Natural treatments for vestibular migraine can help bring down the severity of vertigo, dizziness, and light sensitivity. Often they work best when accompanied by medications, but for some people, the natural treatments are enough.
These are a few migraine prevention vitamins and treatments that have helped me over the years. A lot of these natural remedies for migraine associated vertigo and other vestibular migraine symptoms have been a part of my vestibular migraine story, even if I don't currently take some of them. This post is always changing depending on new treatments I'm discovering and testing myself.
Please always consult your doctor before taking any supplement. This is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice.
Jump to:
- Vestibular Migraine Supplements
- Advantages of Individual Supplements
- Magnesium for Migraine Relief
- Riboflavin for Migraine Prevention
- CoQ10 and Ubiquinol
- Maca and Vitamin E for Menstrual Migraine
- Vitamin D Deficiency and Migraine
- Ginger and Turmeric for Pain
- Tryptophan for Anxiety and Sleep
- Probiotics for Migraine
- Other Natural Treatments for Vestibular Migraine
- Multivitamins and Prenatal Vitamins
Vestibular Migraine Supplements
When I originally wrote this post at the beginning of creating The Dizzy Cook almost 5 years ago, I was at the edge of wanting to start a family. The thought of having a baby when you're dealing with chronic migraine can be overwhelming, but I also didn't want to give up on that dream. Because I knew it would be difficult to start a medication I might have to wean off of quickly due to pregnancy, I pressed my neurologist to focus on a vestibular migraine treatment plan that would have a focus on things I could continue during pregnancy and postpartum.
If you're also trying to get pregnant, the plan can depend on the severity of your migraine attacks. You should discuss with your OB-GYN the risks of medicating while pregnant. Mine was very open about the risk, but for some of her patients that experience life-threatening conditions like seizures, it’s important for their own health to continue medication. For me, the best option was to only use acute treatments at certain times, but to rely heavily on natural remedies for vestibular migraine.
I’ve been incredibly lucky that I’ve done well without using a lot of medication for the majority of my migraine treatment (outside of my preventative timolol malate eye drops). Even the weaning process off medication wasn’t horrible, although I did experience some pretty significant side effects from coming off of birth control. It was tough for a month or two, but eventually evened out back to a good baseline. I really buckled down on the supplements below and the HYH diet during that time.
Advantages of Individual Supplements
I used to take Migrelief, which was a combination of magnesium oxide and citrate, CoQ10, and B2, the most highly recommended migraine cocktail. For some reason (probably the expense of CoQ10), they quit carrying that version and only carry the kind with Feverfew. I tried it and it gave me headaches, so I had to switch to taking everything separately. That ended up being the best for me.
Some doctors say it's best to take supplements separately as combination supplements can have more fillers and less expensive ingredients. One of our family friends who is a popular rheumatologist has said it's significantly more effective to take individual supplements over combined pills.
Finally, with individual supplements you can add and take away to actually see what's helping. There's no point in just taking supplements if they're not actually helping...unless you like expensive pee!
Magnesium for Migraine Relief
There are a few other magnesium types that are great for magnesium deficiency and chronic illness. Malate is said to be good for people with fibromyalgia or CFS. For people taking high doses, magnesium glycinate is really great since it is bonded to the amino acid glycine as opposed to citrate which is bonded to citric acid.
Glycine itself supports digestive and mental health, as well as having natural relaxing properties. This makes it an optimum form of magnesium for those with migraines or neurological issues. This is a great natural solution for vertigo. I find Metagenics makes me a little more sleepy, but more relaxed than Pure Encapsulations. Because of this, I like to take it at night before bed.
Another good option is magnesium threonate, which studies have shown is good for mental clarity, memory, and overall brain health. This one can be a lot more expensive and difficult to find. Pure Encapsulations makes one called CogniMag. I have ordered the 3 below and found all have great results. CogniMag has been a staple for me for years now and it has helped SO much with brain fog. I think the berry blend they add to it is the key as I've tried other brands with not as much success.
Many brands, like the popular Calm drink, contain magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide. If you’ve ever taken magnesium and had an upset stomach after, chances are you’re taking the citrate or oxide version. It has a laxative effect on many people.
