Migraine Patterns – Time of the Month

Research Article by Lyle Henry

This is part two of a series of articles on migraine patterns that will explore the occurrences of migraines based on the time of day, day of the month, and age of the person. In this second article we will address the time of the month.

That Time of the Month.

For many years migraine researchers have known there is a hormone connection to migraines in men, women, and children. The more precise cause of migraines may be seen as a change in specific neurochemicals that are released during phases of hormone production. It is easier to see the hormonal cause of migraines in women than in men because of the monthly menstrual cycle of women, even though the principle and hormones are exactly the same for men and women.

Menstrual cycles are actually controlled by the pituitary gland through the messenger hormones LH and FSH. If you have been reading my research, you may recall these are the hormones that are received by the cells that contain the migraine gene that gets involved in the production of a neurochemical that starts the migraine attack.

It is during the times when these hormones are at their highs and lows that most migraines occur. To say that estrogen or progesterone is the cause of a migraine is a misunderstanding of the effect of hormones on migraines. This misunderstanding has led to the over prescribing of additional hormones as a treatment for migraines, which seldom provides a stable solution and can lead to other problems in the body. We can readily see the adverse effect of hormones on migraine when we realize that birth control pills, which are hormones, generally cause more migraine headaches.

For more information, see the Natural Cause of Migraines at www.Tuliv.com.

Natural Cause - Natural Solution

Understanding how hormones are involved in migraines and their effect on migraine patterns provided the insight needed for the development of Tuliv Migraine Defense, the first and only migraine preventive that addresses the natural cause of migraines.

We welcome your questions and comments. You can contact Lyle Henry directly by email at Lyle@Tuliv.com or by calling 1-866-367-5953. There is no cost or obligation for his services.

New Science Shows the Hormone Relationship in Migraines

Research Article by Lyle Henry

For many years migraine researchers have known there is a hormone connection to migraines. We can safely say that most migraines occurring in men, women, and children are caused by the body's inability to properly manage the changes in hormone production.

The more precise cause of migraines may be seen as a change in specific neurochemicals that are released during phases of hormone production. These neurochemicals affect the trigeminal nerve vascular system and sets into motion a progression of events, the outcome of which is a painful migraine headache and associated aura, nausea and vomiting.

DNA The reason some people get migraines can be found in the DNA makeup as an inherited gene. This gene has been identified and labeled as MTHFR and is found in the mitochondria of specific cells. These cells are the hormone producing cells for estrogen and progesterone for both men and women (yes, men produce the same hormones as women).

These cells receive their "production" orders by way of other hormones known as "messenger" hormones that are produced and secreted by the pituitary gland. The way these cells know that the messenger hormones are for them is through specialized proteins that are on the outside of the cell membrane called hormone receptors.

Deep Secrets of Migraines

Migraines occur when various hormone levels of the body fluctuate and most often when the "messenger" hormones are secreted from the pituitary gland into the blood stream to be received by the aforementioned specific cells in the body that have the migraine gene. For a still unknown reason, there is an adverse reaction in these cells that causes the production of neurochemical identified as CGRP to occur.

How Do Hormones Cause Migraines?

Hormones don't in the true sense of cause and effect; however, when we use the analogy of an automobile we can start to understand the relationship. Gasoline, for example does not make the car go; rather, gasoline makes the engine run which rotates the transmission gears, which make the wheels turn. Hormones are like the gasoline in that they start a reaction which results in the wheels turning that ends with a migraine.

To say that estrogen or progesterone is the cause of a migraine is a misunderstanding of the effect of hormones on migraines. This misunderstanding has led to the prescribing additional hormones as a treatment for migraines. We can readily see the adverse effect of hormones on migraine when we realize that birth control pills, which are hormones, generally cause migraine headaches.

Migraines occur outside the brain in what is called the trigeminal nerve vascular system. Those who have had migraine headaches can easily draw the path of this system as it starts at the temples and runs forward to branch out behind the eyes and down the jaw line. This system is comprised of hair-like nerve fibers that are intertwined with tiny blood vessels.

The pain of a migraine headache occurs when these tiny blood vessels dilate and begin to swell and expand to the point where they are actually putting pressure on the nerve endings. We often feel throbbing pain as the blood fills these vessels and pinch on nerves.

It is the neurochemical CGRP that causes the blood vessels to dilate and expand. To make matters worse, when the nerve fibers become irritated, they react in a way that can cause an increase in the level of CGRP in a round-robin effect that increases the pain level and the duration of a migraine attack.

