Magnesium for Migraine and Primary Headache Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Abstract
This project aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnesium supplementation for the prevention and treatment of migraine and other adult primary headache disorders. Magnesium has been proposed as a therapeutic option because of its role in neuronal excitability, vascular regulation, neurotransmitter release, and cortical spreading depression, mechanisms that are implicated in headache pathophysiology. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted following PRISMA 2020 recommendations. Electronic databases searched included PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, and African Journals Online (AJOL). Eligible studies included adult participants diagnosed with migraine or other primary headache disorders who received oral or intravenous magnesium interventions compared with placebo, standard care, or active treatments. The primary objective of this review is to synthesize available evidence regarding the effects of magnesium on headache frequency, intensity, duration, acute pain relief, treatment response, quality of life, and adverse events. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Due to substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity across studies, findings were synthesized narratively rather than through formal meta-analysis. Expected outcomes include a comprehensive summary of the current evidence supporting magnesium use in migraine…
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