The Mediterranean diet of oily fish helps reduce the frequency of migraines

Data shows that eating a Mediterranean diet that contains a lot of oily fish can help reduce the frequency of migraines in migraine patients.

Approximately 10 million adults in the UK suffer from Migraine, Women are three times more likely to be affected than men. Although several new treatments have emerged in recent years, many people still feel pain.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and certain nuts and seeds, and Omega-6 fatty acids found in refined vegetable oils are precursors of pain-regulating molecules called oxylipins. Those from the former have pain-relieving properties. Effect, the latter has a pain amplifying effect.

Dr. Christopher Ramsden of the National Institute of Aging in Baltimore, USA, and his colleagues decided to test whether changing the relative proportion of these fats in people’s diet has any effect on the frequency or severity of migraines.

They recruited 182 migraine patients who had 5 to 20 days a month, and randomly assigned them to eat one of three diets for 16 weeks: one that increased Omega-3 but kept Omega-6 fatty acids unchanged; the other A control diet that raises Omega-3 and lowers Omega-6; and a control diet that includes typical levels of two fatty acids.

The diet is designed to be as similar as possible, with the main difference being the type of oil or butter, and the main source of protein (for example, oily fish vs. low-fat fish or poultry), and participants are provided with and.

The research was published in British Medical JournalIt was found that both intervention diets increased the level of pain-reducing oxylipin compared with the control diet. They also significantly reduced the frequency of people’s migraines-people in the high-Omega-3 group had 1.3 hours of headaches a day and 2 days a month, and those who ate Omega-3 had 1.7 hours of headaches a day and 4 days a month. High-Omega-3, low-Omega-6 diet.

Although diet does not significantly reduce the severity of people’s headaches, it has a tendency to shorten headaches.

However, most of the participants are women, so this method may not be suitable for children, men or the elderly, and whether other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are effective is still unknown, so vegetarians and those who are concerned about sustainability and Birmingham Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and head of nutrition and evidence-based medicine at Ston University, said that fish populations can also benefit.

It’s not clear whether these benefits depend solely on changes in Omega-3 fatty acids, saying Tom Sanders, Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Nutrition at King’s College London: “For example, increasing the intake of salmon will also increase the intake of several other micronutrients, such as vitamin D and selenium, and the intake of long-chain omega-3 fats. Input amount. Sour.”