Dr Bolllmann, Skin Care Specialist, Anti-Aging Expert

Migraine headaches can be a debilitating problem, especially in women, where they are more frequent. One severe migraine can put you down for days. Recent evidence is showing that a mineral, folate, which is abundant in green leafy vegetables such as spinach, may reduce migraine frequency.

A debilitating neurovascular disorder, migraine raises a person’s risks of cardiovascular disease and endothelial dysfunction.  Lyn R. Griffiths, from Queensland University of Technology (Australia), and colleagues studied 41 women who suffered from migraine with aura, to investigate their intake of dietary folate in relation to migraine symptoms.  The women were genotyped for the MTHFR C677T variant, and folate intake was tracked using a standardized food survey.  Comparing folate consumption with migraine frequency, severity, and disability using linear regression, the team found a significant inverse relation between dietary folate and migraine frequency. As well, among those subjects with the MTHFR genotype, the researchers linked migraine frequency to folate consumption. The study authors report that: “The results from this study indicate that folate intake in the form of [folic acid] may influence migraine frequency in female [migraine with aura] sufferers.”

And leafy green vegetables are good for you, anyway.