To learn more see Tuliv Migraine Research.

Migraine Prevention

Thank you for your invitation to write about Migraine Defense.

Migraine Defense has become an essential component of my daily migraine preventive regime. Without it, I would experience non-stop, chronic head pain and much more frequent and severe migraines. I know Migraine Defense is responsible for this huge improvement in my life because I stopped using it for a several weeks to see what would happen and my constant debilitating head pain returned along with my more severe migraine attacks.

With Migraine Defense I am able to participate in my life fully again. My daily pain is gone and my migraines are reduced to once or twice a month and are easily treated with triptan medication. I'm able to work a part-time job that I love. I can meet my social and family obligations without fear of having to cancel at the last minute. I can be there for my daughter when she needs me, rather than my depending on her while I lie in the dark in the grip of pain. Recently my husband and I started ballroom dance lessons, something I couldn't even imagine doing a year ago. We just participated in a public showcase and now plan to enter a dance competition.

For a life-long sufferer of migraine whose condition had gradually devolved into one of chronic pain, ranging from somewhat debilitating to soul destroying, this is a pretty heady stuff (sorry for the pun). Migraine Defense has proven itself to be life restoring for me.

Sincerely,

Melanie Symonds

 

Resveratrol: What Our Research Shows

Research Article by Lyle Henry

There is much talk today about the next "fountain of youth" discovery - Resveratrol. Resveratrol is a natural substance found in many plants, including grapes, peanuts and Japanese Knotweed. The introduction of resveratrol as a "cure-all" with such claims as its being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory anti-cancer, antiviral, anti-aging, as well as a weight-loss and performance enhancing panacea, has given rise to its recent popularity.

We are concerned with the effect that resveratrol has on the occurrence of migraines.

Resveratrol is a basic substance found in red wine - in fact, that is how the properties of resveratrol were discovered; however, in resveratrol dietary supplements the concentration is much higher. A 5-ounce glass of red wine provides about 0.30-1.07 mg of resveratrol; by comparison, a dietary supplement can provide 100 mg of resveratrol per capsule. Since we know that red wine can easily trigger migraine headaches, it follows that taking resveratrol could do the same.

Headache is a reported side effect of taking resveratrol. These headaches can start within a day or two of first taking resveratrol and can continue for an extended length of time after stopping resveratrol. This is true even for those who do not get migraines.

The reason why resveratrol triggers migraines is that it promotes vasodilation by enhancing the production of a naturally occurring substance in the body called nitric oxide. If you have been following the migraine research of Tuliv, you have seen that nitric oxide is one of the most prominent factors involved in a migraine headache.

Our recommendation is to avoid resveratrol if you get migraines. If you are going to try it, do so with a controlled test and keep track of your results. You may want to print and use our headache dairy for such a purpose.

To learn more about what to avoid and why, please see Knowing Your Triggers. If you are in doubt about a supplement or something in your diet, please feel free to email us at Questions@Tuliv.net for assistance.

Migraines can be prevented - Read More.

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References for this Article:

Resveratrol Increases Nitric Oxide Synthase, Induces Accumulation of p53 and p21WAF1/CIP1, and Suppresses Cultured Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial CellProliferation by Perturbing Progression through S and G21 -
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology [T-c. H., J. M. W.] and Brander Cancer Research Institute [G. J., Z. D.], New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York 10595
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/11/2596

Resveratrol stimulates nitric oxide production by increasing estrogen receptor -Src-caveolin-1 interaction and phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. - Klinge CM, Wickramasinghe NS, Ivanova MM, Dougherty SM. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
http://www.biotivia.com/bioforteresveratrol/evidence/resveratrolstimulatesnitricoxideproduction.html

Upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene expression after 24 to 72 hours incubation. Resveratrol-enhanced. eNOS expression and activity -
Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, Reinhard Berkels, PhD, Department of Pharmacology University of Cologne, Cologne, German- 2003
http://www.circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/107/11/e78.pdf

Migraine Patterns - Time of the Day

Research Article by Lyle Henry

This is the first in a series of articles on migraine patterns that will explore the occurrences of migraines based on the time of day, day of the month, and age of the person. In this first article we will address the time of day.

Time of the Day

"What time of the day do your migraines start?" is one of the questions we ask someone who gets migraines. It is one of the most important questions in helping to determine what is happening inside the body to invoke a migraine.

