I cannot give individual advice on this platform, only in the office, after seeing the person.

Hello dr.Mauskop,as my neurologist does

Hello dr.Mauskop,as my neurologist doesn’t believe my constant headaches are migraine despite the vertigo,but due to.increased muscle spasms,neck,occiput,jaw,temples,spreading,I wonder if Boswellia is right for me?I don’t know what I may be deficient to but oral magnesium I don’t seem to absorb properly at all despite very high dosages 600mg,no difference.It reminds me of your article on magnesium injections for some people but doctors dismiss me when I ask.I’ m told rather that spasms are due to anxiety or increased by anxiety,which may be true but my headache is now debilitating with constant vertigo also.I take no meds now,just hoping in some supplement mentioned by you or other alternative solutions.Acu can make it worse,but the hardest part is the undefinable debilitating headache ; if the anxiety/ stress is the cause,would gaba be of help with ie.the spasms?

There’s no danger in taking Boswellia continuously. So if it helps, I tell my patients to stay on it long-term.

I would like to ask you please, for how long do you recommend using boswellia for migraines continuously or if it should be stopped for a certain period of time and how long and then continue taking it. Also, if it is necessary to stop it for a certain period of time, should it be replaced during this period in your opinion with some other aid? Thank you. Thanks for your helpful information!!

Abdominal migraines are rare, however, Boswellia, just like any other supplement, can cause an upset stomach or an allergic reaction.

I know that this is supposed to have a mild side effect profile, but I had my abdominal migraines return after many years without them when I started this. I stopped it and a couple months later retried it because my doctor thought maybe the 2 events were coincidental, and the abd migaines returned again. I stopped it again and no more abd pain attacks. Just an FYI.

It’s an unusual side effect. What I see occasionally is upset stomach but not much else.

Dr. Mauskop,

Bringing back an old post here. I tried boswellia, and it made me very drowsy/dizzy. Is that a side effect you’ve seen, or could it be the boswellila interacting with my migraine?

Thank you!

Yes, Boswellia can be as effective as gliacin. I also prescribe Boswellia for migraines.

My neuro recommended Gliacin for hemicrania to me, but this product is expensive.
Could Nature’s Way Boswellia be as effective even if it is cheaper?

I currently am taking Gliacin, purchased through
gliacin.com. I have conditions of Chronic Migraine and very painful arthritis throughout my body. Gliacin has been very effective in the reduction and almost elimination of my arthritic inflammatory pain. I am hoping it will also provide some relief of chronic migraine condition. I noted in a 2012 post that pops up first when I Google Gliacin states the company that sells Gliacin may be experiencing problems or be defunct. This is not true and the statement should be removed or corrected. If a person has a problem getting an order through gliacin.com, the problem is either a network error or a timeout due to lengthy delay in submission. It is very easy to order this product over the telephone. The number to call is
855-999-4542. Please get accurate information posted on this very effective treatment for inflammatory conditions. Gliacin works better than anything on the market or over the counter that I have tried. People need to know help for their inflammatorypain is available in Gliacin.

Hi, do you think Boswellia would help with Idiopathic intracranial hypertension? Are there other supplements that you think might be helpful also? Thanks

FYI, Nature’s Way has changed the formula from 200mg of boswellic acids to 122.8mg per tablet.
Gliacin, the company run by Dr. Ross, may be defunct or experiencing problems. Hopefully Labdoor or Consumber Lab will test other brands of boswellia to know their quality and safety.

Dr. Mauskop, I am very interested in Boswellia for my daughter (your office recommended it) but I want to make sure there are no known contraindications from an allergy perspective. She has a severe tree nut allergy. Thank you.

Boswellia usually works fast and if 1 tablet 3 times a day works partially, after a couple of weeks the dose can be increased to 2 tablets 3 times a day.

Thank you. I am taking 3 pills per day split into 3 doses Natures Way. How long do you typically recommend one should try boswellia at a lower dosage prior to increasing the dosage to a dose of 2 pills twice per day (4) or 6 pills per day? Do you need to give it 3 months at each dose level?

The usual dose of Boswellia (Nature’s Way brand) is 1 tablet three times a day, but many people are too busy to remember the midday dose and can try taking one tablets twice a day. If that is not sufficient, two tablets twice a day might work better. The accepted maximum dose is 6 tablets a day. It should be always taken with food to avoid upset stomach.

I get 3-4 migraines per week in which I use Relpax (2 days) & DHE (1 day). I am otherwise a healthy 49 year old. What is the best dosage to prevent migraine using Nature’s Way Boswellia 307 mg dosage per pill? Do you recommend to your patients to start with 3 pills per day (total 921 mg) for 3 months to see a benefit prior to increasing the dose?

I would suggest Boswellia by Nature’s Way, which is inexpensive and of good quality. A more expensive, but sometimes more effective option is a product called Gliacin. Essential oils are usually more expensive and I do not have any experience with them, except for peppermint oil used topically or as aromatherapy.

You mention taking Boswellia in all forms, but I’d like to clarify that. I have essential oils and do have Frankincense EO. I have vegetable capsules I can use to put drops of oil in and take as a supplement. Would this be something you recommend. The only issue may be the cost of the EO in comparison to the cost of other boswellia supplements. I could also use the EO topically to help relieve the pain. Just wondering what your thoughts are about essential oils as supplements. And speaking of Essential oils, Copaiba and Palo Santo are two EOs that have anti-inflammatory properties and are starting to get noticed for their health benefits. And for some history, I have chronic daily migraine along with Fibromyalgia, possible RA (right now blood work is normal, but joints tell a different story), and IBS. I’m always in some form of pain and have accepted that to be my “normal”, but whenever the pain goes beyond my “normal”, is when I start reaching for relief. I take magnesium supplements daily and probiotics. I’ve tried hemp CBD, but the results were minimal and did not justify the cost. I currently don’t have insurance, so I can’t do botox, which did help some in the past. Thank you for any insight you can provide!

Thank you, Robert for sharing your experience with Boswellia. I just wanted to mention that one-sided headache is most likely a migraine, even if the pain is not severe. However, sometimes headaches do not fit into one of the well-defined categories and they fall somewhere in between migraine and tension-type headaches. This is most likely due to the fact that these categories were defined by committees of doctors rather than by an objective test. Fortunately, the science is moving in the direction of defining most conditions on the basis of genetics and that might lead to very specific therapies that are based on genetics and biochemistry rather than symptom description.

I’ve had right-sided tension headaches for 30 years. They were diagnosed at one point as migraines, but I don’t believe they are. In the last 5 years they have increased from once every 7-10 days to once every other day. I’ve been switching between aspirin and ibuprofen to the limits of tolerance. I had exhausted what I thought was every herb, vitamin and form of diet modification and alternative treatment imaginable. About two months ago I learned about Boswellia. Since taking it regularly my headaches have reduced 75% in frequency and about 50% in severity. It is quite remarkable. I offer this comment as possible hope for others.

I have been taking Boswellia, as Gliacin (Dr. Eross), for the past 6 weeks for Hemicrania Continua. I was recommended by my Neurologist in SF. I think I am actually seeing improvement. I am allergic to indomethacin, so I take lots of ibuprofen for pain relief. In the past 2 weeks I notice I do not need to take pain meds until much later in the day and I would typically need at least 2 doses of pain meds, I now find I usually don’t need the 2nd.

Has anyone else tried “Boswellia” and it’s worked?

Mariana – how’s your son doing (if you see this message).

This thread could really help a lot of people, so please post your findings – Cluster headache sufferers really need as much feedback as possible from those who’ve managed to get better, so please post your results as there’s nothing more valuable than learning from those who’ve got better.

Many thanks to all the posters, and specifically to Dr. Mauskop –

I’m getting some very positive early results with Boswellia for tension headaches and neck pain. I’m considering adding Turmeric. Would you suggest I do so, or would another better complement?

