Use of Nutraceutical Ingredient Combinations in the Management of Tension-Type Headaches with or without Sleep Disorders.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of exogenous melatonin in improving sleep-wake cycles and quality of sleep in children, with a secondary impact on headache reduction.
Results Summary
Melatonin was found to be useful and safe in regulating circadian rhythm and improving sleep quality in children, with a secondary positive effect on headache. Supplementation with other nutraceuticals like tryptophan and magnesium showed additional benefits in reducing headache attacks and improving sleep efficiency.
Population
Pediatric patients with chronic headache and sleep disruption.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Exogenous melatonin | increase | sleep-wake cycles and quality of sleep | children | - | has been shown to be useful and safe in improving | #1 |
Exogenous melatonin | increase | the circadian rhythm | children | - | helping to regulate | #2 |
Exogenous melatonin | decrease | headache | children | - | with a secondary positive impact on | #3 |
Supplementation with other nutraceutical ingredients, such as tryptophan, magnesium, and B vitamins | decrease | primary headache | children with primary headache, with or without sleep disorders | - | can have significant additional effects in | #4 |
Tryptophan | decrease | night awakenings | - | - | may reduce | #5 |
Tryptophan | increase | the efficiency of sleep | - | - | improve | #6 |
Primary headache | decrease | magnesium in serum | - | - | has been related to low amounts of | #7 |
integration with magnesium | decrease | headache attacks | - | - | appears to be effective in reducing | #8 |
these nutraceuticals | increase | - | - | - | suggesting a possible synergistic effect for | #9 |
Headache is the most common pain complaint in the pediatric population, with tension type headache (TTH) having a prevalence of 10-15% in children. Up to 70% of pediatric patients with chronic headache also experience sleep disruption, with a likely bidirectional relationship between headache and poor sleep. Treatment options include specific pharmacological approaches as well as non-pharmacological alternatives; nutraceuticals have the advantage of a relative lack of side effects. Exogenous melatonin has been shown to be useful and safe in improving sleep-wake cycles and quality of sleep in children, helping to regulate the circadian rhythm, with a secondary positive impact on headache. Supplementation with other nutraceutical ingredients, such as tryptophan, magnesium, and B vitamins, can have significant additional effects in children with primary headache, with or without sleep disorders. Tryptophan may reduce night awakenings and improve the efficiency of sleep. Primary headache has been related to low amounts of magnesium in serum, and integration with magnesium appears to be effective in reducing headache attacks without adverse effects. There are different observational reports and uncontrolled studies suggesting a possible synergistic effect for these nutraceuticals, but there is now a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials in order to confirm these positive preliminary findings.