A recently published study indicates that low omega-3 fatty acid intake is associated with increased migraine headache frequency. Migraine headaches affect approximately 36 million Americans including 18% of women and 6% of men.
In this study, 105 subjects with migraines 15 to 50 years of age completed a food-frequency questionnaire to evaluate fatty acid intake. A neurologist determined the frequency of migraines over a one-month period.
In both men and women, the subjects who consumed the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) had a higher frequency of migraine attacks. The investigators did not find a significant correlation between saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake and migraine frequency.
The investigators stated, ‘Frequency of migraine attacks was negatively associated with dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. No significant relationship was found between SFA intake and migraine frequency. Further studies are required to shed light on our findings.’
Reference: Sadeghi O, et al. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2015;20:334-9.
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