Taking high amounts of magnesium, like the levels needed for migraine treatment, can sometimes cause gastrointestinal distress. This is why glycinate and threonate are often recommended as they typically don't cause this issue (but sometimes they do for certain people!).
Where to order:
For US residents, take advantage of my supplement store which gives you an amazing discount on all the brands below. You can also order these on amazon at full price.
- Magnesium Threonate - CogniMag by Pure Encapsulations
- Magnesium Glycinate by Pure Encapsulations
- Metagenics Magnesium Glycinate
- UK ONLY Magnesium Glycinate by Pure Encapsulations
Because your body can only absorb so much magnesium orally, I like to supplement with topical treatments like magnesium chloride salts and spray or lotion. My favorite brand is Ancient Minerals and if you browse their products they have a few that are for sensitive skin. Sometimes magnesium applied topically can cause itching and redness.
Riboflavin for Migraine Prevention
Vitamin B2 - My neurologist told me this is one of the best vitamins you can take for migraine prevention and has been scientifically proven that it works. There's even a study on it preventing migraine for children. Like magnesium, people with chronic migraine may be B2 deficient. What’s really interesting to me is B2 deficiency has side effects of digestive problems. I had struggled with digestive problems before my migraine attacks began, which I attributed to stress, but any issues I had have since cleared after starting the supplements and diet.
Studies have shown that Riboflavin can cut the number of headache days, as well as reduce the length and severity of migraine. It’s also relatively low cost and has minimal risk of side effects, although it does interact with certain medications (like some tricyclic anti-depressents).
The only downside is it’s tough to find a capsule without gelatin in it, and some of the foods it’s found in can be migraine triggers like soy, almonds, and yogurt! 400mg a day is recommended for migraine patients based on studies. The below brands are gelatin free and are not a part of a "b complex".
Recommendations:
- Bluebonnet B2
- Seeking Health Riboflavin - 400mg (discounted) - If you don't want to take 4 pills, these capsules contain 400mg and are gelatin free. I personally used to take these.
- UK ONLY Solgar B2 Riboflavin
CoQ10 and Ubiquinol
CoQ10 helps the cells in your body produce energy, and is an antioxidant as well. Your body produces it naturally, but it can also be depleted by certain medications or just be low in general. Studies have shown it can reduce the frequency of migraines.
It’s great for those who struggle with the brain fog, memory problems, and mental clarity that comes from migraine attacks. This supplement has a few more side effects to worry about, like dizziness and rashes.
I began my migraine journey with CoQ10 in 300mg, but switched to Ubiquinol under the advice of my Reproductive Endocrinologist when I began fertility treatments. This is strictly from the perspective that it helps with egg quality, however, I found it also helped my vestibular migraine attacks more than CoQ10 did. So if you're not finding success with regular CoQ10, definitely give Ubiquinol a try.
Below are some recommendations for CoQ10:
- NOW CoQ10 Veggie Capsules
- CoQ10 from Pure Encapsulations (discount)
- UK ONLY Doctors Best Veggie Capsules
For Ubiquinol, I struggled to find a brand without gelatin. Restorative Formulations is the best bet for ingredients and price. Pure Encapsulations is also an option, but just so expensive.
Maca and Vitamin E for Menstrual Migraine
Maca - While on the topic of brain fog and mental clarity, maca has been a huge help for me during a period of time with vestibular migraine. It's is a root vegetable from Peru that’s abundant in several vitamins and minerals which support the endocrine system. While it’s mainly known for its ability to help balance hormones and improve sexual dysfunction, its energizing properties can also help with memory recall.
As I was transitioning off birth control and my hormones were trying to regulate, I put about ½ teaspoon of powder in my smoothie every morning. It really helped my hormonal migraines clear in about 2 weeks. The fact that it promotes fertility is a nice bonus!
Maca can be tough to digest, especially if you’re not used to it. I suggest keeping doses low at less than 1 teaspoon, or trying gelatinized maca which is supposed to be more gentle on the stomach. Gelatinized refers to the process and does not mean that it contains “gelatin” that’s derived from animals. Try it in a smoothie like this sunbutter maca smoothie.
