By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

September 10, 2014

• Do migraine meds really work?
• Control your gut to avoid brain-crushing headaches
• Here’s what else you can do

If you suffer from migraines, there may be any number of triggers that set the pain and agony into motion. But there’s one thing that’s for sure. People who experience migraines have reduced levels of a specific neurotransmitter that inhibits pain and regulates mood.

You’ve probably heard of it before. It’s called serotonin.

Low serotonin levels can make you feel stressed, anxious and depressed. But that’s not the end of it. People who have low levels of this neurotransmitter are more likely than other folks to suffer migraines. Worse yet, serotonin levels fall even further during a migraine attack.

Now, here’s the thing…

Somewhere around 90% of serotonin is produced in your GI tract. But, if you become constipated or have an imbalance of healthy gut microbiota, it can throw that production system out of whack.

I believe this is why certain foods are one of the most common migraine triggers I see here in my practice.

The nitrates in hotdogs, deli meats, bacon and ham can send you reeling. Histamines in beer and wine can be a problem, too. And, let’s not forget about fermented foods, cheese, peanut butter, chocolate, foods laced with MSG, and one in our diets almost every single day – gluten.

What can you do to stop the pain and improve serotonin levels?

Sadly, the same medicine you reach for to stop migraine pain may be driving your serotonin levels down even further. Analgesic drugs, like over-the-counter acetaminophen or prescription narcotics might help in the short-term. But they also deplete serotonin.

Overuse of these drugs can also cause rebound headaches. Once the medicine wears off, you get a pounding headache. This drives you to take another dose of the drug. Eventually you’ll reach the point that you get a headache every time you stop taking the drug.

In that case, your doctor might write you up a prescription for a “triptan.” These drugs mimic the action of serotonin by activating serotonin receptors. This helps block pain, but it does nothing to increase serotonin levels.

They also come with a boatload of problems. People with heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease or obesity face serious risks if they take them. That’s because these drugs constrict blood vessels and arteries.

Your best bet, then, is to naturally increase your serotonin levels.

Your body uses an amino acid called tryptophan to produce serotonin. However, we really don’t get much tryptophan in our diets.

Small amounts of it can be found in high-protein foods like shrimp, chicken, turkey, halibut and beef. But even if you eat large amounts of these foods, you probably don’t get enough tryptophan to dramatically boost serotonin levels in the brain.

That’s because tryptophan fights with other amino acids to get past the blood-brain barrier.

But, don’t worry!

Tryptophan is converted into something called 5-HTP before it’s made into serotonin. And it’s easy enough to boost your natural 5-HTP levels. You can buy it in supplement form, and all it takes is about 100 mg. daily to boost serotonin levels.

Taking a daily probiotic and a high-quality digestive enzyme complex can help, too.

Look for a probiotic that contains multiple strains of lactobacillus and bifobacterium. It should also include a “prebiotic” to help the good bacteria survive the trip to the gut and intestines. This will help restore a healthy balance of gut bacteria to keep your digestive tract working smoothly.

As far as enzymes are concerned, choose a formula that contains a good mix of enzymes, including…

• Amylase for carbohydrate digestion
• Protease to help digest proteins
• Lipase for the digestion of fats
• Maltase to convert complex sugars in grain foods to glucose
• Cellulase to break down fibers
• Sucrase to help digest sugars

These natural solutions can help put your body chemicals back in balance to prevent the onset of a migraine headache. But, it might take a little bit of time to restore a proper balance.

In the meantime, here are a few other tips to quickly shut down a migraine…

Feverfew can reduce both the frequency and severity of migraines. In fact, it can prevent about two thirds of migraines in people who have them. Take 250 to 325 mg. of a feverfew supplement that is standardized to contain 0.2 – 0.4% parthenolides four times per day.

Magnesium is also a winner. It’s known as the “relaxation” mineral and helps increase your brain’s blood flow. If you don’t have enough magnesium, you might be more prone to migraines. However, 250 to 400 mg. of magnesium citrate or glycinate daily in a divided dose can help you avoid these brain-clobbering headaches.

I’ve found that combining CoQ10 with feverfew and magnesium is a perfect combination. CoQ10 helps reduce frequency, number of headache days and severity. But don’t settle for “any old” CoQ10. Look for the most bio-available form available. It’s called “ubiquinol.” Take 100 mg. daily.

While you may need to experiment to see what works for you, I’ve found these natural remedies are a good starting point.

Sources:
Srikiatkhachorn A, et al. “Derangement of serotonin system in migrainous patients with analgesic abuse headache: clues from platelets.” Headache. 1998 Jan;38(1):43-9.

David M. Biondi. Selective Serotonin Agonists for the Acute Management of Migraine. 268-269. Copyright © 2006 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Nathan PJ, et al. “The neuropharmacology of L-theanine(N-ethyl-L-glutamine): a possible neuroprotective and cognitive enhancing agent.” J Herb Pharmacother. 2006;6(2):21-30.

Diener HC, et al. “Efficacy and safety of 6.25 mg t.i.d. feverfew CO2-extract (MIG-99) in migraine prevention – a randomized, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled study.” Cephalalgia. 2005 Nov;25(11):1031-41.

Sándor PS, et al. “Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial.” Neurology. 2005 Feb 22;64(4):713-5.

Mauskop A, et al. “Why all migraine patients should be treated with magnesium.” J Neural Transm. 2012 May;119(5):575-9.