Thx, Mike

Hi. I would like to share my (little) experience with boswellia.
I always had headaches (migraines), sometimes with aura, sometimes not, but for one year I have headaches almost everyday. You can imagine how tired and depressed I’ve felt lately.
The only medication that helps are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pills, but it tend not to be enough and, most important, I have Crohn’s disease so these pills make me very, very sick.

I tried boswellia because the only thing that helped with my Crohn’s was an(other) herb, so I thought I’d give it a try. I took 2 pills of 280mg boswellia a day at first, then 4 a day. 5 weeks later, I had the very first entire week without a single headache (for about one year).

For now, I didn’t notice any side effect, and I can’t say it works without testing it longer, but it seems to help for sure… I hope it’ll help other people like me !

[…] days then did my inner dialoguing again and got an affirmative to start right away. I also started Boswellia, which has had some success in cluster headaches. Finally got Lupron going and found a study from […]

Thank you! I started him on Boswellia and slow breathing twice a day, and it seems to be working! His headaches have decreased in duration and intensity and he hasn’t reported side effects, so we’ll continue. 🙂

Unfortunately, I cannot give specific advice to anyone because I need to have a detailed history and a discussion with each patient, but as a general rule Boswellia, magnesium and CoQ10 can be combined for the prevention of migraine headaches. I usually recommend starting one supplement at a time (usually magnesium, then CoQ10 and then Boswellia) because any of them can cause upset stomach, allergic reaction (mostly herbals) or another side effect.

OK, i’m starting him with 450mg twice a day. I’ll let you know how it goes. Is it okay to also give him the magnesium and CoQ10 supplements you recommend? What would the doses be for those? Is it better to introduce one thing at a time for a few weeks? If so, what would you recommend we try first? We’re also getting the mouth guard this week , since he seems to be accumulating a lot of tension in his jaw, especially at night. Thanks for your time!

Unfortunately, nobody knows the proper dose of herbal products, including Boswellia. The proper dose of prescription drugs is established by extensive testing in thousands of patients, which is very expensive. Since Boswellia (and feverfew, but not butterbur) are very safe the dose can be discovered by trial and error, starting with a small amount and gradually increasing it. You need to ask your son’s pediatrician or a local herbalist for guidance. Combining herbal products such as Boswellia and valerian with drugs is generally safe, but I cannot give specific advice to anyone who is not my patient, so check with the doctor.

Dear Dr. Mauskop,
Thank you for helping so many people through your website.
What would be the recommended dose based on weight? My son is 50 pounds.
Is it safe to take Boswellia in conjunction with Topamax (25 mg in the am). He also takes Valerian at nights, sometimes.
Thanks again,
Mariana DW

Unfortunately, I cannot make any specific recommendations to anyone without seeing them first. But I can say that Boswellia is usually taken daily as a preventive treatment for headaches and other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Dear Dr. Mauskop,
I am searching for a remedy for my 15 year old son who gets migraine headaches accompanied by acute gastric symptoms – an inflamed painful tummy and a tummy upset which can last for days. I’ve been reading about Boswellia – it has also been tried with some success in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, apart from the recent findings in migraine. Do you think it is a good idea to try it with the general idea of reducing the inflammation? Do I give it only during acute attacks or as a preventive?
I’d value your opinion, since all routine investigations have been normal. Thank you for taking the time,
Mekhala Rao

Boswellia is not known to cause any side effects, but people with any medical problem should always check with their doctor before starting any supplements or herbal products.

Will an individual who has to be careful with anti-inflammatories due to having one kidney, have a problem? Kidney removed due to rcc. I have a NDPH.

Yes, boswellia is widely available

Where can I find such a herbal extact? At a local herbalist store?

Unfortunately, we don’t really know what kind of migraines or headaches Boswellia is good for.

I get hemiplegic and silent migraines. The silent migraines consist of visual aura, strange sensations on my skin, mental fogginess, confusion, word finding issues, etc. Flying tends to make my condition worse. Do you think taking the Boswellia daily may be beneficial as preventive measure for the silent migraine?