Migraines: natural remedies and the evidence behind them

For frequent migraine sufferers, feverfew has been specifically studied as a daily preventive supplement with documented reductions in attack frequency.

Parthenolide in feverfew inhibits platelet aggregation, serotonin release from platelets, and prostaglandin synthesis — all implicated in migraine initiation. It also inhibits NF-κB inflammatory signaling.

Dose or use 50–100 mg/day of standardized dried feverfew leaf (containing ≥0.2% parthenolide). Must be taken continuously, not just during attacks.

Key study A 1988 double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial (Murphy et al., The Lancet, n=72) found daily feverfew capsules (70–114 mg dried leaf) reduced mean migraine frequency by 24% and severity by 32% compared to placebo over 6 months.

Studies show up to 50% of people with frequent migraines have low intracellular magnesium; correcting this deficiency directly reduces the frequency of attacks in chronic sufferers.

Magnesium blocks NMDA glutamate receptors and inhibits cortical spreading depression. Low magnesium allows excessive glutamate signaling and platelet aggregation — both central to migraine initiation.

Dose or use 400–600 mg magnesium glycinate or citrate daily (better absorbed than oxide). Take with evening meal. Test RBC magnesium levels to confirm deficiency.

Key study A 1996 RCT (Peikert et al., Cephalalgia, n=81) found 600 mg/day oral magnesium citrate reduced migraine attack frequency by 41.6% vs 15.8% for placebo over 12 weeks, with the greatest benefit in the final 9 weeks.

Menstrual migraines are partially driven by the premenstrual surge in prostaglandins; feverfew's parthenolide directly inhibits this pathway, making it mechanistically well-matched to hormonal migraine subtype.

The prostaglandin surge in the late luteal phase is a key biochemical trigger for menstrual migraine. Parthenolide in feverfew inhibits COX-mediated prostaglandin synthesis and platelet serotonin release — two of the primary mechanisms linking hormonal changes to migraine onset.

Dose or use 50–100 mg/day of standardized dried feverfew leaf (≥0.2% parthenolide) taken daily throughout the month, not just perimenstrually.

Key study A 1988 double-blind crossover RCT (Murphy et al., The Lancet, n=72) found continuous daily feverfew leaf capsules reduced migraine frequency by 24% and severity by 32% vs placebo. Prostaglandin-inhibiting mechanisms make this particularly relevant to menstrual migraine, though a dedicated menstrual migraine-specific RCT for feverfew has not been published.

Menstrual migraine is specifically associated with premenstrual magnesium depletion; RCT data shows magnesium supplementation is particularly effective for this subtype compared to non-menstrual migraines.

Estrogen fluctuations in the late luteal phase lower intracellular magnesium, increasing NMDA receptor sensitivity and cortical excitability. Magnesium supplementation stabilizes this threshold, preventing the neuronal excitability surge that triggers menstrual migraine.

Dose or use 360 mg magnesium pidolate or glycinate daily throughout the cycle, or at minimum from day 15 through the end of menstruation. Test RBC magnesium to confirm deficiency.

Key study A 1991 RCT (Facchinetti et al., Headache, n=20) found 360 mg/day magnesium pidolate taken in the second half of the menstrual cycle significantly reduced the number of days with menstrual headache and total pain index scores compared to placebo, with 73% of the magnesium group experiencing improvement vs the placebo group.

When nausea accompanies migraine pain, lavender aromatherapy offers a sensory-accessible intervention that addresses both the anxiety component of nausea and pain perception.

Linalool and linalyl acetate in lavender modulate GABA-A receptors (anxiolytic/calming effect) and inhibit serotonin receptor activity, reducing both the anxiety-driven nausea cycle and the sensitized pain response during migraine.

Dose or use Inhale lavender essential oil directly from the bottle or apply 2 drops to a tissue. Alternatively, dilute 2–3 drops in a carrier oil and apply to the temples and back of neck. Use at migraine onset.

Key study A 2012 RCT (Sasannejad et al., European Neurology, n=47) found that inhaling lavender essential oil for 15 minutes at migraine onset reduced mean headache severity score by 3.0 points (on a 10-point scale) vs 1.5 points in the control group, with responder rate of 74% vs 58%, reaching statistical significance. Nausea improvement was noted as a secondary finding.