There is interest in whether supplements, including vitamin D and marine omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, may be effective migraine prophylaxis. However, few studies have evaluated whether vitamin D or n-3 fatty acid supplementation may reduce migraine frequency or severity.
Methods
Participants in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) were assigned to vitamin D3 (2000 IU/d) or marine n-3 fatty acid (1 g/d) supplementation in a 2-by-2 factorial design. Lifetime history of migraine was assessed a median of 4.6 years after the start of the trial. Individuals were asked to self-report changes in migraine frequency (no change, more frequent, or less frequent) and severity (no change, more severe, less severe) in the past 5 years. We used χ2 tests to compare proportions of individuals reporting changes in migraine frequency and severity between active and placebo groups.
Results
Among the 25,871 participants in VITAL, 1032 participants had a history of probable migraine and provided information on changes in migraine frequency and severity. The percentage of individuals reporting decreases in migraine frequency did not differ between active (69.0%) and placebo vitamin D (68.4%) (P value = 0.54) or between active (67.8%) and placebo n-3 fatty acid (69.6%) (P value = 0.82). Similarly, the percentage of individuals reporting decreases in migraine severity did not differ between active (64.1%) and placebo vitamin D (65.0%) (P value = 0.86) or between active (64.5%) and placebo n-3 fatty acid (64.5%) (P value = 0.96).
Conclusions
Neither vitamin D nor marine n-3 fatty acid supplementation, compared to placebo, affected migraine frequency or severity among middle-aged or older adults.
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-Pamela M. Rist, ScD, Julie E. Buring, ScD, Nancy R. Cook, ScD, JoAnn E. Manson, MD, DrPH, Tobias Kurth, MD, ScD
