Researchers have found that young adults who suffer from migraines were deficient in many vitamins including vitamin D, coenzyme Q10 and riboflavin according to PR Newswire.

The study was carried out at the Cincinnati Children’s Headache Center and analyzed data from 7,691 young patients suffering with chronic migraines who were tested for vitamin levels through blood tests. The results showed that girls were more likely to have a baseline deficiency in coenzyme Q10 – a vitamin-like substance needed for cell maintenance and growth and found throughout the body – while boys leaned towards deficiency in vitamin D.

The findings, presented at the 58th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Headache Society in San Diego, did show conflicting results. The patients suffering with chronic migraines had higher coenzyme Q10 and riboflavin deficiencies than those with episodic migraines, however when vitamins were given as a preventative measure, the results were mixed.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Suzanne Hagler says that taking vitamin supplements may seem the obvious solution but more research needs to be done to see if supplements would benefit migraine sufferers.

“Further studies are needed to elucidate whether vitamin supplementation is effective in migraine patients in general, and whether patients with mild deficiency are more likely to benefit from supplementation.”

During the study, patients were prescribed preventative medication together with vitamin supplements if their vitamin levels appeared low, however not enough participants received vitamins alone as a prevention so the results could not be conclusive.

More research will need to be carried out before doctors can prescribe vitamin supplements especially vitamin D which can be difficult to add into a diet. The vitamin can be found in oily fish and eggs together with ultraviolet rays in sunlight which is the common source for most people.