Could free radical damage contribute to migraine headaches?
Dr. Sirichai Chayasirisobhon of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center set out to address that question when he recruited a dozen patients, each with a long-term history of little or no success at treating migraines with various drugs, including antidepressants, beta-blockers and anticonvulsants. At the outset of the study, subjects completed a migraine disability assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire to assess the impact of migraine flare-ups on activities at home, at work and while interacting with friends and family. For the three-month trial period, each subject received daily supplements that contained 600 mg of vitamin C, 300 IU of vitamin E and 1,200 mg of a pine bark extract. Subjects were allowed to continue using whatever medications they were currently taking. When subjects completed a second MIDAS questionnaire at the end of the study period, their responses indicated marked improvement. And even though the lack of a control group opens the possibility of placebo effect, the results w
