How to Head Off a Migraine with a Supplement

Migraine headaches can have a dreadful impact on a person’s quality of life. In addition to the pain, which can be debilitating if not excruciating, these episodes often bring on nausea, vomiting and intolerance of light and sound. The sufferer may feel like retreating to a dark cave for days until the headache goes away. Those who suffer frequent migraines welcome effective treatments, whether they are pharmaceuticals or natural products. Can you prevent a migraine with a supplement?

Preventing a Migraine with a Supplement:

Q. I had debilitating migraines from about age 12 until my mid-fifties. An herbal remedy containing feverfew and butterbur worked, but the company went out of business. I could not find a similar product. Thoughts?

A. There are some products containing both feverfew and butterbur. Research supports both herbal ingredients for migraine prevention (Current Pain and Headache Reports, Feb. 21, 2019).  Anyone who takes butterbur should verify that the product is free from potentially toxic compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Success Managing Migraine with a Supplement or Two:

Q. I started getting migraines in my mid 60s. One doctor just wanted to prescribe pain medicine and do a sleep study. I then saw a neurologist who prescribed 500 mg magnesium glycinate, 400 mg riboflavin (vitamin B2) and 300 mg CoQ10. That worked wonders!

Since then, I have only had two migraines. I have reduced the dose of each supplement gradually but still take all three.

A. Thank you for sharing your success story. There is research to support your nutritional approach to migraine prevention (Journal of Headache Pain, Apr. 3, 2015). Read on for an experience quite similar to yours. Other readers have also shared positive experiences with spicy soup or icy beverages to stop a migraine before it takes hold.

Migravent for Migraines:

Q. I am a 56-year-old woman and have been plagued with migraine headaches most of my life. A few months ago they were waking me up five times a week so I saw a neurologist.

She suggested I try a vitamin supplement called Migravent, a combination of vitamin B2 and magnesium, before doing anything more aggressive. That gave me instant relief!

In the last three months I’ve had a half dozen headaches. They are not as severe as the ones I used to get. I wish I’d tried this supplement years ago!

What Is Migravent?

A. Migravent contains four ingredients that have been found helpful against migraine headaches: butterbur (Petasites hybridus), riboflavin (vitamin B2), Coenzyme Q10 and magnesium. Individually, each has been shown to help prevent migraines.

Although doctors are sometimes skeptical of natural remedies, a review found evidence that magnesium, Coenzyme Q10, riboflavin, petasites and feverfew can ease the pain of a migraine headache or prevent its occurrence (Current Treatment Options in Neurology, April, 2016). The Canadian Headache Society considers butterbur, magnesium citrate, Coenzyme Q10 and riboflavin to be reasonable choices for migraine prevention (Continuum, Aug., 2015). A more recent review supports the use of riboflavin, magnesium and CoQ10, but urges caution with melatonin, feverfew and butterbur (Current Pain and Headache Reports, Jan. 24, 2025).

Learn More:

You can learn more about herbs and other nondrug approaches for prevention such as acupuncture and biofeedback in our Guide to Headaches & Migraines.