In recent years, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists — more commonly known as GLP-1 medications — have dominated headlines for their success in managing blood sugar levels and significantly reducing weight.
However, a new study shows GLP-1s could have another benefit: treating migraines.
In a new pilot study presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress, results showed, after taking GLP-1s, people who suffer from migraines reduced the number of days per month with symptoms by almost half.
The study included 31 adults — 26 women and five men — with a median age of 44, all of whom reported experiencing headaches about 20 days each month. For 12 weeks, participants received daily injections of liraglutide (Saxenda). All also met the criteria for obesity and continued taking their current migraine medications during the study.
After 12 weeks, the average number of migraine days dropped to roughly 11 per month. Participants’ weight remained stable throughout the trial, suggesting the headache reductions were not tied to weight loss.
In a recent Q&A, Dr. Jyoti Manekar, family and obesity medicine specialist at Northside Hospital, shared her professional insights on the study — and why migraine patients shouldn’t get too excited just yet.
Have you heard of GLP-1s being used to treat chronic migraines? What are your thoughts on this particular use?
GLP-1s are primarily known for diabetes and weight loss but their role in migraines is a newer and promising area.
Liraglutide is the only GLP-1 studied clinically for this, and the nearly 50% reduction in migraine days — even with minimal weight loss — is intriguing. It suggests a mechanism beyond weight loss, possibly involving intracranial pressure regulation.
It’s an exciting lead but I am cautiously approaching it until larger randomized controlled trials confirm these effects.
Was anything in this study surprising to you?
Yes, the fact that migraine reduction occurred even with minimal weight loss does stand out. It suggests a more direct neurological or vascular effect of GLP-1s, possibly through lowering intracranial pressure, which aligns with some preclinical and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) findings.
Also surprising is how understudied this area still is despite the popularity of GLP-1 drugs.
In your opinion, what are the limitations of this study?
First, the study has a small sample size — only 31 people — which limits the statistical power and generalizability of the findings. The open-label design does not include a placebo or blinding so placebo effects or participant expectations could have influenced results.
Additionally, the specific population of participants had both chronic migraines and obesity so it’s unclear if the findings apply to people with a normal BMI or episodic migraines. Also, the duration of the study and the long-term sustainability of migraine relief weren’t fully explored.
Finally, there is no active control involved. Without comparison to other migraine therapies it’s hard to assess relative effectiveness.
What should people keep in mind as they read this kind of information?
People should remember that liraglutide is not approved for migraine treatment and these results are based on one small early-stage study. Anecdotal reports do not mean clinical evidence.
Though drugs like semaglutide have generated a lot of buzz there have been no controlled trials yet for migraines. Patients should be wary of media hype or anecdotal posts that suggest GLP-1s are a cure-all for migraines.
If you have chronic migraines and obesity this may be a relevant topic to discuss with a specialist — but only as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
However, patients should not self-prescribe GLP-1 drugs for migraines. They are expensive, require medical supervision and have specific indications. GLP-1s can also have side effects including gastrointestinal issues and other rare but serious risks so it’s important to talk to your doctor before taking these types of drugs.
The field is rapidly evolving and more robust data — especially on semaglutide or dulaglutide — could be coming soon. GLP-1 drugs are a hope on the horizon but more research is still needed.
Learn more about GLP-1s and how Northside Hospital can help.
