Systematic Review Suggests Nutraceuticals Containing Vitamin B2 Could Provide an Alternative Treatment for Paediatric...

The aim of this review is to systematically summarise the evidence on the effectiveness of riboflavin (vitamin B2) or supplements containing riboflavin in preventing paediatric migraines.

This systematic review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and is reported to adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched multiple electronic databases on 25 October 2023 to identify potentially relevant studies. Studies were screened, critically appraised and data extracted by two reviewers. Data underwent a narrative synthesis using vote counting based on direction of effect and was presented using harvest plots.

Seventeen studies of varying quality were included in the review. Riboflavin or its combination with other natural ingredients was significantly effective in reducing migraine frequency (7/10 comparisons), migraine days (3/4 studies) and use of analgesics (3/4 studies). Mixed findings were found on headache duration in hours (3/5 studies), pain intensity (4/6 studies) and disability (3/5 studies). No negative outcomes and few side effects were reported (five studies).

Our findings suggest that using riboflavin at different dosages and treatment lengths offers a promising alternative to common medications for paediatric migraine prevention. Future research should explore mechanisms of action, optimal dosing and treatment duration using robust evidence.