Migraines and tryptophan?

Question

One theory about migraines is that it is triggered by dropping serotonin levels.One medication, sumatriptan, acts by raising serotonin acting as a reuptake inhibitor.Since tryptophan is converted into serotonin, can tryptophan supplements aid in fighting migraines. Is there any study in this regard?

Answer 1

Serotonin levels in the brain can be erratic before a migraine. Since sumatriptan is structurally similar to serotonin its able to bind to serotonin receptors and stabilize serotonin levels in the brain. CNS activation of serotonin receptors by sumatriptan then causes vasoconstriction, which provides pain relief from vascular headaches. It also decreases release of vasoactive neuropeptides and inflammatory proteins from trigeminal nerves. Tryptophan depletion has been shown in a couple of studies to worsen or trigger migraines. But its use as a potential treatment has not been studied to my knowledge.