Diabetes Drugs Like Ozempic Show Promise for Migraine Relief

Medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, best known for treating diabetes and aiding weight loss, may offer new hope for migraine sufferers, according to a recent study. These drugs are part of a class called GLP-1 agonists and are increasingly being explored for their therapeutic potential beyond their original purposes.

New Findings Suggest Migraine Improvement

Research published June 17 in the journal Headache found that people with obesity and chronic migraines who took liraglutide—a GLP-1 agonist commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes—experienced significantly fewer headaches. The study followed 31 patients with obesity and chronic migraine over three months of daily liraglutide injections.

Participants reported an average reduction of 11 headache days per month, with many noticing relief within the first two weeks. They also scored higher on quality of life assessments related to migraine. Gastrointestinal side effects such as mild nausea and constipation occurred in about 38% of participants, but were generally manageable.

Notably, these improvements were not due to major weight loss. Participants’ body mass index changed minimally—highlighting that the drug’s potential benefit for migraines appears to be independent of weight reduction.

Potential Pathways and Remaining Questions

Migraine is a widespread neurological condition, affecting 14% of people worldwide and ranking among the leading causes of disability. Existing medications and treatments help some sufferers, but many continue to struggle with frequent and severe headaches.

The new findings are promising but preliminary. The research was limited in size and design: it was observational, unblinded, and lacked a control group, raising the possibility that factors other than the medication could have accounted for the improvements. Larger, randomized, placebo-controlled studies—considered the gold standard—will be needed to confirm these results, experts say.

How Do GLP-1 Drugs Affect Migraines?

The precise mechanism remains under investigation, but scientists have several theories. One possibility is that GLP-1 drugs lower intracranial pressure, which is implicated in migraine development. Another theory points to the drugs’ effects on inflammation and hormone signaling disturbed by obesity—factors known to contribute to migraine attacks. Previous studies also indicate that these medications can reduce the fluid pressure inside the skull and may help patients with related conditions such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

A Promising Addition—but Not Yet Standard Treatment

Despite several available migraine treatments, finding lasting relief is often a challenge. Current guidelines do not include GLP-1 drugs as a recommended therapy for migraines, and the FDA has not approved them for this use. Nevertheless, some neurologists have reported positive outcomes in their patients with treatment-resistant migraines who tried GLP-1 agonists.

Experts caution that migraine relief should be considered a possible secondary benefit, not a guaranteed effect, for people taking these drugs. However, for patients with both obesity and frequent migraines, GLP-1 medications may offer a dual benefit by improving metabolic health and potentially reducing headache frequency.

As research continues, doctors look forward to new and more effective ways to help the millions affected by this often-debilitating condition.