New research out of Turkey suggests a connection between low vitamin D levels and migraine headaches, the Vitamin D Council reports.

The possibility of a relationship has been explored because migraines are thought to be related to inflammation in nerves and blood vessels, and vitamin D is known to reduce inflammation. However, previous research on the subject is limited and inconsistent. In the current study, published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, researchers examined vitamin D levels as well as vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) to identify their impact on migraines.

After taking blood samples to measure these concentrations and evaluating headache characteristics, the researchers found that serum vitamin D and VDR levels were significantly lower in patients with migraines and that vitamin D and VDR levels were each found to be independently associated with migraines. They concluded that “the present findings may suggest that decreased serum vitamin D levels were associated with migraine.”

Click here for the Vitamin D Council’s coverage of the study.

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