A very common answer is "during the night;" however, when we ask for the exact time, most reply, "Around 4 AM." The other two most frequent replies as to when a person gets a migraine are "Shortly after getting up in the morning" (full-blown by noon) and "Sometime in the late afternoon."

These time patterns actually coincide with hormone changes in the body. When we look at which hormones fluctuate around these times, we find the hormone melatonin, from the pineal gland, and the hormone cortisol, from the adrenal gland.

The body begins producing melatonin (the hormone that helps us sleep) generally around 4 PM and it stops producing around 4 AM. Even though we see that this corresponds to times of migraines, we cannot jump to the conclusion that this hormone is a cause of migraines; rather, we must look at the actions of this hormone to see their effect on migraines.

The level of melatonin in the body affects how other hormones function, namely the two hormones that we are most interested in when researching the cause of migraines: Lutenizing Hormone (LH) and Folic Stimulating Hormone (FSH) (in both male and female bodies). These are hormones that have receptors on the cells that contain the known gene for migraines. Since we already know that fluctuations in the level of these hormones can invoke monthly menstrual migraines in women, we can reason that we are dealing with similar reactions as the cause of these other migraine occurrences.

Taking a melatonin supplement before bed can be helpful for some people in preventing or lessening the severity of early morning migraines. For those who take Tuliv Migraine Defense regularly and still may have some break-though 4 AM type migraines, adding a 1 mg time-released melatonin supplement at bedtime works synergistically to prevent these headaches.

What about a migraine that begins after we get up in the morning? Well, just as melatonin helps us sleep, the hormone cortisol helps us wake up and start the day. Cortisol is a powerful hormone used by the body to make us more alert, especially while under stress. Our research has shown that cortisol may be the underlying cause of stress headaches.

When we trace how cortisol works in the body, we see that it also has an effect on the LH and FSH hormones receptors on the "migraine gene" cells and so we again feel we are dealing with the same set of principles that are at the center of the cause of migraines.

We have mentioned three different times of the day when migraines are most likely to start, and yet we have named only two different hormones. That is because melatonin also appears to be involved in the occurrence of afternoon headaches.

Have you ever noticed how you begin to feel tired or let down in the late afternoon? That is when melatonin starts to enter the body. Melatonin is produced from serotonin, that is to say the pineal gland converts serotonin to melatonin. We have already mentioned above how melatonin affects the "migraine gene" cells. Although some migraine researchers see the lack of serotonin as the problem, what may actually be occurring is the reaction of melatonin after it has been converted from serotonin.

For the most part, Tuliv Migraine Defense prevents migraine no matter what time of the day; however, if this is not complete for all afternoon headaches, we may recommend adding the supplement 5-HTP, which appears to help increase serotonin or at least stabilize the depletion of it. Some research has indicated that 5-HTP alone may be helpful in preventing migraines or at least in reducing their frequency and severity.

The time when migraines occur reveals a great deal of information about what is happening in the body and points to the cause of migraines. By understanding and using this information, we can find natural ways to help prevent migraines. At Tuliv, we are dedicated to helping you find your best solution for a migraine-free life.

What time of the day do most of your migraines start? If you are unsure of any pattern, then please print a copy of our Migraine Diary and track your migraines for the next month and see what you find. We will be happy to go over the results with you, either by phone (1-866-367-5953) or by email Questions@Tuliv.net

We welcome your questions and comments. You can contact Lyle Henry directly by email at Lyle@Tuliv.net or by calling 1-866-367-5953. There is no cost or obligation for his services.

Statin Drugs and Migraines

Research Article by Lyle Henry   

"My migraines came back and the only thing I've changed in my daily routine is I started a new cholesterol-lowering drug. Can statin drugs be a problem for migraineurs?" We recently received this question from one of our clients who takes Tuliv Migraine Defense daily and has been migraine-free for quite some time.

 There are times when a person starts taking a new prescription drug for various ailments and within a few days or weeks begins to see an increase in the frequency or severity of headaches. Even though many pharmaceuticals have headache listed as a side effect, they are often overlooked as the cause for changes in headache patterns. One of the reasons may be that for the general population the problem may not be as severe or common as it is for one prone to migraines and the reason for the increase is more subtle - such as the case of taking a statin drug.

Anytime there is a change in the headache pattern of a migraine, one should start looking for the reason by reviewing what has changed in terms of routines, diets, supplements and pharmaceuticals. In the case of changes in pharmaceuticals (and by this we mean starting on a drug, stopping one, or changing dosage), it is necessary to not only review the known side effects but to also investigate how the drug acts on the body. Specifically, we look at what effect this drug has on the components of a migraine including something that may increase the level of nitric oxide* in the body.

