Nutritional intake of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and migraine: a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2004

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Clinical studies demonstrate that supplemental riboflavin is an efficacious and low risk prophylactic treatment for migraine. However, background riboflavin intake of adults with migraine from nutritional sources has not been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate riboflavin consumption of adults with migraine in the United States, and further investigate the relationship between nutritional riboflavin consumption and the prevalence of migraine among adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional secondary analysis included 3439 participants ages 20–50 years old in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2004. Presence of migraine in the past three months was self-reported. Riboflavin intake was determined from one 24-hour recall interview. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for riboflavin intake quartiles using an adjusted logistic regression model. Statistical significance was determined using an adjusted Wald test.

Results

Results showed that mean dietary consumption of riboflavin fulfilled the Recommended Dietary Allowance for migraine and control groups. Dietary riboflavin intake was associated with the odds of migraine (p_Wald = 0.002), but no association was found for supplemental or total riboflavin consumption (p_Wald = 0.479 and 0.136). When stratified by gender, there was no association of dietary riboflavin with migraine in males (p_Wald= 0.423), but an association was observed in females (p_Wald= 0.014).

Discussion

The RDA value for riboflavin was not relevant for assessing odds of migraine; however, differing odds of migraine were detected across dietary riboflavin consumption groups at levels above the RDA. Future riboflavin supplementation trials for migraine prophylaxis should consider measuring background dietary intake.

KEYWORDS:

• Dietary intake
• migraine
• pain‌
• supplements
• prophylaxis
• riboflavin
• NHANES
• adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics approval

The work presented in this manuscript is not considered human subjects research because it used only de-identified, publicly available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and is therefore not subject to IRB review.

Data availability statement

The data used to generate this manuscript are availably publicly at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Huilun Li

Huilun Li is a graduate of the Nutrition Master of Science program in the Nutrition and Food Studies Department at George Mason University.

Jenna R. Krall

Jenna R. Krall is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Global and Community Health at George Mason University. She is a biostatistician with interest in air pollution and environmental epidemiology.

Cara Frankenfeld

Cara Frankenfeld is an Associate Professor and Director of the Public Health Program at the University of Puget Sound. She is an epidemiologist with expertise in complex exposures, with particular focus on diet, environment and geographic factors.

Margaret Slavin

Margaret Slavin is an Associate Professor in the Nutrition and Food Studies Department at George Mason University. She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and food scientist, with research interests in migraine and bioactive compounds in foods.