Vitamin D and Migraine: Review of Current Evidence

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder of the brain. It is chronic, debilitating, and progressive and has important effects on the patient’s life. Migraine is one of the most common types of headaches in many countries of the world including Iran. In recent years, vitamin D deficiency has been identified as a global public health problem. Since previous studies have suggested the benefits of vitamin D in treating migraine headaches, we reviewed available literature on vitamin D and migraine. Using migraine, vitamin D, and headache as keywords, we searched PubMed and Scopus for articles published during 1994-2012. Case reports had emphasized the role of vitamin D in reducing the number and duration of headaches and migraines. The relationship between low levels of serum vitamin D and higher incidence of chronic pain and headaches (including migraines) had been suggested by a number of studies. Although the exact role of vitamin D deficiency in headaches and muscle and bone pain has not been identified, possible mechanisms are serum magnesium deficiency and presence of vitamin D receptors, alpha 1-hydroxylase, and vitamin D-binding protein in the brain and particularly hypothalamus. Vitamin D can be effective in the treatment of chronic pain and headaches including migraines. However, due to the small number of available studies, more research in this field is warranted.