Magnesium and Migraine

Migraine is a widespread and intricate neurological condition that involves various factors and is marked by recurring headache episodes. Migraine is among the ten neurological conditions accounting for the greatest disability in the whole population, the leading cause of disability for children and adolescents aged 5–19 years, and the second cause of disability for adults aged 20–59 years. Magnesium deficiency is also a very common condition resulting from diverse reasons, including insufficient dietary consumption or increased loss through the gastrointestinal or renal system. Accumulated evidence from case reports, case–control studies, observational studies, and randomized, placebo-controlled trials has shown the effectiveness of magnesium supplementation in alleviating migraine, both acutely and chronically. Mechanisms that may help explain these results include the potential link between magnesium deficit and spreading cortical depression, vascular changes, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, nervous excitation, neurotransmitter release, and electrolyte imbalances. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the available evidence on the links between magnesium and migraine, considering the role of magnesium in the pathogenesis of migraine and the utility of magnesium in its prevention and treatment.