As sufferers know, migraine headaches can be excruciating and debilitating. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20% of women and 10% of men had a severe headache or migraine in the past three months. Approximately 39 million women and children in the U.S and one billion people worldwide suffer from migraines, says the Migraine Research Foundation. In fact, migraines are the third most prevalent illness in the world.  While many factors can trigger a migraine headache, about 90% of sufferers have a family history of migraines.

There are several prescription drugs on the market that can ease the pain of migraines. But some experts believe that nutritional deficiencies may be the root cause. Giving your body the vitamins and minerals it needs may stave off attacks.

According to America's Natural Doctor, Mark Stengler, a natural medical doctor, a pre-published study featured in the British Journal of Nutrition, found that migraine sufferers tended to have low levels of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin K. Also, the higher the consumption of vitamin B12, B9 (folate), and D, the lower the duration of the headaches.

Dr. Alexander Mauskop, author of The End of Migraines: 150 Ways to Stop Your Pain, tells Newsmax that nearly half of migraine sufferers are deficient in magnesium due to a number of factors, including heredity, stress, or low nutritional  intake. Since magnesium is so essential in many intracellular processes, the expert suggests that an oral supplement is warranted in those suffering from migraine headaches.

A recent study found that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel, helped reduce the number of migraine hours by 30% to 40% over 16 weeks, as long as the sufferers didn’t include omega-6 vegetable oils in their diets. Experts thinks that the anti-inflammatory effect of the omega-3 fatty acids contributes to the reduction of migraine headaches.

A whole-food diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, can provide many of the nutrients needed for migraine prevention. However, vitamin D is difficult to obtain from the diet, says Stengler, so supplements are recommended to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines. Research shows that many people are deficient in B vitamins due to stress, alcohol abuse, too much coffee, and medications that deplete these nutrients.

According to Healthline, the following supplements can help treat the root cause of migraines:

1. Vitamin B2. The American Headache Society recommends 400 milligrams per day of vitamin B2 to treat migraines. An analysis of nine studies found that taking this supplement daily for three months significantly decreased pain associated with migraine attacks, as well as the duration and frequency of episodes.

2. Magnesium. Research has shown that people who suffer from migraines usually have low levels of magnesium. A 1996 study found that migraine sufferers who took a magnesium supplement daily for 12 weeks reduced their incidence of migraines by 41%. David Friedman, the best-selling author of “Food Sanity: How to Eat in a World of Fads and Fiction,” tells Newsmax that “magnesium plays a vital role in converting food into energy, protein synthesis, regulating the nervous system and repairing our DNA.” The American Migraine Foundation recommends taking 400-600 milligrams of magnesium oxide supplements per day to prevent migraines.

3. Vitamin D. Taking vitamin D supplements may also help stave off migraine attacks, says Healthline, as well as reduce their intensity. One study recommends taking between 1,000 and 4,000 international units (IU) per day to reduce the frequency of migraine episodes.