Getting frequent migraine headaches? Check your Vitamin D levels, suggests JIPMER, Puducherry, study

Sunlight can be a good source of Vitamin D. A new study finds link between Vitamin D and frequency of migraine. (Creative Common)

The comprehensive research was aimed at evaluating the disparity in Vitamin D levels between migraine sufferers and non-migraine individuals.

However, it has also highlighted the potential benefits of oral Vitamin D supplementation in reducing the frequency of migraines.

The study was published in the current issue of Neurology India, and combined data from 10 observational studies and two randomised controlled trials.

It delved into the correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and migraines.

The results provide valuable insights into the realm of migraine management and the role of Vitamin D in alleviating associated symptoms.

What did the study find?

Researchers from the Departments of Clinical Pharmacology, Endocrinology, and Biostatistics at JIPMER found that individuals afflicted by migraines exhibited notably lower levels of the serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin-D compared to their non-migraine counterparts.

The mean difference of -4.44 ng/ml between the two groups highlighted the potential significance of Vitamin D in migraine development, they concluded.

The study stated that further investigations also revealed a significant association between hypovitaminosis D and migraines.

Representative pic of Vitamin D in one’s daily diet. (Creative Commons)

The study’s odds ratio of 1.95 underscores the likelihood of migraines occurring in individuals with lower Vitamin D levels.

These findings emphasise the importance of monitoring and addressing Vitamin D deficiency as a potential risk factor for migraines, stated the study.

Meanwhile, the researchers also investigated the effects of oral Vitamin D supplementation on migraine-related symptoms.

The study demonstrated a noteworthy reduction in monthly migraine frequency with Vitamin D supplementation compared to a placebo.

The mean difference of -2.20 suggests that incorporating Vitamin D supplements could potentially lead to fewer debilitating migraine episodes.

However, it’s important to note that while Vitamin D supplementation appeared effective in reducing migraine frequency, it did not exhibit the same impact on migraine duration and severity.

The study’s data indicated that oral Vitamin D supplementation failed to significantly alter the duration of migraines or their overall severity scores.

Monsoon migraine: Weather affecting headache? Here are some tips to tackle it

What do neurologists say?

Doctors whom South First spoke to agreed that the study’s findings carried potential implications for migraine treatment and prevention strategies.

They said that though Vitamin D supplementation may hold promise in mitigating the frequency of migraine episodes, further research was warranted to understand the intricate mechanisms at play and to determine the full extent of Vitamin D’s effects on migraines.

A noted neurologist from Apollo Hosptial in Hyderabad, Dr Sudhir Kumar, said, “The association between lower levels of serum Vitamin D and increased frequency and severity of migraine is interesting. However, it should be noted that the studies done so far only prove the association between lower Vitamin D levels and the prevalence of migraine. These do not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. For that, more studies would be needed.”

Interestingly, researchers have long suspected a connection between certain nutrients and migraine occurrence.

Vitamin D — often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin” — has been of particular interest due to its myriad health benefits, including its role in maintaining bone health, supporting the immune system, and regulating inflammation.

Representative pic of Vitamin D supplements.

Speaking on the mechanisms that could explain the relationship between lower Vitamin D levels and migraine, Dr Kumar explained: “Vitamin D plays a role in reducing inflammation: Inflammation, on the other hand, plays a key role in migraine, whereby inflammatory substances produced by mast cells, mostly in the meninges, can activate the trigeminal nerve, a main structure involved in migraine headache.”

Additionally, Vitamin D supplementation is known to reduce the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an important inflammatory marker, he added.

Kumar also explained that Vitamin D played an important role in improving intestinal absorption of magnesium.

“There is evidence that magnesium supplementation can be protective for migraine patients. Thus, it is possible that the magnesium-associated benefit is partly mediated by vitamin D absorption and activation,” he told South First.

Also read: Take note of your ‘migraine hangovers’, say neurologists

Also, Vitamin D reduces the production of nitric oxide (NO) by inhibiting the expression of NO synthase. NO is an important biological regulator that affects neurotransmission and vasodilation, and is considered a key mediator in migraine.

Interestingly, Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher prevalence of depression. Depression is known to coexist with migraine. Moreover, the frequency and severity of headaches increase in patients with depression, said Dr Kumar.

The study’s findings provide a valuable addition to the growing body of research on the role of Vitamin D in neurological health.

However, doctors insisted that there is no need to recommend routine use of Vitamin D supplementation for all people with migraine.

Nevertheless, they said, people with headaches and migraines should be screened for Vitamin-D deficiency, and Vitamin D supplementation can be advised for people with migraines who have Vitamin-D deficiency.

Also, correction of Vitamin D deficiency in people with migraines would lead to a reduction in headache severity and frequency.