Migraines and estrogen

"Menstrual migraine affects approximately 50% to 60% of female migraineurs," states the author of a paper published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Remember that estrogen also functions as a neurotransmitter. As the paper goes on to say, "Biochemical and genetic evidence suggest central and peripheral roles for estrogen in the pathophysiology of menstrual migraine, with potential interactions with excitatory circuits..." I frequently see estrogen dysregulation, often with insufficient clearance at the end of the menstrual cycle, in our functional hormone profiles. Remember it is the free fraction (unbound, biologically active) portion of the hormones that must be measured for a reliable assessment; and the pituitary hormones FSH and LH should always be included for a cycling female. The author concludes: "Epidemiological, pathophysiological, and clinical evidence link estrogen to migraine headaches."