If maca is interesting to you, you may also want to look into chasteberry as well, which can be helpful with hormone regulation. I personally took the Metagenics chasteberry.
Vitamin E - Dr. Beh mentions in Victory Over Vestibular Migraine that 400mg of vitamin E daily the week of your period can be helpful for preventing menstrual migraine attacks. I haven't personally tried this, but it's something to look into.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Migraine
Vitamin D3 - My neurologist, Dr. Shin Beh, explained to me that some who have migraine also have a vitamin D deficiency. It’s not only important for having strong bones, but can also help lower inflammation.
High doses of vitamin D can be harmful for some people, and I will need to dial back my dose if pregnant.
- 5000IU/2000 IU from Pure Encapsulations (I take 5000 when my bloodwork reads that I'm low).
- UK PE Vitamin D
Ginger and Turmeric for Pain
Ginger/Turmeric - I tried to take Gaia Ginger Supreme as a daily preventative, but my stomach just couldn’t handle it and I got acid reflux about 7 out of 10 times. It did help if I took it in the morning or at lunch with a meal, as opposed to in the evenings. I still like to keep the bottle handy if I’m in any pain as a migraine abortive. Here is the UK ginger.
The most recent Migraine World Summit mentioned turmeric, and curcumin specifically, can be helpful for migraine brain fog.
Ginger Turmeric Tea Recipe - When things got really bad, my husband would make me a migraine fighting ginger turmeric tea. What's nice is the flavor is more mild than a prepackaged tea and it's easier on the stomach.
Use a turmeric root about the size of your pinky finger and ginger root half the size of what you used for the turmeric. Microplane both into a steeping container. Steep in hot water for 7-10 minutes. You can strain out the little bits and pieces if you'd like. Add a tiny bit of black pepper, which aids in the absorption of the anti-inflammatory curcumin in turmeric, and a little bit of honey to taste.
Need something cool? Try my anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe which readers say is the best migraine smoothie! It's been known to bust an attack or bring down pain levels significantly, while being a way to get some food without making you feel more ill.
Tryptophan for Anxiety and Sleep
It's not uncommon for vestibular migraine to cause anxiety or sleep issues. I struggled with it heavily after the birth of my son. Studies have shown that tryptophan can help with migraine prevention as well as anxiety relief and sleep.
This was a supplement I tried under the advice of my doctor, however, there are some medications it can interfere with. If tryptophan supplements aren't for you, there are ways to incorporate it into your diet naturally through foods like chicken, turkey, cheese, and oats.
Probiotics for Migraine
There are a few brands you may like depending on what you need. Bio-Kult has a few specifically formulated for migraine patients like Migrea.
If you're sensitive to histamine, or trying a migraine elimination diet, you have to be careful with which types of bacteria strains you use in your probiotics. Lactobacillus casei has one of the highest levels of histamine and tyramine, as well as Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Both are popular in yogurts and probiotics.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus has been studied as a potential stabilizer for mast cells. Bifidobacterium infantis and Bifidobacterium longum also appear to be helpful in certain studies.
An option for those looking for a low histamine probiotic is Seeking Health Probiota Histamin X which you can get discounted or on Amazon and Bio-Kult Mind. Align probiotics is another popular one with readers.
Other Natural Treatments for Vestibular Migraine
If you're looking for other treatments outside of migraine prevention vitamins, these are a few options you can add in.
Dietary Changes
Obviously this website covers a lot of dietary changes, which was a huge part of my healing journey. The three most commonly recommended diets for vestibular migraine are Keto, Mediterranean, and the Johns Hopkins Migraine Diet.
Which one you choose is entirely up to you and your physician. I started with the elimination diet, which is also know as the John Hopkins Migraine Diet or Heal Your Headache. Since it helped me find my food triggers, I transitioned to the Mediterranean Migraine Diet for long term management. While elimination has you temporarily avoiding common migraine triggers before reintroduction, which should help to also raise your migraine threshold, the Mediterranean migraine diet is more about foods to include to support brain health. The book uses the omega 3 studies for recipes that support brain health.
