Which Probiotic Strains Have Been Studied For Their Effects On Migraine Symptoms?
Quick answer
Certain multispecies probiotic mixtures and co-supplementation of probiotics with vitamin D have shown potential benefits in reducing migraine frequency and severity, but specific probiotic strains for migraine relief are not consistently identified across studies.
🔬 What the research shows
High-quality randomized controlled trials indicate that multispecies probiotic mixtures can reduce migraine frequency, severity, and medication use in both episodic and chronic migraine patients. Co-supplementation of probiotics with vitamin D also showed improvements in migraine characteristics. However, meta-analyses report mixed results, with some showing no significant effect of probiotics on migraine frequency or severity, possibly due to heterogeneity and limited number of studies. Synbiotic supplementation (combining probiotics and prebiotics) may reduce migraine frequency and inflammatory markers in women with migraine. The specific probiotic strains used in these studies are often multispecies mixtures without detailed strain identification, limiting strain-specific recommendations. Some evidence suggests that Lactobacillus casei Shirota may improve vestibular migraine symptoms. Overall, probiotics appear promising as adjunctive interventions for migraine management, but further research is needed to identify optimal strains, dosages, and treatment durations.
Best studied probiotic strains
Multispecies probiotic mixtures
Randomized controlled trials (PMID: 30621517, 39394141, 40360751) showed that multispecies probiotic supplements reduced migraine frequency, severity, and medication use. However, specific strains within these mixtures were not detailed.
Evidence supports benefit but lacks strain-specific clarity; further research needed.
Probiotic plus vitamin D co-supplementation
RCTs (PMID: 39394141, 40360751) demonstrated that co-supplementation improved migraine frequency, severity, and migraine index compared to placebo.
Effectiveness may be due to combined action; probiotic strains unspecified.
Lactobacillus casei Shirota
A randomized placebo-controlled trial (PMID: 32865025) found significant improvement in vestibular migraine symptoms and related anxiety and depression after 4 months of supplementation.
Specific strain with evidence for vestibular migraine; further studies needed for broader migraine types.
Synbiotic (probiotic + prebiotic) mixtures
RCT (PMID: 33989763) showed synbiotic supplementation reduced migraine frequency, painkiller use, and inflammatory markers in women with migraine.
Combination therapy shows promise; strain details limited.
👥 Who may benefit
✅ Safety
Probiotic supplementation in the reviewed studies was generally well tolerated with no significant adverse effects reported. However, safety data specific to migraine populations are limited and further research is needed to confirm long-term safety.
⚠️ Limitations
Most studies used multispecies probiotic mixtures without specifying individual strains, limiting strain-specific recommendations. Meta-analyses show mixed results due to heterogeneity, small sample sizes, and methodological differences. The role of vitamin D co-supplementation complicates attribution of effects solely to probiotics. More large-scale, well-designed RCTs with standardized migraine outcomes and strain-specific interventions are needed.