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HUNTER researchers suspect a substance found in grapes and nuts could be an effective treatment for women who suffer from debilitating menstrual migraines. University of Newcastle researchers have already established a link between menstrual migraines and blood vessel function in the brain. Now they are recruiting for a world-first clinical trial into whether "resveratrol" - a naturally occurring substance found in the skin of grapes - could alleviate the symptoms and frequency of these migraines. Registered pharmacist and PhD candidate Jemima Dzator said there had been previous studies where the nutritional supplement had been proven to help blood vessel function in the brain. But this trial would be a world-first look at whether it could also have an effect on women who suffer from hormone-related migraines each month. "There is not a lot of study surrounding menstrual migraine to begin with, even though migraines are very, very common, and affect more women than men," Ms Dzator said. "These migraines are very debilitating," Ms Dzator said. "It can put them out of work for days, it can affect the way they interact with their family and friends, their social life, and their emotional well being." They tended to occur at certain points of the menstrual cycle - usually like clockwork, and had been shown to be more recurrent, more painful, longer lasting and more resistant to current treatment compared to regular migraines. Ms Dzator said there was currently no approved treatment for menstrual migraine in Australia. She said one-in-10 women experienced menstrual migraines that were likely due to changes in hormone levels, particularly oestrogen. But if this trial was successful, it could provide a long-awaited treatment option that could reduce the frequency, severity and intensity of menstrual migraines for many sufferers. "Because we found a link between poor or abnormal blood vessel function in the brain in the menstrual migraine group in our previous study, now we want to see it improving their blood vessel function in the brain and, ultimately, reducing their menstrual migraine frequency and improving their quality of life," Ms Dzator said. "We do think that by improving the blood vessel function in the brain that it should be able to help." Ms Dzator said they were looking for approximately 80 women aged between 18 and 50 years old who suffer from migraines related to their period. "If they are eligible, they will be asked to take two supplement capsules daily for six menstrual cycles, and visit our research centre on three occasions where their blood vessel function will be measured via ultrasound," she said. To find out more, call the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre on (02) 4921 8616 or email cnrc@newcastle.edu.au.
HUNTER researchers suspect a substance found in grapes and nuts could be an effective treatment for women who suffer from debilitating menstrual migraines.
Now they are recruiting for a world-first clinical trial into whether "resveratrol" - a naturally occurring substance found in the skin of grapes - could alleviate the symptoms and frequency of these migraines.
Registered pharmacist and PhD candidate Jemima Dzator said there had been previous studies where the nutritional supplement had been proven to help blood vessel function in the brain.
But this trial would be a world-first look at whether it could also have an effect on women who suffer from hormone-related migraines each month.
"There is not a lot of study surrounding menstrual migraine to begin with, even though migraines are very, very common, and affect more women than men," Ms Dzator said.
"These migraines are very debilitating," Ms Dzator said. "It can put them out of work for days, it can affect the way they interact with their family and friends, their social life, and their emotional well being."
They tended to occur at certain points of the menstrual cycle - usually like clockwork, and had been shown to be more recurrent, more painful, longer lasting and more resistant to current treatment compared to regular migraines.
Ms Dzator said there was currently no approved treatment for menstrual migraine in Australia.
She said one-in-10 women experienced menstrual migraines that were likely due to changes in hormone levels, particularly oestrogen.
But if this trial was successful, it could provide a long-awaited treatment option that could reduce the frequency, severity and intensity of menstrual migraines for many sufferers.
"Because we found a link between poor or abnormal blood vessel function in the brain in the menstrual migraine group in our previous study, now we want to see it improving their blood vessel function in the brain and, ultimately, reducing their menstrual migraine frequency and improving their quality of life," Ms Dzator said.
"We do think that by improving the blood vessel function in the brain that it should be able to help."
Ms Dzator said they were looking for approximately 80 women aged between 18 and 50 years old who suffer from migraines related to their period.
"If they are eligible, they will be asked to take two supplement capsules daily for six menstrual cycles, and visit our research centre on three occasions where their blood vessel function will be measured via ultrasound," she said.
To find out more, call the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre on (02) 4921 8616 or email cnrc@newcastle.edu.au.
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University of Newcastle research looks at natural substance resveratrol to see whether it alleviates symptoms and frequency of menstrual migraines -...
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