About Me

Matt Murray is co-owner and manager for GreenAcres Market in Wichita, Kansas. From 1996 until 2002 Matt was co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show, HealthTalk with Shannon and Matt. Current activities involve writing health-related articles for local magazines and newspapers, seminars and speaking engagements.

Active in lobbying for the natural products industry in Washington, D.C., Matt was president of Rocky Mountain Nutritional Foods Association and a member of the national board for NNfA from 2002 through 2006.

Consumer education, advertising and promotions are the key elements for store growth so he spends time on newsletter development and in-store activities.

Coenzyme Q-10 Migraine Headache Relief

Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10), a fat soluble vitamin-like substance present in every cell of the body, reduced the frequency and severity of migraine headaches in a new 2005 study. Scientists decided to test CoQ-10 because of its important role in cell energy.

The four-month double-blind study included 42 volunteers who suffered from two to eight migraine headaches per month. The group randomly received either 300 mg of CoQ-10 per day in three 100 mg doses, or a placebo. All participants kept a diary in which they recorded each headache, along with symptoms and severity. By the third month, those in the coQ-10 group were reporting fewer migraine headaches and less nausea than the placebo group. There were no reported side effects. Scientists found that the frequency of migraines decreased by 50% in the CoQ-10 group compared to a 14% decrease in the placebo group.

In an earlier open-label (no placebo or non-treatment groups) investigation reported in the journal Cephalagia in 2002, 31 volunteers took 150 mg of CoQ-10 per day. After three months of treatment, 61.3% of participants reported 50% fewer days with migraine. The average number of days with migraine decreased from 7.34 days at the beginning of the study to 2.95 days after three months of treatment. There were no reported side effects. Researchers suggested that, because of the less scientific nature of an open-label study, a placebo controlled trial was necessary to confirm results, something this 2005 study does.

What about migraine relief for children? Butterbur root extract (Petasites hybridus) reduced migraine headaches in those aged 6 to 17, according to a new study. An estimated 3% to 7% of children and adolescents suffer from migraines, and most migraine remedies are ineffective and not recommended for this age group. The 108 participants had suffered from migraines for at least a year before entering the open-label (non-placebo-controlled) four-month study in which 77% of the participants reduced migraines by at least half.

All participants took 50 mg to 150 mg of butterbur root extract per day, depending on age. Attack frequency fell by 63%, to 4.0 from 9.4 in the 6- to 9-year-old group, and to 5.8 from 9.7 in the 10- to 17-year-old group. More that 90% of participants reported feeling better, with some reporting experiencing a sense of well-being after treatment.

Because of the uncontrolled (no placebo) study design, the authors hesitate to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of butterbur but note that, when added to similar data from previous adult double-blind trials, the combined evidence supports using butterbur to treat and prevent migraines in children and adolescents. The authors suggest that a placebo-controlled trial in this age group would help confirm these results. Butterbur is a plant native to Europe that has also been used to relieve symptoms of asthma, lower back pain and urinary tract spasms.

References: Neurology; 2005, Vol. 64, No. 4, 713-5., Headache: the Journal of Head and Face Pain; 2005, Vol. 45, No. 3, 196.