Low Vitamin D Associated with Chronic Headaches

A new study found that low levels of vitamin D may be connected to frequent headaches in men.

The researchers used data from 2601 men between the ages of 42 and 60 who participated in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study (KIHD) conducted in Finland from 1984 to 1989. There were 250 men who reported weekly or daily headaches in the study questionnaire. Blood samples were used to measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.
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Overall, the average serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 43.4 nmol/L. The men who reported frequent headaches had an average serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 38.3 nmol/L, and men without frequent headaches had 43.9 nmol/L. After performing multivariable adjustments, researchers found that those with the lowest 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration had a 116% increased rate for frequent headaches.  

The study suggests that low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risk for frequent headaches in men. “Our study, being one of the largest studies that have investigated the issue, supports the view that vitamin D may be beneficial in headache prevention,” the researchers stated.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Virtanen JK, Giniatullin R, Mäntyselkä, et al. Lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with higher risk of frequent headache in middle-aged and older men [published online January 3, 2017]. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/srep39697.