A Swedish study published this year in the journal Cephalalgia indicated that exercise may be an effective option for preventing or treating migraine headaches in patients who want to avoid the possible side effects of migraine drugs like Topamax. According to researchers, forty minutes of exercise three times a week was as effective as taking the prescription migraine medication, topiramate (Topamax). This groundbreaking study is particularly important for pregnant women who suffer from migraine headaches but are unwilling to expose their unborn child to the potential birth defect risks associated with migraine drugs like Topamax.
Topamax is one of the most popular pharmaceutical drugs available for the prevention of migraine headaches, a recurring condition that plagues millions of people in the United States alone, particularly women of childbearing age. Topamax originally entered the market in 1996 as a treatment for epilepsy, and was additionally indicated for the prevention of migraine headaches in 2004. Topamax is manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson.
FDA Warnings for Possible Topamax Birth Defects
Unfortunately, mounting evidence has suggested that the anticonvulsant drug may be linked to an increased risk of major birth defects in children exposed to the drug in pregnancy. Among these potential Topamax birth defects are oral malformations like cleft lip and cleft palate, and a genital defect affecting males called hypospadias. In March 2011, the FDA issued a drug safety communication warning patients and healthcare professionals about the increased risk of oral clefts among children whose mothers took Topamax while pregnant. The FDA warning also effectively elevated the pregnancy category of Topamax from C to D, which means that there is positive human evidence illustrating the medication’s potential to cause severe fetal harm.
Choose Exercise Over Taking Topamax
The recent Swedish study was conducted by researchers at the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at the University of Gothenburg. The study divided participants into three different groups assigned to varying methods of migraine prevention: one group exercised on an exercise bike for forty minutes, three times per week; one group took part in relaxation therapy, and one group took the migraine prevention drug Topamax. According to the results, no significant difference was found in the reduction of migraine attacks among the three separate groups. This means that engaging in moderate exercise three times a week can help prevent migraines just as well as the prescription medication Topamax can.
