Melatonin is better than drugs for migraine prevention

by Stepy — May 22, 2016

Melatonin is better than drugs for migraine prevention

Melatonin is better than drugs for migraine prevention, according to new research from the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Migraines cause intense throbbing and pain in the head, and is usually followed with nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light.

According to the National Sleep Foundation:

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally made in the body by the pineal gland. The hormone is released into the bloodstream during nighttime, causing you to feel less alert. Sleep becomes more inviting.

The researchers set out to find if melatonin is better than drugs for migraine prevention — specifically the commonly prescribed drug amitriptyline.

The study methods were explained in the abstract:

“Men and women, aged 18–65 years, with migraine with or without aura, experiencing 2–8 attacks per month, were enrolled. After a 4-week baseline phase, 196 participants were randomised to placebo, amitriptyline 25 mg or melatonin 3 mg, and 178 took a study medication and were followed for 3 months (12 weeks). The primary outcome was the number of migraine headache days per month at baseline versus last month. Secondary end points were responder rate, migraine intensity, duration and analgesic use. Tolerability was also compared between groups.”

The results were as follows:

“Mean headache frequency reduction was 2.7 migraine headache days in the melatonin group, 2.2 for amitriptyline and 1.1 for placebo. Melatonin significantly reduced headache frequency compared with placebo (p=0.009), but not to amitriptyline (p=0.19). Melatonin was superior to amitriptyline in the percentage of patients with a greater than 50% reduction in migraine frequency. Melatonin was better tolerated than amitriptyline. Weight loss was found in the melatonin group, a slight weight gain in placebo and significantly for amitriptyline users.”

“Melatonin 3 mg is better than placebo for migraine prevention, more tolerable than amitriptyline and as effective as amitriptyline 25 mg,” the study authors concluded.

Like most drugs, melatonin does have side effects. Be sure to talk to your health practitioner or physician before taking melatonin for any conditions.

The study showing that melatonin is better than drugs for migraine prevention was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Note: None of the information in our website is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. The content on our website is for educational purposes only.

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REFERENCES:
1. “Melatonin Superior To Toxic Drug In Migraine Prevention Study.” GreenMedInfo.com. GreenMedInfo.com, n.d. Web. 21 May 2016.
2. “Randomised Clinical Trial Comparing Melatonin 3 mg, Amitriptyline 25 mg and Placebo for Migraine Prevention.” Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, n.d. Web. 21 May 2016.
3. “Melatonin and Sleep.” National Sleep Foundation. National Sleep Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 May 2016.
4. “Migraine.” Mayo Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2016.
5. “Melatonin Side Effects: What Are the Risks?” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 21 May 2016.