Massage Therapy and Chiropractic
I did try out acupuncture for a few weeks, and I can’t say I had overwhelmingly noticeable results. For me, it wasn’t worth the cost to keep up. I noticed a much larger difference by scheduling a massage therapy session at least 1-2 times a month. While it’s expensive, I feel like it’s worth it in my cost/benefit analysis. It relaxes my neck muscles, promotes healing and mental clarity, allows me to fully relax, and is an all-natural treatment. I consider it my “preventative medication”.
My biggest recommendation is to find a massage therapist that you connect with. When looking for one, ask if they see patients with migraine and if they perform reflexology. My massage therapist performs acupressure, reflexology, deep-tissue, and occasionally cupping during my session. She also wraps my head to make it feel more secure and we do various grounding techniques for any increased dizziness.
For chiropractic care, it's important to do research and go with your gut feeling. A lot of chiropractors will claim they can cure your migraine attacks. Some of my readers have reported success with Atlas Orthogonality. I personally don't feel safe doing neck adjustments.
Some neurology clinics even have chiropractic care available as an affiliate or on-staff. I saw a larger improvement using regular massage therapy over chiropractic care, but these things can be entirely personal.
Green Light Therapy
- Allay Lamp - This lamp emits a specific wavelength of green light that's been studied to reduce the severity of migraine attacks and light sensitivity.
- Migraine glasses can help reduce symptoms. Avulux in particular uses green light therapy.
Mental Health
For an acute treatment, there are breathing techniques and affirmations you can use to get through. Telling yourself that you are safe, using visualization, or cognitive behavioral therapy can all be helpful tools. There are many free resources on Youtube, but I recommend finding a therapist who can work with you one on one.
Multivitamins and Prenatal Vitamins
My prenatal vitamin journey has been a doozy. My OB-GYN gave me a few multi-vitamins to test out so I can find one I like that works well with my migraines. Who knew it would be so difficult to find prenatal vitamins without additives? I switched from Pure Encapsulations PreNatal to MamaBird PreNatal because after going through recurring miscarriage and infertility, genetic testing showed I had the MTHFR gene. This means you cannot absorb folic acid properly, and need folate or methylfolate versions. I switched from MamaBird to Ritual when MamaBird changed the formula that was working for me. Ritual gave me awful fishy burps. With George, I settled on Seeking Health Prenatal and the only thing I hated about it is it's 6 pills a day! When I was pregnant with Lila, I went with Thorne Prenatal and was very happy with it.
For a general multivitamin, I recommend Pure Encapsulations ONE. A lot of followers do well with it.
Let me know if you have other natural treatments that have worked well for you!
This post was updated on August 6, 2020 with new information on brands I currently love. It was updated again in October 2021 to reflect new additions to supplements like tryptophan. Please note some of the links above are affiliate links, but they are also everything I actually use daily (except for some of the UK only brands).
Linda says
Thanks for your reply. how did you know which magnesium type suit you better? Oxide is good? I have now used Magnesium oxide 250mg, before one tablet a day but I have started taking two tablets (500mg) since yesterday. Sometimes I have used B2 and CoQ10, D vitamin sometimes as well.
I am a bit worried about B2 400mg - it is too much and too high than normal day level. will it not affect my liver in the future?
I wonder how long you have used these supplements and how long should you use them for? Migraine will be cured finally later?
I wonder about my work rights due my vestibular migraine if I could take a break from work for a few months to focus on my health then to go back to work? or unfit to work?
Linda
Alicia says
Hi Linda - I encourage you to read this article for more info on which magnesium would better suit you. Oxide is not very well absorbed.
Your question about B2 is better suited for your neurologist. That amount is highly recommended from Johns Hopkins, but everyone is different.
Unfortunately there is no "cure" for migraine, but the supplements can help. I cannot guarantee you how much they will help though. My recommendation is just based on scientific studies that show they can help to prevent migraine attacks and lessen symptoms. Most of the time it takes a few months to notice a difference. I would give them at least 3-4 months. I have used these supplements every day for over 3 years now.
It really depends on your company. An employment lawyer should be able to help you navigate your rights for your particular company. If you have FMLA, you can take advantage of that for a leave of absence.
I hope that helps.
