The Association Between Use of Dietary Supplements and Headache or Migraine Complaints

• Published in: Headache Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 355 - 363
• Main Authors: Chiu, Hsiao-Yean, Tsai, Pei-Shan, Lee, Cheng-Chi, Liu, Yu-Tse, Huang, Hui-Chuan, Chen, Pin-Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2014; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Algae; Ascorbic Acid - adverse effects; Chlorophyta - adverse effects; Complaints; Confidence intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dietary supplements; Dietary Supplements - adverse effects; Female; headache; Headache - epidemiology; Headaches; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Migraine; Migraine Disorders - epidemiology; Prevalence; sex difference; Sex Factors; Taiwan; use of dietary supplement; Vitamin B Complex - adverse effects; Young Adult; Taiwan; migraine; headache; sex difference; use of dietary supplement
• ISSN: 0017-8748; 1526-4610
• DOI: 10.1111/head.12180

Purpose To examine the prevalence of headache or migraine complaints and the use of dietary supplements, and to determine their correlation according to sex. Methods This population‐based cross‐sectional study used data from a 2005 National Health Interview Survey of 15,414 participants (age 18‐65 years) in Taiwan. Prevalence of headache or migraine complaints was accessed by a single question on their occurrence during the previous 3 months. Dietary supplement use was evaluated by another single question. Data were stratified by sex and analyzed using independent t‐test, chi‐square test, and multivariate logistic regression. Results The prevalence of headache or migraine complaints was 17.2% in males and 32.4% in females. The percentage of women taking supplements was 31.8%, which was much higher than the 15.5% of men. In male supplement users, use of isoflavones had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) of headache or migraine complaint compared with those of male without use of isoflavones (adjusted OR = 3.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.68‐8.85). In females, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and green algae supplement use had higher likelihoods of headache or migraine complaint in comparison to those of female without use of supplements (adjusted OR = 1.28, 1.21, and 1.43; 95% CI = 1.05‐1.57, 1.03‐1.42, and 1.07‐1.90, respectively). Conclusions This population‐based study confirmed sex‐specific associations between headache or migraine complaints and the use of dietary supplements, warranting further investigation of the underlying causes.