Vitamin D and Migraine: An Important Connection

Research points to a significant link between vitamin D and migraine relief. This vitamin plays key roles in serotonin production and inflammation reduction—both critical factors in migraine management.

How Vitamin D May Impact Your Migraines

  • Improves magnesium absorption: Vitamin D helps your body effectively use magnesium, a mineral commonly recommended for migraine prevention.
  • Supports serotonin production: By influencing serotonin synthesis, vitamin D affects a neurotransmitter central to migraine attacks.
  • Reduces CGRP levels: A notable 2020 study found vitamin D supplementation lowered levels of CGRP—the same protein targeted by new migraine medications.

The Serotonin Connection

Vitamin D directly influences how your body produces serotonin, a crucial neurotransmitter in migraine management. During a migraine attack, serotonin levels around the brain typically drop. This is why triptans—the most common acute migraine medications—work by binding to serotonin receptors and stimulating its release.

For migraine sufferers, maintaining healthy serotonin levels may help raise the threshold against attacks. By supporting serotonin production, vitamin D could help stabilize this important neurotransmitter system. This connection may also explain why depression—linked to low serotonin—is a common migraine comorbidity.

The CGRP Connection

CGRP inhibitors are a new class of drugs to prevent and treat chronic migraine. These medications work by blocking calcitonin gene-related peptide, which plays a major role in migraine pain. Interestingly, research suggests vitamin D supplements may naturally help reduce CGRP levels in migraine sufferers.

What Research Shows

Several studies highlight the vitamin D-migraine relationship:

  • A 2016 study found many young migraine patients had vitamin D deficiencies
  • In a 2018 clinical trial, patients taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily experienced approximately three fewer headache days per month

Vitamin D Sources

  • Food: Fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified milk and cereals
  • Sunlight: Regular sun exposure helps your body produce vitamin D
  • Supplements: Available in various strengths from 400-5,000 IU

Recommended Daily Intake

  • Ages 0-12 months: 400 IU
  • Ages 1-70 years: 600 IU
  • Over 70 years: 800 IU

The maximum safe daily amount for most adults is 4,000 IU.

If you suffer from migraines, consider discussing vitamin D testing with your healthcare provider, particularly if your current treatments aren’t providing adequate relief.