Stop Or Reduce Migraine Headaches With Butterbur Extract
Darrell Miller
If you suffer from frequent migraine headaches or maybe just
once every few months, you know how painful and disruptive a
migraine can be. You might have had to call off work early or
take the entire day off from work or miss a family social event
due to a migraine headache. You may have tried to take OTC drugs
to help stop a migraine before it starts or reduce the pain
while it was occurring with little luck maybe even going as far
as getting a prescription drug from the doctor. Many
prescription drugs prescribed for migraines have side effects
such as nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, weight gain, low blood
pressure, decreased sex drive and even insomnia… yet the
prescriptions do little to alleviate the pain.
If you seem to be in this category don’t lose hope, there is
good news regarding migraine prevention. Butterbur extract is
an all natural herbal supplement that can help prevent
migraines with out serious side effects. In Germany, this herb
has been used for many years successfully to prevent migraines.
Now available in the United States for several years, Butterbur
Standardized Extract has been validated by clinical studies.
Large multi-center studies involving hundreds of migraine
suffers have found Butterbur extract to prevent or
significantly reduce the effects of a migraine when taking on a
regular basis. (3,5) In this article we will discuss how
Butterbur extract prevents migraines and its safety.
You might have asked your self already, what exactly is
Butterbur? Butterbur’s common name is Petasites hybridus which
is a member of a large family of flowers, herbs and shrubs in
the plant kingdom. The key component in Butterbur researchers
believe reduces migraines is called Sesquiterpenes (Petasin).
Petasin has antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory activity which
helps prevent migraines from starting. (6-7) All the clinical
trials done on Butterbur used a standardized extract of 7.5mg
Petasin per 50mg of the extract.
Let’s look at what the difference is between migraine and
headache tension. The Journal of American Medical Association
Migraine Education Center says there are several differences in
the two types of headaches. Tension headaches can span from
hours to days and is usually located over the entire head. The
intensity of tension headaches is usually mild to moderate as a
dull or pressing pain in the head. Generally tension headaches
have minimal to no symptoms. Migraine headaches on the other
hand can last for at least 4 hours to as long as 72 hours or 3
days. Generally, migraine headaches are located on the sides of
the head and are often sever in pain. Migraines can be pounding,
throbbing, and increase with intensity with physical activity.
Migraines are usually followed by symptoms such as nausea,
vomiting, with sensitivity to light, sound and odors.
Migraine headaches are usually caused by blood vessels swelling
and expanding with inflammation in surrounding tissues in the
brain. Researchers know what happens when a migraine attack
happens, but have yet to conclude what causes the migraine
originally (what is the trigger point). Most people who
experience migraines have family members who experience
migraines as well. Migraines headache episodes decline as
people get older (1,5) With migraines, individuals sometimes
experience unique symptoms; 20% of individuals experience and
Aura prior to an attack. Most Aura’s are flashes of light or
zigzagging lines making reading difficult and are followed by a
migraine headache. Trigger factors are usually what cause the
migraine and discovering one’s trigger point can help one
greatly reduce there occurrence of a migraine. Certain foods or
events can cause a trigger of the migraine. Documenting dietary
habits such as chocolate, alcohol, and skipping a meal can help
you determine what your trigger might be. Sometimes very bright
lights and strong odors, stress such as job loss or divorce can
also be a trigger, even hormone factors like menstruation can
trigger a migraine. (1,2)
Butterbur extract can help prevent a migraine. Scientists
discovered Butterbur extract has the ability to prevent blood
vessel expansion during a migraine, while also preventing
inflammation which can intensify the migraine experience.
A double blind placebo-controlled clinical trail showed where
Butterbur extract actually works to reduce migraine suffering.
This study provided accurate and verifiable results and
reproducible results. One study with 58 people who experienced
3 or more migraines each month consumed butterbur extract
standardized to 7.5mg of Petasin twice a day compared to the
placebo group, experienced significant reduction in occurrence
and frequency of migraine attacks. (3) While the study was
being conducted, members of each group were asked how they felt
and 74% of the butterbur extract group stated they had no
occurrence of migraines compared to the placebo group.
The individuals who were recruited for these studies were
required to discontinue the medications they were taking for
migraines to effectively eliminate the possibility of any
effect from other medications while the studies are conducted.
Another study conducted divided the butterbur extract group in
two and half the group received 100mg total extract and the
other group received 150mg total extract each day to see if
there was any benefit to taking more butterbur. The group of
people who received the 150mg each day of butterbur extract
experienced a sixty two percent reduction in the number of
attacks compared to the placebo group and less frequency then
the 100mg per day group. So there is added benefit to consuming
high milligrams each day divided through out the day.
You may be wondering if you can take Butterbur extract with
standard migraine medication. The answer is yes. Butterbur
extract does not interfere with any migraine medications
including prescription medications. (3,4) Most sever migraine
suffers take more than one medication so butterbur extract is
perfect for those individuals on multiple medications because
it has very few side effects. When adding butterbur extract to
your regiment of migraine medication be patient because
butterbur extract takes up to four weeks before one will start
to experience its effects.
For those of you who only experience one migraine a month or
less, the research is still investigating butterburs ability to
help. If you feel like a migraine is coming on, take 100mg of
butterbur extract followed by 50mg every two hours but do not
exceed 250mg per day. The second day take 50mg of butter bur
extract morning, noon, and night three times the second day.
This should successfully help you fight off your migraine.
There are very few side effects with consuming butterbur. In
one of the studies, several of the patients experienced some
mild gastrointestinal upset. Butterbur extract shouldn’t be
taken for more then four to six months, then discontinued. Even
after discontinuing use, the butterbur will continue to work,
because butterbur extract take a while to eliminate from the
body. If a migraine returns, you can take the butterbur
extract for another four to six months before discontinuing use
again.
Between 11 & 18 million people in America experience migraines
every year. Although there is no cure for migraines, butterbur
extract may help reduce the frequency or intensity of your
migraine. Standardized Butterbur extract and other great herbal
supplements can be found at your local health food store or
internet health food stores.
References:
1. Journal of the American Medical Association. Migraine
Information Center. Accessed February 20, 2002. Available at:
www ama-assn org/special/migraine/migraine.htm.
2. American Council for Headache Education. Prevention of
Migraine Headaches: What Every Patient Should Know. Accessed on
February 20, 2002. Available at: www achenet org/prevention/.
3. Mauskop A, Grossman WM, Schmidramsl H. Petasites hybridus
(Butterbur root) extract is effective in the prophylaxis of
migraines: results of a randomized, double blind trial.
Headache. 2000;40:420.
4. Lipton RB, Gobel H, Wilkes K, Mauskop A. Efficacy of
petasites 50 and 75 mg for prophylaxis of migraine: results of
a randomized, placebo-controlled study. Der Schermerz
2000;15:S61.
5. Hamelsky SW, Stewart WF, Lipton RB. Epidemiology of
migraine. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2001;5:189-194.
About The Author: Visit VitaNet Health Foods at
http://vitanetonline.com/
VitaNet sells high quality vitamins
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