may affect migraine sufferers.
Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center conducted a study to examine the impact of multiple vitamin deficiencies on headache outcomes. A retrospective chart review included 3,430 patients seen at the center between January 1998 and June 2023. At the initial visit, serum concentrations of vitamin D, riboflavin, folate, and/or coenzyme Q10 were measured for all patients. Patients were then classified into one of five groups depending on the number of vitamin deficiencies they had.
Of the patients studied, 184 had no vitamin deficiencies; 830 had one, 1,234 had two, 898 had three, and 284 had four. The researchers found that there was a statistically significant difference in the number of vitamin deficiencies between all groups, with the elderly patients having the greatest number. There was no statistically significant difference in monthly migraine frequency between all groups, but there was a significant difference in the mean PedMIDAS scores between the group with one deficiency and those with three and four deficiencies.
Furthermore, the mean PedMIDAS scores for the group with one deficiency and the group with two deficiencies were close to significant, although the differences were not statistically significant when comparing groups with multiple vitamin deficiencies.
“Based on our analysis of the data, measuring serum vitamin concentrations to assess deficiencies appears to be a reasonable step in managing patients with chronic migraine, especially those in late adolescence with PedMIDAS scores in the severe range,” the authors concluded. “Future studies evaluating response to supplementation in patients with vitamin deficiencies will help provide further clinical guidance.”
See more of our coverage of AHS 2024 here.
Pharmacy work is constantly changing. To stay ahead of the curve, Free Drug Topics Newsletter Get the latest drug information, industry trends, and patient care tips delivered straight to your inbox.
