Can Multigen Caplet Cause Migraines in a First-Time User?
No, multivitamin supplements like Multigen caplet do not cause migraines in patients who have not taken them before. In fact, certain B vitamins contained in multivitamin formulations may actually help prevent migraine headaches.
Evidence Supporting Safety of Multivitamins
Riboflavin (vitamin B2), a common component of multivitamin supplements, is used at high doses (400 mg) for migraine prophylaxis and is considered safe and well-tolerated with no serious side effects 1, 2.
B vitamins including thiamine (B1), pyridoxine (B6), cobalamin (B12), and folic acid (B9) have been shown to reduce migraine frequency and disability when used as supplementation, with no evidence of triggering migraines 3.
The ESPEN micronutrient guideline notes that riboflavin consumed orally from diet or most multivitamin supplements rarely causes side effects, with the only common effect being yellow-colored urine 1.
Potential Benefits Rather Than Risks
Multiple nutrients found in multivitamin formulations—including magnesium, riboflavin, coenzyme Q10, and vitamin D—have demonstrated prophylactic effects against migraine headaches 4, 5.
Supplementation with vitamin B2 in adults plays a positive role in reducing the frequency and duration of migraine attacks 2.
A 12-week trial demonstrated that B vitamins (B1, B6, B9, B12) and their combination significantly decreased headache attack frequency and improved migraine disability scores compared to placebo 3.
Important Caveats
Only repeatedly consumed pharmacologic doses of riboflavin (>100 mg) have potential to cause toxicity through light-reactive peroxides, but this is far above typical multivitamin doses 1.
The standard multivitamin doses are well below therapeutic migraine prevention doses (which use 400 mg riboflavin) and are considered safe for routine supplementation 1, 2.
If a patient develops new headaches after starting any supplement, consider other causes such as medication overuse headache from frequent analgesic use (≥7 days/month), which is a more common trigger 1.