Dietary Riboflavin Linked to Fewer Migraines

PHILADELPHIA—Dietary intake of riboflavin is associated with a lower occurrence of migraine, according to new research presented at the American Headache Society’s 61st Annual Scientific Meeting.

Previous studies have suggested that riboflavin supplementation could help prevent migraine in adults. Despite being widely available via the food supply, little information is available on the average dietary riboflavin intake of adults with migraine.

Researchers from George Mason University conducted an observational cross-sectional study involving 3634 adults aged 20 to 50 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2004). Using 24-hour dietary recall and answers from a dietary supplement questionnaire, the researchers calculated average daily dietary, supplement, and total (diet plus supplement) riboflavin consumption.

Overall, the researchers found that mean dietary riboflavin consumption of adults with frequent migraine was significantly lower than those observed in controls (2.14 vs 2.36 mg/day). However, supplement and total riboflavin consumption were not significantly different among participants with migraine and controls (9.37 vs 7.19 mg/day and 4.25 vs 4.28 mg/day, respectively).

Higher levels of dietary (odds ratio [OR] Q3 = 0.73) and total intake of riboflavin (OR Q3 = 0.63) were associated with lower incidence of migraine compared with the lowest riboflavin intake quartile.

“In the US, the average dietary and total riboflavin intake of adult migraineurs fulfill the Recommended Dietary Allowance. However, diets containing higher levels of dietary riboflavin intake and total (diet + supplement) riboflavin intake at levels approximately 2-3 times the RDA were associated with a lower occurrence of probable migraine, as compared to the reference group consuming an average amount near the RDA value,” the researchers concluded.

“Future migraine prophylaxis studies may consider reevaluating the effective riboflavin supplement dose and the influence of baseline dietary riboflavin intake on the symptoms of migraine.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:
Li H, Krall J, DeJonge. Intake of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and the occurrence of migraine: a cross-sectional analysis of the national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2004 database. Paper presented at: American Headache Society 61st Annual Scientific Meeting; July 11-14, 2019; Philadelphia, PA.