Suffering from migraine? Increase your vitamin B intake to manage the pain

Migraine is a pesky problem that can leave you with your head between your hands and create a feeling of helplessness. A migraine is much worse than a headache, with unbearable pain that makes it unable for the person to carry on with their daily tasks. Migraine is also a problem that gets triggered very easily. If you have been suffering from migraine, you may have noticed some triggers like standing for too long in the sunlight or not getting a proper night’s rest. But did you know that vitamin B deficiency can also be a trigger of your migraine? Yes, you heard that right. Your diet plays a huge role in triggering a migraine and vitamin B deficiency is one factor you must watch out.

Migraines are different from headaches as it is a neurological condition which can cause severe headaches, accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines are sometimes preceded by warning symptoms. Triggers include hormonal changes, certain foods and beverages, stress and lack of exercise. Migraine headaches can cause throbbing in one particular area that can vary in intensity.

Though migraine is a treatable condition, it can last for many years. So, it becomes necessary to recognise the migraine triggers and try to avoid them as much as possible. According to a study published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, high intake of thiamine or vitamin B was significantly associated with lower odds of migraine, especially in females.

How vitamin B deficiency can lead to migraines?

“Vitamin B is an important factor for energy metabolism in the human body. It’s an important link between raw materials for energy production like carbohydrates, fats and final usable energy for body functions,” says Dr Natasha Kumrah, MBBS, MD-General Medicine, Ruby Hall Clinic.

The doctor further explained that vitamin B gets consumed at a faster rate in episodes of stress as in poor sleep, being overworked, poor diet and infections which directly affects our nervous system resulting in fatigue and headaches, leading to migraine and may even lead to paralysis in a medical condition known as subacute combined degeneration (SACD) of spinal cord.

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Researchers in the above mentioned study reported that two types of vitamin B, thiamine (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2), if not consumed in the right quantity can be a huge trigger for migraines. The study states that thiamine could provide a useful dietary supplement for migraine-suffering individuals.

The best way to get rid of vitamin B deficiency is to include vitamin B rich foods in your every day diet. One must especially include foods rich in vitamin B1 (peas, wholewheat bread, nuts, etc. ) and vitamin B2 (milk, eggs, yoghurt, etc.) to avoid triggering their migraines.

List of foods that are rich in vitamin B:

* Milk
* Eggs
* Cheese
* Peas
* Nuts
* Liver
* Mushroom
* Meat
* Fish

There are many more such vitamin B rich foods that you must include in your diet to deal with your migraine problem.