Everyone gets headaches once in a while.
Most people can just pop an aspirin and feel better. (I won’t even get into the risks of aspirin here.) But for the 30 million Americans who suffer from migraines, it’s not so simple.1
It starts off as a dull ache. Then it turns into a throbbing and pulsating pain that can last anywhere from a few hours to several days. And it’s not just pain they have to deal with. Throw in nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound.
It’s no wonder migraines can severely hinder a person’s life. And – once again – mainstream medicine offers little help.
Doctors often prescribe antidepressants, anti-seizure drugs and beta-blockers to help prevent these “mega headaches.”2But like most prescription drugs, they come with severe side effects – heart and liver damage and inflammation of the pancreas, to name a few. If that’s not bad enough, they don’t always work. Sometimes they even make migraine symptoms worse!
Fortunately for migraine sufferers, researchers from the University of Liege in Belgium set out to find a natural and safe preventative measure. And they may have found just that.
In fact, the vitamin they studied could help you slash your number of migraines in half. You’ve probably even heard of it…
I’m talking about vitamin B2 (riboflavin).
The Belgian scientists first conducted an open study published in the journal Cephalalgia.3 For three months 49 migraine patients took 400 mg of B2 daily. At the end of the study, participants reported a 68 percent decrease in monthly migraines.
The researchers were so excited by what they found, they followed up this experiment with a placebo-controlled study.
This time, they tracked 55 patients.4 According to the journal Neurology, half the subjects received 400 mg of B2 daily. The other half took a placebo. After three months, 59 percent of people in the B2 group reported at least a 50 percent reduction in the number of monthly migraines.
And even better…
B2 is safe. There were no serious side effects noted in either study.
Dr. Richard B. Lipton, neurologist and director of the Headache Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York says, “It’s one of my favorite natural products because it gives people with migraines the opportunity to feel better with very little risk.” 5
But how does vitamin B2 work so well?
A migraine occurs when blood vessels in the brain swell and press on nearby nerves. The result is pain.6 Abnormal nerve cell activity can result in the expansion of blood vessels caused by low cellular energy supplies.
That’s where vitamin B2 comes in…
Vitamin B2 helps increase energy production in brain cells.7 In turn, it helps cells function properly in the brain.
So why haven’t you heard more about it?
You probably already know why.
Pain relief is big business. Americans spend more than $4 billion a year on over-the-counter pain relievers. You know them well – aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen.
But of course, they can cause serious side effects. Long-term use can increase the risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney problems, and stomach bleeding.
The good news is you don’t need to risk your health or life to eliminate pain or migraines. Research has uncovered a safe and effective alternative.
You can find vitamin B2 in many foods. The best food sources include lean beef, dairy, eggs, almonds and green vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli and spinach. Though, to get the high dosage needed for prevention you’d have to eat a lot of these foods. So while it’s good to incorporate them into your diet, you should also consider a supplement.
You can find vitamin B2 supplements at your local health food store. Just keep in mind, this vitamin is water-soluble. Your body can’t store it, so you must consume it every day.
If you are a migraine sufferer, relief is out there. You can safely ward off those debilitating attacks. Take vitamin B2 and enjoy a life free from pain again.
References:
1http://www.headaches.org/education/Headache_Topic_Sheets/Migraine
2http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/migraine/medications-for-preventing-migraine-attacks.html
3http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7828189
4http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9484373
5http://journals.lww.com/neurologynow/toc/2012/08030
6http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/migraine.cfm
7http://www.bastyrcenter.org/content/view/438/”>http://www.bastyrcenter.org/content/view/438/
Tweetables:
Americans spend more than $4 billion a year on over-the-counter pain relievers! Click to Tweet
49 Migraine patients took 400 mg of B2 daily. Reported a 68% decrease in monthly Migraines. Click to Tweet