Zinc supplementation affects favorably the frequency of migraine attacks: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

Background: Observational studies have shown a link between zinc deficiency and migraine headaches. We aimed to examine the effect of zinc supplementation on the characteristics of migraine attacks in patients with migraine.

Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 80 patients with migraine. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either zinc sulfate (220 mg/d zinc sulfate) or placebo (lactose) for 8 weeks. Anthropometric measures, serum zinc concentrations, and characteristics of migraine attacks (headache severity, frequency and duration of migraine attacks, and headache daily results) were assessed at baseline and end of the trial.

Results: Compared with the placebo, zinc supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in headache severity (- 1.75 ± 1.79 vs. -0.80 ± 1.57; P = 0.01) and migraine attacks frequency (- 2.55 ± 4.32 vs. -0.42 ± 4.24; P = 0.02) in migraine patients. However, the observed reduction for headache severity became statistically non-significant when the analysis was adjusted for potential confounders and baseline values of headache severity. Other characteristics of migraine attacks including the duration of attacks and headache daily results were not altered following zinc supplementation either before or after controlling for covariates.

Conclusion: Zinc supplementation had a beneficial effect on the frequency of migraine attacks in migraine patients. Additional well-designed clinical trials with a long period of intervention and different dosages of zinc are required.

Trial registration code: IRCT20121216011763N23 at www.irct.ir .

Keywords: Clinical trial; Headache; Migraine; Zinc.