Written by Patrick B. Massey, MD, PhD. A study of 105 chronic migraine sufferers found that a diet rich in EPA and DHA may significantly reduce the incidence of migraine headaches.
A migraine headache can be severe and debilitating. Almost 15 percent of the earth’s population will experience at least one migraine in their lifetime. For some people migraines are a common occurrence. In these individuals, powerful medications, often daily, are required to control the pain.
One recent medical study demonstrated that an increased dietary intake of two specific fats found primarily in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reduce the risk of migraines in people who suffer from chronic migraines.
A migraine headache is classified as more than just a headache. It is actually a neurologic disease that has a number of unpleasant, sometimes debilitating, non-headache symptoms.
The pain associated with migraine headache is often described as pulsating. However, the pulsating pain feels more like being constantly hit in the head by a large hammer. This pain can last anywhere from a few hours to several days and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, extreme sensitivity to light, sound and smell.
About 30 percent of patients with migraine will also have vision changes that include flashing colored lights and even loss of sight in one part of the vision field.
Some patients, when they experience a migraine also will have a difficulty with language and even fine motor control. Having experienced migraines almost every month from childhood to about 30 years old, I can personally attest to the pain and debilitation. It is profound.
Pain medications that are commonly used to treat migraines include nonsteroidal drugs, aspirin (especially with caffeine like Excedrin) and Tylenol.
Prevention is the key for migraines and, fortunately, there are now a number of medications that reduce migraine attacks. Unfortunately these medications all have significant side effects especially when used over a long period of time. Interestingly, intravenous magnesium seems to both treat and prevent migraine attacks without significant side effects but is not commonly used.
For many patients who suffer from migraines, specific foods can trigger a migraine episode. This suggests that there may be foods that could reduce the risk of a migraine headache.
A recent study published in the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research suggests that a diet rich in DHA and EPA may significantly reduce the incidence of migraine headaches. In this study, the diets of 105 participants with a history of chronic migraine headaches were assessed.
What was found is that participants who had the lowest dietary consumption of DHA and EPA had the greatest risk of migraine headaches. This association was found equally in both men and women.
There was no association between migraine headache frequency and consumption of saturated fat.
Although this data is not conclusive, in other studies, fish oil does seem to reduce inflammation, nitric oxide levels and affects the neurotransmitter serotonin. All are involved in the migraine headache process.
There are many health benefits to fish oil including reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even arthritis. For those who suffer from migraine headaches, increasing the consumption of EPA and DHA may offer substantial health benefits.
• Patrick B. Massey, MD, PhD., is medical director for complementary and alternative medicine at Alexian Brothers Hospital Network and president of ALT-MED Medical and Physical Therapy, 1544 Nerge Road, Elk Grove Village. His website is www.alt-med.org.
Posted August 3, 2015.
