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B Vitamin Riboflavin Helps Prevent Migraine Headaches

A simple supplement, the B vitamin riboflavin, can often be effective at preventing migraine headaches or reducing the pain.

Q. After my migraines began flaring up weekly, I started taking riboflavin (vitamin B2) daily. Ten weeks into this regimen, I have only had two really bad headaches.

I still have Maxalt as a backup, but I haven’t needed to take it in a few months. The only side effect I’ve had from the B2 is bright yellow urine. Compared to the migraines, I’ll take it!

A. Riboflavin has been used as a way of preventing migraines for many years (Neurology, Feb., 1998). A review of research suggests that it may work even better in combination with Coenzyme Q10 (Headache, Oct., 2012). A German product containing magnesium along with riboflavin and CoQ10 improved migraine symptoms compared with placebo (Journal of Headache Pain, online Apr. 3, 2015).

Side Effects of Riboflavin:

While riboflavin will turn urine almost fluorescent yellow, other side effects are rare.

Vera P. observed:

Since I started taking one Super B-complex pill once a day, I no longer get migraine headaches. I have been taking them for about five years.”

We discuss the use of riboflavin, feverfew, Coenzyme Q10, magnesium and other nondrug approaches to migraine prevention in our Guide to Headaches and Migraines.

We recently heard from a person who uses a spoonful of yellow mustard to stop her ice pick headaches. Many other migraine sufferers have written to tell us that inducing brain freeze (whether with ice cream or ice water) can stop a migraine cold. Here is one testimonial from Tammy:

“I just read this article after having been up since 4 am with a migraine. The vomiting passed but still I had the residual killer headache. I read this and ate an ice cream bar, and the headache has definitely lessened. I think the next time I’ll try plain ice earlier in the ordeal.”

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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