title: An evidence-based review of oral magnesium supplementation in the preventive treatment of migraine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Migraine is an incompletely understood, debilitating disorder that lacks a universally effective treatment. Magnesium participates in a variety of biochemical processes related to migraine pathophysiology, and a deficiency could contribute to migraine development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the literature from 1990 to the present on magnesium and migraine was conducted.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors identified 16 studies aimed at magnesium status assessment in migraine, and four intervention trials assessing the efficacy of oral magnesium supplementation, independent of other therapies, in the prevention of migraine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strength of evidence supporting oral magnesium supplementation is limited at this time. With such limited evidence, a more advantageous alternative to magnesium supplementation, in patients willing to make lifestyle changes, may be to focus on increasing dietary magnesium intake.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, USA Mayo Clinic Department of Clinical Dietetics, USA teigen.levi@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Levi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teigen
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, USA Mayo Clinic Department of Neurology, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Boes
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium
keywords: Magnesium; migraine; migraine prophylaxis