Popular Weight-loss Drugs Show Promise for Migraines in New Study
A new pilot study just threw a curveball into migraine research. It turns out, a drug used for weight loss might help people with chronic migraines, too. Liraglutide, a GLP-1 agonist originally designed to manage diabetes and obesity, slashed monthly migraine days almost in half in a small group of patients.
That is big news for the 1 billion people around the world who suffer from migraines.
The lead researcher of the pilot study, neurologist Dr. Simone Braca, tracked participants who had both chronic migraines and obesity. Over 12 weeks, their average monthly headache days dropped from 20 to just 11. One person even stopped getting migraines completely.
However, the weight-loss part didn’t even happen. Their weight stayed the same. That suggests something else is at work.
Weight-Loss Drugs Are Doing More Than Expected
GLP-1 drugs like liraglutide were made to help with weight loss and blood sugar control. But now researchers think they might also target migraine pain. One theory is that they reduce pressure inside the skull. Another is that they block a key chemical called CGRP, which is known to fire up during migraine attacks.
Freepik / A small pilot study led by neurologist Simone Braca finds that liraglutide (a GLP-1 agonist) reduces migraine days by nearly 50% in participants with obesity and chronic migraines.
Either way, patients in the study said they felt better. Within just two weeks, many noticed fewer migraines, better focus, and less disruption in their daily life. That is a big deal for people stuck in bed with throbbing pain multiple days a month.
The Drug Shows Real Relief Without Side Effects
Every medication has a trade-off. Liraglutide isn’t perfect, but it looks pretty tolerable so far. In this study, about 38% of participants had stomach issues like nausea or constipation, but no one had to stop the drug. That is rare in migraine treatment. Many current drugs either don’t work or come with side effects that push people to quit.
Again, this wasn’t about losing pounds, which is what makes this so interesting. The weight-loss drug seemed to work on migraines, even though no one lost significant weight.
So, doctors are asking: Is this a coincidence, or a whole new way to treat pain?
The study didn’t have a control group. Everyone knew they were taking liraglutide, which means the placebo effect can’t be ruled out. That is a big reason why researchers are already planning larger trials with stronger methods, like double-blind testing and newer GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide, also known as Ozempic.
Olly / Pexels / Migraines are one of the top causes of disability worldwide. Many people try drug after drug without relief.
If a class of weight-loss medications can also reduce migraine pain, it could change how doctors treat two conditions at once.
The Future of GLP-1 Migraine Research
Scientists want answers. Why did this drug help if the participants didn’t lose weight? Is it about how the drug acts on the brain? On blood vessels? On gut-brain signals? GLP-1 drugs are already being studied for other brain-related conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Adding migraines to the list could open the door to a totally different way of thinking about pain.
If future studies back this up, doctors might start prescribing weight-loss medications like liraglutide or semaglutide not just for obesity, but for migraine management too. That could mean fewer pills, fewer side effects, and better results.