Migraines affect about 15% of the global population and can be painful enough to disrupt daily life. For many people, existing migraine medications don’t work well or cause side effects that make them hard to use. But a new study offers hope—especially for people who suffer from chronic migraines and also have obesity.
In a recent pilot study led by Italian researcher Simone Braca, a type of drug usually used for diabetes and weight loss was found to cut the number of migraine days in half.
The drug, called liraglutide, belongs to a group known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. This is the same class of drugs as Ozempic, which has gained attention for helping with blood sugar control and weight loss.
The study, published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, involved 31 people—26 women and 5 men—who had chronic migraines and were classified as obese. Over a 12-week period, they were given liraglutide and asked to keep a detailed diary tracking their headaches.
At the start of the study, participants reported having migraines on about 20 days per month. By the end of the 12 weeks, that average had dropped to around 11 days per month. That’s a nearly 50% reduction.
Breaking it down further:
- 15 participants saw their migraine days cut in half.
- 7 people experienced a 75% reduction in migraine days.
- 1 person reported no migraines at all by the end of the study.
Some participants had mild stomach issues, such as nausea or constipation, but these side effects faded over time and did not cause anyone to stop taking the drug.
At first glance, it might seem that the reduction in migraines could be due to weight loss. Obesity is known to increase migraine risk, and weight loss can sometimes help reduce migraine symptoms.
However, in this study, weight loss was not a major factor. Participants’ average BMI (body mass index) barely changed—from 34.0 to 33.9—which researchers considered too small to explain the results.
So, what’s the possible explanation? The research team suggests that intracranial pressure (ICP)—pressure inside the skull—might be playing a role. Previous studies have shown that lowering this pressure, such as by draining spinal fluid, can relieve migraines. The researchers think liraglutide might be reducing ICP, leading to fewer migraines.
However, the study did not actually measure changes in brain pressure, and it didn’t include a control group for comparison, so this idea remains a theory for now. The researchers admit that more research is needed to figure out exactly how the drug works and whether it truly lowers ICP.
Despite these limitations, the study is an exciting step forward. Chronic migraines are hard to treat, and a new option—especially one that uses an existing, widely available medication—could make a big difference for many patients.
In short, while this was a small, early study, it shows that a drug originally made for diabetes and weight loss could help reduce migraines significantly. If future research confirms these findings, GLP-1 drugs like liraglutide might offer a promising new approach to managing chronic migraines—particularly in people who haven’t had success with other treatments.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
The research findings can be found in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain.
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