Statin drugs, including well-known medications such as Lipitor, Zocor, Mevacor, Pravachol, and Crestor, are prescribed for their lipid lowering effects. Unfortunately, statin drugs can and generally do increase the nitric oxide levels in the body through what is called nitric oxide synthase in isolated endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells make up the layer of flat cells lining the inside of blood vessels including those that are intertwined with the bilateral trigeminal nerve running forward along the temporal lobe area in the head - referred to as the trigeminal-vascular system. Expansion of these blood vessels leads to a migraine headache. In other words, these stain drugs can increase the level of nitric oxide in the very region where migraines occur.

The pain felt during a migraine headache is the result of the expansion of the blood vessels of the trigeminal-vascular system to the point where they are putting undue pressure on the hair-like nerve endings. This pressure and pinching is what is felt as sustained pain lasting for as long as the blood vessels are in this expanded state.

Since increasing the level of nitric oxide can initiate a migraine occurrence, taking a statin drug can result in an increased level of migraines. For the general population taking a statin drug (or for that matter increasing the level of nitric oxide) may not be a problem; however, for the person prone to migraines, the higher level of nitric oxide can be very painful.

You should always visit with your primary care professional before making any changes to your pharmaceutical scheme.

*Tuliv migraine research revealed that nitric oxide and L-tyrosine (in the form of tyramine) combine to generate the neurochemical that triggers the onset of a migraine. Elevating one or both of these substances increases your chance for a severe migraine headache. 

We welcome your questions and comments. You can contact Lyle Henry directly by email at Lyle@Tuliv.com or by calling 1-866-367-5953. There is no cost or obligation for his services.

Migraine Prevention for Children and Teens

For many of those affected by migraines the symptoms start between the ages of five and ten. Since migraine is a genetic condition, children that have a parent or grandparent with migraines should be observed for the onset and continuation of such symptoms.

During a sporadic migraine episode, a child often endures a severe headache that may be accompanied by nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and possible vision changes (auras). Children may also complain of pain or sinus stuffiness which is often misdiagnosed and falsely treated as sinus infection or congestion (see Tuliv Times December 2009). Naturally, doctors should be consulted in order to rule out other serious diseases or conditions.

As the child reaches puberty the frequency of migraines may begin to form a pattern, especially in young girls as they start menses. As the frequency or severity level of a child's migraines increases, the problem may wreak havoc on a child's quality of life and ability to take part in normal school activities. Since migraine pain can be so intense that a child often cannot think or function very well during or immediately following episodes, school absenteeism may result.

What is most important to understand is that there is no difference between the cause of migraines in a child and that of an adult; however, what should be of great concern is the treatment used in the case of children. The pharmaceutical medications prescribed today for the treatment and prevention of migraines have, for the most part, been approved for use only by adults and not for children.

In managing migraines in children the first question should be how often does he or she suffer a migraine? If the frequency is low (less than two days per month), then it may be a matter of using OTC pain relief, such as Ibuprofen or a NASAID, along with quiet rest as the best treatment. When considering starting a child on an adult only drug that may have adverse side effects, including learning disabilities, it is important to note that migraines are a lifetime problem that can last for several decades. You may want to try a natural solution first.

Migraine prevention in children should start with eliminating anything that may trigger a migraine episode. Although migraines triggers, as we know, are not the cause of migraines, they can be the reason for the onset of one. Since children are more prone to eat junk foods that may contain MSG or other problematic additives as well as drinks that contain artificial sweeteners, they must be taught what may lead to a migraine. When trying to determine what may be triggering a migraine, always look back at least 24 hours to review any food or activity leading to the migraine. By learning what to avoid your child may be able to reduce the number of migraines each month.

Children who have reached the age of puberty may benefit from our all natural migraine prevention solution, Tuliv Migraine Defense. Tuliv Migraine Defense has been safely used by children for the prevention of migraine since 2005. Sara writes about her 15 year old daughter, "Eileen, I just wanted to let you know how well your Migraine Defense formula is working for my daughter (just like you said it would). She started taking the recommended dosage and her migraines stopped completely within two weeks. She has been able to return to school and is doing fine."

For more testimonials on the use of Tuliv Migraine Defense, please visit www.Tuliv.com

If you have questions about your child having migraines, please call us at 1-866-367-5953 or send an email to Questions@Tuliv.com.