Flaxseed trial found greater headache severity improvement than roasted wheat
In people with migraine, flaxseed improved some symptom scores more than the comparison powder; differences in headache frequency and duration were not statistically significant.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Compared with roasted wheat, flaxseed led to greater improvements in headache severity, headache impact and insomnia severity. Changes in headache frequency and duration did not differ significantly between groups. The findings suggest that the powders differed on some measured outcomes, while leaving uncertainty about whether flaxseed offers an advantage for attack frequency or length.
The abstract does not describe blinding, adverse events or the headache-severity scale. Its brief follow-up leaves sustained effects uncertain; nonsignificant between-group differences do not establish equal effects.
What researchers found
Headache severity
Flaxseed versus roasted wheat after 8 weeks; the between-group difference was statistically significant. The abstract does not identify the severity scale.
Severity, frequency and duration
The trial assessed headache intensity, how often headaches occurred and how long they lasted. Changes in frequency and duration showed no statistically significant between-group difference; this does not establish that frequency or duration stayed unchanged within either group.
The other measured outcomes
Additional favorable results concerned headache impact on quality of life and insomnia severity. Other measured outcomes showed no statistically significant between-group differences. The reported score improvements cannot be extended to overall psychological or physical health.
The original publication
Effect of Flaxseed Supplementation on Headache Characteristics and Quality of Life in Patients with Migraine: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Jafarpour A, Ostovan VR, Akhlaghi M
J Nutr · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41478596
- Record checked
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