Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the management of recurrent migraines in adolescents

Purpose: To examine whether dietary supplementation with fish oil rich in very long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids might reduce frequency and severity of migraines in adolescents. Methods: Twenty-seven adolescents suffering from frequent migraines for at least 1 year (mean 4 ± 1 years since migraine onset) participated in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study consisting of 2 months of fish oil, 1-month washout period, and 2 months of placebo (olive oil). Participants self-assessed severity and duration of headache episodes (7-point faces and 10-point visual analog pain scales, 5-point frequency and severity rating scale) throughout the study. At the end of every 2-month treatment period, participants rated the effectiveness of treatment on a 7-point Likert scale (1,“not effective, not worthwhile”; 4,“moderately effective, moderately worthwhile”; 7, “totally effective, totally worthwhile”). A score of ≥ 4 on the Likert scale was considered as improvement. Results: Twenty-three adolescents (16 girls, 7 boys, 18 Whites, 3 Hispanics, 1 African-American, 1 Cape Verdean, mean age 15 ± 1 years) completed the study. Compared with frequency of headaches before the study (31 ± 4 episodes/2 months), there was a significant ( p < .0001) reduction in headache frequency during fish oil treatment (4 ± 1 episodes/2 months) and during placebo (olive oil) treatment (4 ± 1 episodes/2 months) but no significant (NS) difference between treatments. Likewise, self-assessment on a 7-point faces pain scale revealed a significant reduction in headache severity during fish oil treatment (2.9 ± 0.5, p = .01) and during placebo (olive oil) treatment (3.5 ± 0.4,