Butterbur Benefits for Children's Head Discomfort*

For centuries, butterbur has been used for its unique health benefits, and it has recently grown in popularity as a way to address head pressure and discomfort.* It's one of the only effective, science-backed approaches for ongoing head discomfort in children.*

To many parents' dismay, few solutions have proven to be effective for long-term head tension in kids. Watching your child suffer and being unable to offer help is incredibly difficult as a parent. The data for using butterbur to relax and ease head discomfort is exciting, and many doctors, parents, and children are seeing clear results.*

It's important to understand the underlying cause of head heaviness and tension in children, which include the following five pillars:

1. Stress
2. Trouble sleeping
3. Skipping meals and/or meals high in refined carbohydrates
4. Dehydration
5. Musculoskeletal pain

Addressing these root causes is critical, but butterbur can help support discomfort in the meantime.*

what is butterbur?

Butterbur's technical name is petasites hybridus, and it is a plant that grows in river banks, wet marshlands, and damp forest soils. Its extract is taken from the root, leaf, and bulk of the plant. Butterbur has historically been used for respiratory support, wound aid, bladder discomfort, and normal inflammation.* 

Today, practitioners also use butterbur to address seasonal irritants, gut issues, and body discomfort.* Yet its most promising and unique benefit for children is its support of cranial blood vessel tone, keeping the vessels pliable so that blood can flow smoothly.* Healthy blood flow helps facilitate cranial relaxation, which can significantly help with any head tension.

benefits of butterbur

Before focusing specifically on butterbur's mechanisms for supporting cranial comfort, let's take a moment to consider its other benefits.*

respiratory health and seasonal irritants

It's estimated that upwards of 40 percent of children suffer from seasonal discomforts, and one of butterbur's principal uses historically has been to support these issues—particularly respiratory problems.*

One study of participants with seasonal discomforts experienced significantly less histamine and leukotriene after only five days of taking butterbur.* This is likely due to the plant's mechanism as a leukotriene inhibitor.*^[1]

gut problems

The use of butterbur for an upset stomach and other gut-related issues is anecdotal and requires further research. While it might help with unpleasant gut sensations, teaching your kids healthy eating habits is foundational.

healthy inflammatory response

Likely due to similar mechanisms that address head discomfort, butterbur contains beneficial compounds that seem to support healthy inflammation pathways in the body.*

how does butterbur benefit children's Head comfort?

An increasing number of children suffer from head discomfort and tension, and butterbur is an effective solution.* 

The plant has several active ingredients, such as isopetasin, flavonoids, petatwalide B, and bakkenolide B. The inflammation-supporting benefits come from molecules like leukotrienes and interleukins, among others, all of which are known to limit the body's production of inflammatory molecules.* Similarly, butterbur is thought to help with discomfort by decreasing brain cells’ sensitivity and perception of the tension.*^[2] 

Butterbur is highly effective in changing the vascular tone of the head, keeping blood vessels pliable so that blood can flow smoothly.* With healthy blood flow, children feel a relaxation of head heaviness and pressure.

In one study of 108 children ages six to seventeen, 50-77 percent of children with cranial discomfort experienced less discomfort after four months of taking butterbur.*^[3]

Butterbur for head discomfort is also very effective for adults: however, it is more significant for children given the fact that few other effective options exist for pediatric discomfort management.

considerations for kids: potential risks and dosage

Some understandable (yet avoidable) hesitation exists around the use of butterbur because it contains the liver-toxic compound pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). While it would be impossible to reach toxic levels of PAs by eating the plant itself, extracts can pose a risk, especially to children. For this reason, it is essential to purchase a PA-free butterbur, stated directly on the product label. 

With a high-quality, PA-free butterbur supplement, reaching a dose high enough to offer true cranial support is crucial.* Some products mix butterbur with other nutrients or herbs, which often fall short of the recommended effective dosage.

Doctors recommend 75 mg twice/day for adults and 50 mg twice/day for children. As with any supplement, always discuss dosage with your pediatrician beforehand. Since children usually struggle to swallow pills, look for a butterbur supplement in tincture or spray form.

related content: immune boosters for kids

conclusion

More and more mainstream neurologists are beginning to recommend butterbur as a primary support for children's head discomfort. With few options to manage children's head tension, the use of butterbur is an exciting option for many families.* 

Always work to address the root causes of cranial discomfort in your child, and discuss the option of a PA-free butterbur with your doctor for support.*

[1]  Thomet OA, Wiesmann UN, Blaser K, Simon HU. Differential inhibition of inflammatory effector functions by petasin, isopetasin and neopetasin in human eosinophils. Clin Exp Allergy. 2001 Aug;31(8):1310-20. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2001.01158.x. PMID: 11529903.

[2]  https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2011.01846.x

[3]  Pothmann R, Danesch U. Migraine prevention in children and adolescents: results of an open study with a special butterbur root extract. Headache. 2005 Mar;45(3):196-203. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2005.05044.x. PMID: 15836592.