Vitamin D3 Associated With Reductions in Migraine Days Among Migraineurs

Supplementation with vitamin D₃ was associated with a significantly greater reduction in migraine days among patients with migraine in a randomized, double-blind study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion.

A group of male (n=12) and female (n=36) patients with migraine between the ages of 18 and 65 years were enrolled. After a 4-week baseline period, participants were randomly assigned to 24 weeks of either 100 μg/day of vitamin D₃ (n=24) or placebo (n=24). At visits 1, 2, 5, and 8, investigators performed blood sampling, administered the Headache Impact Test 6 questionnaire, measured vital signs (eg, blood pressure, pulse, and oral temperature), and performed quantitative sensory tests (eg, pressure pain threshold and temporal summation).

Self-reported diaries were used to retrospectively assess reductions in migraine attacks and related symptoms at follow-up. The number of migraine days, change in migraine severity, and response rate, defined as a 50% reduction or greater in migraine frequency from baseline to 24-week follow-up, were recorded. The researchers also assessed changes in serum levels of 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)₂D from baseline to 24 weeks of treatment.

From baseline to 24 weeks, noticeable reductions in the number of headache changes were found for the treatment group (6.14±3.60 vs 3.28±3.24, respectively) and placebo group (5.72±4.52 vs 4.93±3.24, respectively). Supplementation with vitamin D₃ was associated with a significantly greater reduction in the number of headache days compared with placebo (P =.047). Higher response was reported in the vitamin D₃ group compared with patients receiving placebo (P =.008). In addition, the treatment group had a significantly greater decrease in migraine frequency from baseline to 24-week follow-up (P <.001). No differences were documented between the 2 groups with regard to changes in migraine severity, pressure pain thresholds, or temporal summation.

Limitations of the study were the inclusion of only Danish participants with similar migraine features, and the relatively small cohort.

Although these findings require replication in larger randomized trials, the investigators suggested vitamin D₃ should be considered “as one of the prophylactic options in adult patients with migraine.”

Reference

Gazerani P, Fuglsang R, Pedersen JG, et al. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel trial of vitamin D3 supplementation in adult patients with migraine [published online September 28, 2018]. Curr Med Res Opin. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2018.1519503