The global prevalence of migraine is 14.7%, with women three times more likely to suffer from migraine than men.
Along with conventional drugs, combining them with natural substances is recommended for migraine therapy to boost their efficacy and reduce the required dose.
It is always essential to consult your doctor before incorporating natural substances to support migraine therapy.
What is a migraine?
Migraine is characterised by moderate to severe episodic throbbing headaches, often accompanied by intolerance to light or noise, nausea or vomiting. The cause of migraine is not yet fully understood, but it is likely to result from a combination of genetic factors alongside lifestyle and environmental influences such as diet, (sub)optimal weight or stress levels.
Although the exact mechanism of migraine development is also not fully understood, inflammatory processes in the neural area are thought to play an important role. Many types of conventional drugs, most commonly triptans, ergotamines, antiepileptics, non‑steroidal antiphlogistic drugs or antiemetics, are used to treat migraine and relieve its distressing symptoms. However, because of the potential side effects of these drugs, the risk of which increases with higher doses, it is recommended that natural substances be used alongside them to enhance their effectiveness.
Always consult your doctor before including natural supportive substances, as it will depend on the medication you are taking and the severity and form of migraine.
1. Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a natural substance with strong antioxidant properties. According to current research, one potential cause of migraine headaches is a failure in the energy chain at the mitochondrial level. Some studies suggest that CoQ10 is central to the normal progression of the energy chain, promoting mitochondrial efficiency and reducing levels of inflammatory markers. Overall, the evidence supporting the effectiveness of CoQ10 in reducing the severity, frequency and duration of migraine attacks is quite compelling.
2. Curcumin
Curcumin is a bioactive substance with antioxidant capabilities found (unsurprisingly) in turmeric, where it makes up 77% of all curcuminoids present. It appears that curcumin supplementation may help to decrease certain inflammatory cytokines, enzymes or transcription factors and thus relieve the symptoms that accompany migraine. In most studies, it is now used in the form of nanocurcumin. Other studies have also noted its synergistic effect with CoQ10 or omega‑3 MKs, meaning if these substances are taken together, their effect is even greater.
Learn more: Curcumin: What It Is, Effects and Dosage
3. Vitamin B2
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) contributes to normal energy metabolism, the proper functioning of the nervous system, the maintenance of normal mucous membranes, the protection of cells from oxidative stress and the reduction of fatigue and exhaustion. Research suggests that a deficiency in vitamin B2 may be linked to the development of inflammatory reactions in neuronal cells and certain diseases, including migraine. As with CoQ10, riboflavin plays an important role in the normal progression of the energy chain at the level of the mitochondria.
According to research, vitamin B2 supplementation has similar effects to some conventional medicines but with fewer side effects.
4. Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the essential cations found in the human body. Its role, among other things, is to maintain the electrical potential of neurons. Magnesium deficiency can, therefore, lead to neurological disorders, including a higher risk of developing migraines. According to a 2016 study, the likelihood of developing a migraine when magnesium levels are lower increases up to 35.3 times.
It also shows that taking magnesium significantly supports the effectiveness of a commonly administered drug for migraine therapy, sodium valproate. Although improvement in migraine conditions also occurred with treatment with valproate alone or magnesium alone, the combination of the two had the highest effect.
5. Probiotics
Research has long pointed out that the composition of the gut microbiome influences a number of other body systems, such as immunity and brain function, among others. For example, people with digestive disorders have also been shown to have a higher prevalence of headaches. In particular, the putative mechanism is an increase in gut permeability caused by a disruption in the composition of the microbiome, which in turn leads to higher levels of pro‑inflammatory cytokines that increase the likelihood of migraine development. Studies suggest that severe stress leads to similar effects.
In research looking at the effect of probiotic use on both episodic and chronic migraine, both forms have shown improvements in average attack frequency and severity, as well as reductions in the use of other conventional migraine medications. However, attack duration decreased only in patients with chronic migraine. The effectiveness of probiotics in relation to migraine has been confirmed in other studies, but there have been some studies where the effect was not observed. Researchers point out that the content of specific strains in probiotics is crucial for effectiveness, as is, of course, the dose.
6. Omega‑3 fatty acids
Omega‑3 fatty acids are particularly known for their anti‑inflammatory effects. Not only within the brain cells and the nervous system, they also have the ability to regulate the composition of cell membranes to a certain extent. This may further translate into processes such as the involvement of immune cells in inflammation‑producing reactions, the regulation of cell signalling pathways or gene expression. Increasing the intake of omega‑3 fatty acids is then shown to have a positive effect on certain autoimmune, inflammatory or neuroinflammatory diseases, including migraine, according to research.
Research shows that combining omega‑3 fatty acids with conventional migraine medications has a better effect than medications alone. However, another study looking at omega‑3 supplementation alone did not confirm an effect on attack intensity or duration, but the frequency of attacks was lower in the population studied. A new study in 2024 also found a positive effect of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) supplementation.
7. Lipoic acid
Lipoic acid is a compound with antioxidant properties. As already mentioned, one of the potential mechanisms for the development of migraine is the disruption of the energy chain at the level of the mitochondria and the excessive production of ROS (reactive oxygen species). It appears that lipoic acid has the potential to effectively eliminate these ROS due to its antioxidant properties.
Lipoic acid supplementation has led to a reduction in oxidative stress levels in studies. However, the conclusiveness of the results of the studies is so far rather limited, and the current hypothesis is mainly a possible positive effect of supplementation on migraine‑related mood disorders.
8. Ginger
Ginger is a cornerstone of the success of any Asian food preparation, but from a health perspective, it is even more interesting. It contains a large number of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds, organic acids, terpenes, etc. Its positive effects are mainly associated with the relief of nausea or pain, but it appears to have potential for migraine therapy as well.
9. Caffeine
In relation to migraine, you may have heard that caffeine can be a 'trigger', i.e. it can contribute to triggering a migraine. This statement is true, but on the other hand, it turns out that in small doses and in combination with conventional pain‑relieving drugs, caffeine may instead boost their effectiveness and thus provide more effective relief from migraine.
Bottom line
Migraine is characterised by severe headaches that are often accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting or intolerance to light and noise. Although there are effective medications to help relieve unpleasant symptoms, it turns out that some natural substances can dramatically boost the effectiveness of these medications, making treatment more effective. Another advantage is that the dose of the drug administered can also be reduced, leading to a lower risk of side effects.
However, it is always important to check with your doctor before taking any additional substances – the effective combination will depend on the type of medication prescribed or the severity of the migraine, for example.
