Dietary niacin and migraine in American adults
What it found
In a survey of 10,246 American adults, people who ate more niacin had fewer migraines, up to about 21 mg a day.
Above that level, eating more niacin made no further difference.
What they found
Studies in people
Migraine frequency
Out of 10,246 people, 2064 (20.1%) had experienced a migraine or severe headache in the past three months.
Higher niacin, fewer migraines
Compared with the lowest niacin intake group (12.3 mg/day or less), the middle and highest groups had lower odds of migraine. The link followed an L-shaped curve.
Turning point at 21 mg
Below about 21.0 mg of niacin a day, each extra 1 mg was linked to a 2.5% lower risk of migraine. At or above 21.0 mg a day, the risk no longer dropped further.
Subgroups and sensitivity
The pattern held across groups by sex, marital status, education, income and BMI. It also held after excluding people with extreme calorie intakes.
Other findings
Possible reasons
The authors suggest niacin may raise serotonin, help brain energy metabolism, and reduce oxidative stress, but say this needs more study.
What the authors conclude
“In conclusion, there was an L-shaped connection between dietary niacin intake and migraine prevalence among adults in the United States, with an inflection point of roughly 21.0 mg/d.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that there was an L-shaped connection between dietary niacin intake and migraine prevalence among adults in the United States, with an inflection point of roughly 21.0 mg/d.
- They say the results draw people's attention to the association between dietary niacin intake and migraine.
- They advise that more prospective investigations are necessary to validate niacin's preventive effect on migraine.
How it was done
Migraine is linked to a lack of energy in the brain, and niacin is needed for the mitochondria to make energy. The authors wanted to see whether dietary niacin is related to migraine in the general population.
They looked at data from 10,246 people over 20 years old who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2004. Participants reported whether they had a severe headache or migraine in the past three months, and their niacin intake was estimated from a 24-hour food recall.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a cross-sectional survey, so it can show a link but cannot prove that niacin prevents migraines.
- Migraine was based on self-reported severe headaches, not a formal diagnosis.
- The findings come from US adults and may not apply to other populations.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Chinese PLA General Hospital, China; Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, China
The paper
- Title
- Association between Dietary Niacin Intake and Migraine among American Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Liu H, Wang L, Chen C, Dong Z, Yu S (2022). Association between Dietary Niacin Intake and Migraine among American Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu14153052Free full textPubMed 35893904DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error