Millions of individuals suffer from migraine headaches. Almost one in four women and one in ten men report having migraine headaches. Some individuals do not respond to conventional treatment. A new study published in the respected journal Headache in May of 2006 showed that a combination antioxidant treatment can be effective for those who do not respond to prescription medications.
The small study tested the efficacy of a capsule containing pine bark extract, Vitamin C and Vitamin E in 12 participants. They took the capsules daily for 3 months. Migraine incidence and severity was recorded during the 3 month period and compared to the prior three months.
The conventional treatment for migraine headaches consist of medications such as beta-blockers, antidepressants,and anti-convulsants as well as pain relievers and caffeine. These medications are useful in most suffers because they treat common mechanisms of migraine development. However, for those that do not respond to these medications, another mechanism may be causing migraines.
The researchers in this study hypothesized that free radicals may be involved in the migraine development, and by taking an antioxidant the free radicals are reduced in the body. Free radicals may be contributing to the constriction of blood vessels in the scalp by reacting with the vessels themselves or altering chemicals in the walls/blood.
After the 3 month period participants reported fewer days with a migraine, 26 days in 3 months after treatment compared to 44 days in three months before treatment. They also reported a decrease in severity of migraine headches, with the average rating before treatment of 7.5 out of 10 compared to 5.5 out of 10 after treatment.
The authors were very satisfied with the results of the study, as the treatment was well tolerated and low cost. Its effectiveness warrants further research into the use of antioxidants as a treatment alternative for migraine sufferers.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on June 13, 2006 11:53 AM
