Runner's Corner

October 2009 :  Managing Headaches

Managing Migraines and  Runner Headaches with Magnesium Glycinate

October Runner’s Corner

Kitty A. Consolo, Ph.D.

       For many of us, a nice run outside relieves our stress and makes headaches and tension disappear.  For an unfortunate small minority though, distance running and other exercise can trigger a painful migraine headache known as an exertional headache.  It usually occurs after the exercise but can last for hours and be very debilitating.  Recently though I have discovered an effective preventive which is safe and offers few side effects.  I refer to the supplement magnesium glycinate.

Magnesium is a mineral which is very important in many body functions.  We can consume it in foods such as nuts and seeds (1 ounce of sunflower seeds yields 100 mg, 1 ounce walnuts 45 mg), wheat bran cereals (1 ounce yields 134 mg of 100% bran), tofu (yields 94 mg per cup), potatoes (1 medium with skin yields 56 mg), avocados (1/2 yields 35 mg) and 3 ounces of shrimp yields 43 mg.  However it is difficult to get enough mg through diet to be effective in managing headaches as often 400mg or more is recommended.  And to eat a lot more of the above foods can create stomach distress.

Best magnesium supplement.

The best supplement I have found is magnesium glycinate made by Klaire labs. One needs to find a pharmacy that carries this brand and order from them such as the wellness pharmacy 1-800-227-2627 in Alabama (direct number is 205-879-6551).  I am not paid nor do I get any benefit from promoting this product other than I have used it for the past few years with great success.  The reason I like this brand from Klaire is magnesium glycinate absorbs better than other magnesium products and it is hypoallergenic and comes in vegetarian capsules free of dairy, wheat, corn, soy, yeast, gluten, casein, sugar, colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners, hence an excellent choice for anyone with allergies like myself.  The capsules come in 100 mg and it works best to take 4 a day spaced out through out the day with meals.  Avoid caffeine within 3 hours of ingestion.

Results:

 My husband can finally run outside and no longer suffer from exertional migraines.  Yesterday he went 6 miles, absolutely unheard of without the magnesium glycinate.  We are not alone in our findings.  A research study in Germany found that headache frequency dropped 42% in adults who took 600mg magnesium daily for a month.  A study in Italian children found those who took 122 mg to 366 mg a day had 2/3 fewer migraines after one month.

Other benefits from magnesium

Research has shown magnesium to have several other benefits as well.  Here they are;

--helps heart arrhythmias:  A British study found that taking magnesium for six weeks reduced arrthymias between 25% and 50%. 

--helps blocked arteries:  Researchers from the Center of Disease control have found that high blood magnesium cuts ones odds of dying from common ischemic heart disease by 1/3.  Low magnesium is also associated with lower good HDL (a bad thing) and hardening of the arteries.

--helps lower blood pressure:  Cornell researcher Dr. Resnick found that the higher magnesium inside your cells, the more likely one is to have lower blood pressure.  He calls magnesium a natural calcium-channel blocker and says supplements can normalize blood pressure.

--helps diabetes:  According to Dr. Jerry Nadler of University of Virginia School of Medicine, “diabetes is a magnesium deficiency state.”  He finds 80% of diabetes have low intracellular magnesium.  Other researchers suggest diabetics take 400 mg a day.

--helps with strong bones:   We not only need calcium for our bones we need magnesium.  In Sweden, a recent study found it was magnesium, not calcium, that helped prevent hip fractures in older women.  Tufts researchers found high magnesium levels predicted a higher bone mass. 

--help with sleep: Several studies have found that lack of magnesium can alter electrical activity in the brain causing frequent wakening and poor sleep.

--help with pain:  Research has found that 100mg to 400mg of magnesium daily can bring relief from leg and muscle cramps.  I have felt much better and no more muscle cramps when I went from 100mg to 400mg but again, space throughout the day.

Stress can deplete one of magnesium and so can heavy training of over 30 miles a week so be sure to be getting 400 mg a day at least during these times.  One down side though of getting too much magnesium is that it can have a laxative effect so start with 100mg a day and build up to 400 mg with meals before you go higher.  Try to find the dose that works well for you with no laxative effect—for most people it is 400mg.

Hope to see you on the roads—headache and pain-free.  Kitty

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