25 Oct Vitamin B-2
High doses of Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) may help prevent migraine headaches, a European study reports in the journal Neurology. The beneficial effects in reducing migraine frequency appeared after a month of daily doses of 400 mg, and increased over the next two months, researchers said.
The 400 mg daily dose is 200 times the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin. “If you are considering taking this supplement,” our pharmacy consultant says, “please speak with your physician and pharmacist about adding this to your daily regimen. Like medications, vitamins also can have side effects.”
Most multi-vitamin products contain small amounts of riboflavin, says NHF’s pharmacy consultant. Excess riboflavin is not stored in the body, but is excreted in the urine, she explains. Especially good sources of Vitamin B-2 are eggs, lean meat, milk, broccoli and enriched breads and cereals.
The executive chairman of the National Headache Foundation adds, “We need longer and larger studies before we can recommend the use of Vitamin B-2 in this dosage.”