Linda says
Hi
I like reading your blog. I have got the illness for 2 years and got some bad days and ok days but recently quite worse. It affect my job. I consider taking a break for some months from work to focus on my health.
I have tried using right supplements.
When have you used magnesiums, b2, and coq10, (along with a multivitamin) ? Morning or evening? Still using feverfew?
I heard primose evening capsule would help as well- I have used it and worked out but later there was still pain.
Let me know ASAP
Linda
Alicia says
Hi Linda,
I do not use feverfew, I don't seem to tolerate it well. I think because of the ragweed, but it's tough to say for sure.
I take these daily:
PE Magnesium Glycinate - 480mg at night. I find this supplement calming and best taken after dinner (between 400-800mg is recommended).
PE CogniMag - 72mg in the morning. I find this energizing and good for brain fog since I can’t drink caffeine.
Seeking Health Riboflavin - 400mg. I find this energizing as well so I take after breakfast or lunch.
PE CoQ10 - I try to take this in the morning or at lunch - 120mg (although 300mg is recommended)
PE Prenatal - I take this with lunch, only because I don’t eat a lot for breakfast and like to have it with more food.
Lavender essential oil - I like to put this on my temples at night
Every once in a while I still take D3, but no longer take them daily.
Colette Wise says
I clicked on onto your web site from my Superior Canal Dehiscence support group I am on. I began to get what the now say is vestibular migraines in 2013. I had my surgery that year. So many of my symptoms just have never gone away and I also was in a high level position for work. Now I no longer work. Last night I had a terrible migraine. It felt like my face on the right side was a combination on numb and on fire. I am like a bobble doll. I do not go to places where there is a lot of stimulation, patterns, or noise. It just sets me off and makes everything worse. I also should mention that I have another rare condition with my retina's. I now have lost the center vision of my left eye and my right is very blurry. I get injections in both eyes every 6 weeks, after that I can have terrible migraines for a few days. So, I know that is not helping my cause as far as some of my symptoms go. Because what is causing what is hard to say now. Before my surgery I did try the headache diet but, might give it a go again. I drive very little, it has to be very sunny and I only go short distances. I also have my groceries delivered now. It all can be a lot and very depressing. I also feel like there is something going on again with the left ear that was repaired before. I am so interested in trying some of the supplements you have suggested. My world is now very small and I do not go out much. I do see a migraine neurologist, but I'm not sure how that is going. It is only recently they have tried anything new. I have been getting botox in my head that seems to help a bit. I also tried Emgality for 3 months, but I started having an allergic reaction. So stopped that right away. Thank you for all the time and energy you have put in to help others that suffer. I am definitely going to try some of the supplements you have spoken of especially the magnesium. I will let you know if I see any relief. Thank you.
Alicia says
Hello! I'm glad you found me, and so sorry to hear about losing your job. I know how difficult that is when you work so hard for something, only to have these illnesses derail your life. The magnesium sounds like a great place to start to add in some changes to see if they work. You may really like this post on different types of magnesium - you can find the best fit for you. 🙂
Yolanda Peralta says
Hi Alicia,
Thank you for sharing your journey and what works for you. I'm a newbie to VM and am in search of what others are doing. Your site is a blessing. It's filled with so much information. I truly am grateful. Thank you!
Alicia says
Thank you so much, Yolanda! I hope some of these tips will help you start feeling better.
Danielle Alegre says
Hi Alicia!
I'm so happy I found your page on IG! I was searching #migrainediet. I don't have vestibular migraine, but I have migraine with aura and it looks like you and I have very similar management techniques. I pretty much floundered and suffered for a year and a half, including taking prescription migraine meds that made me worse! I tried lots of therapies like physical therapy for TMJ (that totally worked and now I no longer get tmj induced migraines), biofeedback (very helpful for prevention), accupuncture, and trigger point injection therapy (ok helpful, but extremely expensive and not long lasting) Then after about 18 months, last January 2018, I found information about migraine trigger foods, and I never looked back. Through trial and error and meticulous migraine journaling, I found out that I have TONS of food triggers, but despite having extreme restrictions, I'm happy to have relief. I also learned that if I sleep to MUCH, that's a trigger. I deeply mourned the loss of two enjoyable things (sleep and favorite foods) for about 2 minutes. I'm just so overjoyed to have my life back. Finally my last trigger was menstruation. This made me nervous bc I too was trying to get to the bottom of my migraines so I could get pregnant again. I got the green light from all my doctors and now I'm 7 months pregnant and 6 months migraine free. I had one very particular migraine in the first month that is actually quite specific to early pregnancy when hormones let you're body know you're pregnant. This is actually common, even for women who do not have chronic migraine disorder. It's a pretty mild one. It was over in 1 hour and responded perfectly to my management treatments. That's how I knew I was pregnant before getting a positive pregnancy test. I had one such migraine with my first pregnancy, and that was before I ever got migraines. Two things that helped me out tremendously that I don't read about a lot is coconut water before bed (for the electrolytes), breathe right strips during sleep starting in 2nd trimester (bc the increased blood volume causes swelling that reduces airflow, and that can cause morning migraines) and the Cefaly Dual Device. I got the Rx from my neurologist. I do the prevention setting daily and when I was still getting menstrual migraines, this thing was a life saver. It numbs the pain. Anyway, thank you so much for all your amazing work that you're doing for the community. Even though my diet is surely too restricted to enjoy all your recipes, I really look forward to trying to modify them so I can branch out a bit!
Alicia says
Hi Danielle,
That's awesome! Glad you checked out the page. I've been able to add a lot of foods that were once triggers back in over time, so I hope that helps you. Congratulations on the pregnancy!
My neuro loves the cefaly and I'm counting on using it if I have any issue when I get pregnant too. Let me know how it goes and if you need help modifying any recipes. There are different drop downs on the menu for paleo/gluten free/vegan etc. so I'm sure you can find a few that fit!
Wendy says
Hi Alicia - Thanks for these great recommendations! I went ahead and purchased some of these brands. Just wondering - how much CoQ10 do you take per day?
Alicia says
Be sure to check with your doctor just to confirm - I take 100mg a day.
Michelle says
Hi Alicia, great information! I have vestibular migraine as well as long term post concussion syndrome. I have been really struggling with my migraines. I have recently switched to magnesium glycinate from citrate, added B2, I can’t seem to tolerate the co-Q 10. It causes me more dizziness. I have been on hormonal birth control since the birth of my son 16 years ago, and suffer for about 10 days a month with hormonal headaches. I’m unsure of whether to come off the pill or switch to a different type. I no longer need it for birth control, but it has been suggested my headaches would be worse stopping it. I see in the above post you had stopped birth control along your journey, I am wondering if you talk more about it elsewhere, or if you could share some strategies that helped I have been on hormonal birth control since the birth of my son 16 years ago, and suffer for about 10 days a month with hormonal headaches. I’m unsure of whether to come off the pill or switch to a different type. I no longer need it for birth-control, but it has been suggested my headaches would be worse if stopping it. I see in the above post you had stopped birth control along your journey, I am wondering if you talk more about it elsewhere, or if you could share some strategies that helped? coming off of it! Thank you!
Lisa Cecchin says
I am so glad to have found this web site, thank you so much for taking the time to help others who suffer.
I am a little confused about taking both mag glycinate and mag threonate. If I want to try both together, how much of each one and how often?
Alicia says
Hi Lisa,
It's really up to you! Since magnesium threonate is so expensive, I only take around 100mg of that and then supplement the rest of my 400mg + with magnesium glycinate. If you're using Pure Encapsulations, that would be roughly 2 pills of the cognimag and 4 of the mag glycinate. If you're just starting magnesium in general, you may want to work your way up to taking that much. Basically just start with the max amount your doctor recommended you take (for most that's between 400-800mg) and then you can split it up any way you'd like really.
Rachel says
Hi Alicia,
You say here that you take 100mg of magnesium threonate but I saw the two kinds people suggested and you added in another post as a less costly option (Magtein and Teraputics) say they are 2000mg + . Even your CogniMag says it is 1000 mg Magnesium threonate, or 72 mg p serving on the label. I'm so confused!
Alicia says
72mg is the total dose for Cognimag. On Terapeutics it would be 144mg. Sometimes companies will label it with the total dose vs. the amount of magnesium actually contained. You would have to take sooooo many cognimag to get to the point where you're at a therapeutic dose for migraine (anywhere from 400-800mg) so that's why supplementing with other types is helpful. I think when I say I take 100mg of mag threonate, I'm just rounding up on the 72mg of Cognimag. But for terapeutics you would automatically get 144mg. You just need to factor it all in to the total amount you're taking. I hope that makes sense.
Rachel says
I think it makes sense but let me just clarify to know for sure...
So my doctor has recommended 600 mg of Magnesium p day, but didn't specify which kind. I tried oxide at first and boy did it send my stomach into a tizzy. I'd like to try Glycinate and L-Threonate based on what I've read here, since I have VM. So if I am looking to do a total of 600 mg and purchasing these two kinds, you are saying I would just split up that 600 however I'd like between the two and time of day, etc.?
Alicia says
Yes, exactly! I'm not sure if you saw this post but there are more options here too. That post may help with timing as some types of a little more energizing and others are more relaxing. I take more of magnesium glycinate simply because it's less expensive than threonate. But you can play around with amounts and figure out what works best for you.
Robin says
This is an amazing resource. I don't know if people realize how much work that is... to catalog a product and attach all the research AND the link. It's unfortunate, but so many migraineurs have been "fleeced" with snake oil, (I've spend thousands looking for a miracle cure), so I truly value unbiased opinions
Thank you so much.
Alicia says
Thanks so much for your comment, Robin. You're right! I see it all the time in my groups where many try to sell their products because people like myself are so desperate. I think it's a fine line because there's not a ton of research in general on natural treatments for migraine, so you have to be a bit experimental and what works for me doesn't necessarily work for others. I greatly appreciate that you notice the hard work I put into this site. 🙂
Jolene B says
So excited to have been referred to your website. I'm excited to start a more natural regiment. Just a quick question, you mention several different vitamins/supplements (the magnesiums, vitamin D, feverfew, maca, etc). Are you taking these all at once and on a regular basis?
Alicia says
Hi Jolene, I'm so glad you found me. The magnesiums, b2, and coq10, (along with a multivitamin) I take daily. Ginger, maca, and vitamin d I take on occasion. I split my magnesium. I take the cognimag in the morning since I find it helps with being clear headed and alert, then I take the glycinate at night. I try to take the rest of my supplements after lunch or breakfast since I have a sensitive stomach. You just kind of have to play around and see what works best for you.
VALERIE Gordon says
Hi there
Question - with all the supplements I am taking - I am starting to have stomach issues (always have had). What are you thoughts on switching to the liquid form of B2??
Alicia says
Hi Valerie, I'm sorry I'm not very familiar with the liquid form of B2 as the pills have worked well for me. Your doctor might have better insight on it than I do! I have a sensitive stomach and sometimes get sick if I take my vitamins on an empty stomach. I usually do better if I take them with a little bit of fat (like sunbutter).
Debbie says
Hello. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for organizing this overwhelming amount of information. It has taken several years and an enormous amount of persistence to finally be given a diagnosis of vestibular migraine. I was lady and mansplained through several ENT's and multiple heating tests until I finally found an ENT willing to look under every possible stone in order to help me. I am just getting started with HYH and simply giving up Avocado, peanuts and peanut butter, and bananas is already making a difference in how I feel.
I have just ordered the recommended suppliments and am wondering how you split them up throughout the day for maximum efficacy as well as avoiding a major tummy ache. I have all of the bottles labeled with how many per day and which ones are supposed to be taken with food and now all I can do is stare at a basketful of beneficial suppliments with no clue how to start without overdoing it all at once.
As a long-time suppliment waster, I would appreciate any organizational and/or scheduling recommendations on how best to manage taking the suppliments throughout a day. Thank you for taking time to read this.
All replies are welcome, even if they contain some mild criticism. My way isn't working and I am happy to consider any advice.
Alicia says
Hi Debbie, I'm so glad you found me and also finally found a great doctor! No criticism at all here - I think you're off to a wonderful start! Half the battle is being open to trying anything. I'm so glad you've already seen a difference with HYH. It took me a few months to notice it, so I get really excited for those who feel it right away. I always think it's a great sign.
I'll go through how I like to take my supplements, but I think you'll find after a few weeks that you can switch them around and discover what's best for you. This would probably make a really helpful post, so thank you for the idea.
Magensium Glycinate - I take 2 of these in the morning and 2 at night. Depending on how many mg your ENT/neuro wants you to take, you can split these up 2x or 3x a day with all your meals. If I find I missed a dose, I'll take them all with dinner/before bed.
Magnesium Threonate - If you're trying this one, I like to take 1 in the morning and one at night. I especially like this in the morning because it helps me a lot with the brain fog I wake up with.
B2 - you'll want to take this dose in the morning with food. I find it can upset my tummy without food. Plus B vitamins are known for giving you energy!
CoQ10 - I will usually take this in the morning or with lunch.
Ginger/Turmeric - my stomach doesn't always tolerate this well so I try to just use it as an abortive if I start to feel dizziness coming on or head pain. I always take it with food, but I find it's best to take in the mornings/at lunch. If I get too late in the evening, it gives me heartburn. That's where the tea is good if you need something in the evening!
Mag Glycinate and Mag Threonate are not absorbed through the digestive system like citrate and oxide, so they should be a little bit easier on your stomach. You can start low and work your way up if you're worried about it. Very rarely do I hear of people having issues with glycinate like they do with citrate, but it does happen every so often. Something to be aware of. 🙂 Please keep me updated with how you're doing!
Mary C says
This is so helpful! Thank you for putting this together.
Alicia says
You're welcome! I'll keep updating as I find more stuff. Jennifer and I have been testing the magnesium threonate so I plan to share our results soon/
Mandy Holiman says
I take Magnesium and had also heard B-Complex so I just started that Friday, too. They seemed to be helping before I got pregnant last year but when I started trying to get pregnant, I quit taking them. So hopefully I'll see improvement here soon.
Also, getting off of a hormonal birth control (I'm not on the "mini pill") helped. I went from 4-5 headaches per week to 1 or less.
Liz says
I'm loving all of the great info on this blog! I have also had luck with using pure frankincense oil on the roof of my mouth when I feel a migraine coming on. I am also trying to get pregnant and am avoiding taking my normal meds which has been torture at times. Do you recommend any migraine support groups?
Alicia says
Hey Liz! That's interesting, I've never tried that method for frankincense oil. Does it taste bad? I suppose it doesn't matter if it works! You'll have to keep in touch on how your journey goes - I'm at alicia@thedizzycook.com. A few of my friends with VM are also trying, so it should be interesting to share stories. I really like Migraine Strong on Facebook for a diet focused support group, although they also discuss meds and natural treatments. The moderators are really knowledgable, and everyone stays pretty positive and polite. If you have vestibular migraine, the Vestibular Disorder Support Group (also on FB) is run by a few of the members of the Vestibular Disorder Association (VEDA) and it's also really helpful. If you're looking for one in your area, there's a directory on the VEDA website (https://vestibular.org/finding-help-support/support-directory).
Mandy Holiman says
Hey Liz,
Where do you get your Frankincense Oil? I have some Doterra but was wondering about other places. 🙂
Also, I'm in a few VM groups on Facebook that are great! My favorite is "Vestibular Migraine Positive Living". People are more upbeat and positive. There's another I'm in but some people seem to be a little more negative in there.
How are you feeling being pregnant? I just had a baby in March myself but I felt pretty great the whole time, as far as VM goes.
Dzhulyetta says
Thank you for the post! So helpful! I was wondering if magnesium is ok for those who’s blood pressure normally runs on a lower side of normal?
Alicia says
You're welcome. It should be ok, but you may need to use a lower dose than what's recommended for migraine. Be sure to double check with your physician before starting one. There are a few types that might be better than others and I would highly recommend reviewing this post - https://thedizzycook.com/2018/12/02/magnesium-supplements-explained-which-one-is-best-for-vestibular-migraine/
Your doctor might also have some good thoughts on an amount for you!