WS,

Have your Naturopath write you a scrip for the 25-Hydroxyvitamin D lab test.  It's also called 25(OH)D. 

This is the serum level metabolite of vitamin D3 that's used to measure its status.  83% of CH'ers who had this lab test prior to starting the anti-inflammatory regimen with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3 reported 25(OH)D concentrations less than 30 ng/mL. 

Their average serum concentration of 25(OH)D was 23.4 ng/mL before starting this regimen and 76.0 ng/mL after experiencing a favorable response to this regimen.

Given the frequency, severity and duration of your cluster headaches, the odds are you are vitamin D3 deficient. The normal reference range for 25(OH)D is 30 to 100 ng/mL.

If your lab results come back indicating your 25(OH)D is less than 30 ng/mL or significantly less than 60 ng/mL, the odds are also in your favor (80%) that you'll experience a favorable response after starting the anti-inflammatory regimen.

You can find all the info you need on the over-the-counter supplements in this regimen along with suggested dosing at the following link:

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

The goal of this therapy involves elevating your 25(OH)D serum concentration into the "green zone" (60 to 110 ng/mL.) with at least 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3.  This is the range of 25(OH)D response where 80% of the CH'ers who start this regimen experience a significant reduction in the frequency, severity and duration of their CH...  60% of the CH'ers who start this regimen experience a lasting pain free response.

This data comes from an online survey of 110 CH'ers who have used this regimen for at least a month...  some for more than a year...

As a medical professional...  I think you'll see the implications...  The results of this survey suggest a causal relationship between a vitamin D3 deficiency and cluster headache.  80% of the CH'ers who start this regimen experience a favorable response.

The real clincher...  Chronic and a few episodic CH'ers who have gone pain free on the anti-inflammatory regimen and then stopped taking it completely reported their cluster headaches returned in as little as a week.  Restarting this regimen resulted in a return to a pain free state...

You can draw your own conclusions...

If your Naturopath has questions when you ask for the 25(OH)D lab test and discuss this regimen... take along the following link at VitaminDWiki:

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Regarding GI problems when taking magnesium... it could be the type of magnesium salt you're taking...  CH'ers taking magnesium malate, magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate, in order, have far fewer GI problems.  Magnesium oxide has the lowest bioavailability and also the highest probability of causing osmotic diarrhea.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch