Gregory Chandler, Attorney at Law, on Migraines

By Gregory Chandler Studies have shown that supplementation with B vitamins helps to lower homocysteine levels and lower the risk of migraines. According to researchers in a migraine study, prior research identified a gene that, when mutated, can raise levels of homocysteine, making people susceptible to migraines. In the study, 52 people suffering from migraines took 2 mg of folic acid, 25 mg of vitamin B6 and 400 mcg of vitamin B12 per day, or a placebo. After six months, compared to the start of the study, homocysteine levels were 39 percent lower in those who took B vitamins. While there were no changes for the placebo group, the B vitamin group--particularly those with the mutated gene--had fewer and less severe migraines, with disabling symptoms declining from 60 percent at the start of the study to 30 percent by the end. GREGORY CHANDLER, Attorney at Law