US scientists have found that a diet high in fatty fish and limited intake of vegetable oils helps relieve a headache in people suffering from regular migraines, Report informs.
The research results were published in the BMJ magazine.
Migraine is a neurological disease that is one of the most common causes of chronic headaches. The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that more than four million people worldwide suffer from chronic migraines, with attacks occurring at least 15 times a month. During an attack that lasts from four hours to three days, people cannot work usually. Women aged 18 to 44 are especially susceptible to migraines.
Modern medications offer only partial relief and often have adverse side effects, including sedation, dependence, and addiction. Therefore, scientists are constantly looking for alternative means of dealing with migraines.
The test results showed that a diet with less vegetable oil and more oily fish resulted in a 30-40 percent reduction in the patients’ headache hours per day, severe headache hours per day, and total headache days per month.
The authors plan to continue their work and study the effects of nutrition on other chronic pain conditions.