Researchers studied over 3,200 women to see if getting enough magnesium in their diet could help prevent migraines. They found that younger women (before menopause) who got adequate magnesium had fewer migraines, but this benefit didn’t appear in older women (after menopause). The study suggests that hormonal changes during menopause might affect how magnesium helps with migraines. Since many American women don’t get enough magnesium, this finding could help doctors give better advice about diet and migraine prevention, especially for women in their reproductive years.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating or taking enough magnesium helps prevent migraines, and whether this effect is different for women before and after menopause
  • Who participated: 3,248 women from a large national health survey conducted between 1999-2004. The group included 1,412 pre-menopausal women (still having periods) and 1,836 post-menopausal women (no longer having periods)
  • Key finding: Pre-menopausal women who got enough magnesium (up to about 325 mg per day) had a 36% lower chance of having migraines. This benefit was not seen in post-menopausal women, suggesting that hormonal changes during menopause affect how magnesium works in the body
  • What it means for you: If you’re a woman before menopause who gets migraines, making sure you get enough magnesium through food or supplements may help reduce how often you get them. However, this is just one study, and you should talk to your doctor before making changes to your diet or starting supplements

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers looked at information collected at one point in time rather than following people over months or years. The researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a large government study that tracks the health of American adults. They looked at what women reported eating and drinking, how much magnesium they got from food and supplements, and whether they experienced migraines. The researchers carefully controlled for other factors that might affect migraines, like age, weight, smoking, drinking, high blood pressure, and diabetes, to make sure magnesium was the main thing being studied.

This research approach is important because it allowed scientists to look at real-world eating patterns and migraine experiences in a large group of women. By separating pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women, the researchers could see if hormonal changes affect how magnesium helps with migraines. This type of study is good for finding patterns and suggesting ideas for future research, though it can’t prove that magnesium directly causes fewer migraines

The study used data from a well-respected national health survey with high participation rates (79-84% of people invited participated). The researchers measured magnesium intake carefully by asking about both food and supplements. However, because this is a cross-sectional study, it shows relationships but cannot prove cause-and-effect. The study relied on women’s memory of their eating habits and whether they had migraines, which could introduce some errors. The findings need to be confirmed by future studies that follow women over time

What the Results Show

The study found that migraines were much more common in pre-menopausal women (31.3%) compared to post-menopausal women (15.6%). This makes sense because hormones during a woman’s reproductive years can trigger migraines. When researchers looked at magnesium intake, they found an interesting pattern in pre-menopausal women: those who got adequate magnesium (below about 325 mg per day) had significantly fewer migraines. Specifically, for every unit increase in magnesium intake below this threshold, the odds of having migraines decreased by 36%. However, getting more magnesium than 325 mg per day didn’t provide additional migraine protection. In post-menopausal women, magnesium intake had no significant relationship with migraines, suggesting that menopause changes how magnesium affects migraine risk.

The researchers also checked their findings using a weighted analysis method to account for the survey’s sampling design, and the results stayed the same, which strengthens confidence in the findings. The study controlled for many other factors that could affect migraines, including calcium intake, kidney function, and inflammation markers, but magnesium’s effect remained significant in pre-menopausal women

While magnesium has been studied for migraine prevention before, this is the first study to specifically compare how it works differently in pre-menopausal versus post-menopausal women. Previous research has suggested magnesium may help with migraines, but this study adds important information about how menopause might change this relationship. The finding that hormonal status matters is new and could explain why some previous studies had mixed results

This study has several important limitations. Because it’s cross-sectional, it shows that magnesium and fewer migraines go together, but it can’t prove that magnesium prevents migraines. Women reported their own eating habits from memory, which can be inaccurate. Migraines were also self-reported rather than diagnosed by a doctor. The study was conducted from 1999-2004, so eating patterns may have changed since then. The study couldn’t explain why magnesium helps pre-menopausal but not post-menopausal women. Finally, the study was observational, so other unmeasured factors could explain the relationship

The Bottom Line

If you’re a pre-menopausal woman with migraines, talk to your doctor about whether increasing your magnesium intake might help. The recommended daily amount of magnesium is 310-320 mg for adult women. You can get magnesium from foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, or through supplements if recommended by your doctor. However, this is just one study, so don’t rely on it alone—discuss your migraine treatment plan with a healthcare provider. If you’re post-menopausal, this study doesn’t suggest magnesium will help with migraines, though it’s still important for overall health

Pre-menopausal women who experience migraines should pay attention to this research and consider discussing magnesium with their doctor. Women in their reproductive years who want to prevent migraines naturally may find this information helpful. Post-menopausal women should know this study didn’t find magnesium helpful for migraines, though they should still maintain adequate magnesium for bone and heart health. Anyone considering magnesium supplements should check with their doctor first, especially if they take other medications

If magnesium does help with migraines, you might notice improvements within a few weeks to a couple of months of consistently getting adequate magnesium. However, everyone is different, and some people may see benefits faster or slower. You should track your migraines for at least 4-8 weeks while maintaining adequate magnesium intake to see if there’s a real difference

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily magnesium intake (from food and supplements) alongside migraine frequency and severity. Record the date, time, and intensity of any migraines (on a scale of 1-10), and note your estimated magnesium intake that day. Look for patterns over 8-12 weeks to see if higher magnesium days correlate with fewer or less severe migraines
  • Set a daily goal to reach 310-320 mg of magnesium through food sources like almonds, spinach, pumpkin seeds, or whole wheat bread. Use the app to log these foods and track progress toward your daily magnesium goal. If you and your doctor decide to try a supplement, log that too and monitor any changes in migraine patterns
  • Use the app to create a 12-week migraine and magnesium tracking log. Set weekly reminders to review your data and look for trends. Share your tracked data with your doctor at your next visit to discuss whether magnesium supplementation is helping. Continue tracking even if you don’t see immediate changes, as patterns may take several weeks to emerge

This research suggests a possible relationship between magnesium intake and migraines in pre-menopausal women, but it does not prove that magnesium will prevent or treat migraines. This study is observational and cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships. Before making any changes to your diet, starting supplements, or changing migraine treatments, consult with your healthcare provider. Magnesium supplements can interact with certain medications and may not be appropriate for everyone. This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you experience severe or frequent migraines, seek care from a qualified healthcare professional