A new twist has emerged in the story of popular weight-loss injections—and it has nothing to do with shedding pounds. According to recent research, medications like Victoza and Saxenda, which use an active ingredient called liraglutide, might do more than help people lose weight. They may also offer significant relief to people who suffer from chronic migraines.
A Surprising New Benefit
A small study out of Italy followed 31 adults living with both obesity and chronic or frequent migraines. Over the course of three months, these individuals were given daily doses of liraglutide. The result? Their average number of monthly migraine days dropped from 20 to just 11. That’s nearly a 50% drop.
But it wasn’t just about fewer headaches—participants also reported that when migraines did strike, they were far less disruptive. People said they were able to function better at work, maintain their social lives, and take care of tasks around the house without being completely sidelined by pain.
So, What’s Going On Here?
While it’s tempting to credit this relief to the weight loss associated with the drug, the researchers believe something else is at play. Although participants lost a small amount of weight, it wasn’t enough to explain the dramatic migraine improvement. Instead, the study points to how liraglutide might be reducing pressure from cerebrospinal fluid—the protective liquid that cushions the brain and spinal cord.
Dr. Simone Braca, the neurologist behind the study, explained that even a minor buildup of this fluid can press on sensitive veins and nerves in the brain, potentially triggering migraines. By relieving that pressure, liraglutide might be offering a whole new kind of relief.
“If we can reduce that pressure, we may also reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines,” Dr. Braca told ABC News.
What Are Migraines, Exactly?
For those lucky enough never to have experienced one, migraines are not just “bad headaches.” They’re intense, often pulsating pain—usually on one side of the head—that can last for hours or even days. Migraines can be triggered by all sorts of things: stress, hormones, poor sleep, certain foods, strong smells, flickering lights, loud noises, and even shifts in weather.
Roughly 1 in 7 Americans suffer from migraines, and the odds are even higher for women—closer to 1 in 5—likely due to hormonal fluctuations and genetic factors.
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How Common Are These Medications?
Liraglutide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are typically used to treat type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss. About 1 in 8 Americans have reportedly taken a GLP-1 agonist at some point, whether that’s Victoza, Saxenda, or a similar drug like Ozempic, which uses a close cousin called semaglutide.
The idea that these drugs might do double duty—helping people lose weight and reduce migraine days—is turning heads in the medical world.
Inside the Study
Let’s break down what happened. The 31 participants in the study weren’t just random migraine sufferers. They all:
- Were considered obese (with a BMI over 30),
- Experienced at least 8 migraine days per month (some had over 15),
- And had already tried at least two traditional migraine treatments without success.
Most participants were women (26 out of 31), and the average age was 45. They started with a low dose of liraglutide (0.6 mg daily for one week) and then increased to 1.2 mg for the remaining weeks. Importantly, they were allowed to keep taking their regular migraine medications during the trial.
Participants kept symptom diaries to track their headaches. At the end of the study, researchers found:
- 15 participants saw their migraine frequency cut in half.
- 7 had a 75% reduction in migraines.
- 1 lucky person had zero migraines by the end.
And the overall average? A drop from 20 headache days to just 11 per month—a 42% reduction.
Quality of Life Got a Boost, Too
Researchers didn’t just look at how many headaches people had—they also measured how much migraines were interfering with their lives. Using a scale called MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment Score), they found that participants’ scores dropped from 60 to 29, on average. That’s a 52% improvement in how well they could function during a migraine.
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Any Side Effects?
Yes, but they were generally mild. About 42% of participants (13 people) reported nausea or constipation, but no one dropped out of the study because of it.
Not the Final Word (Yet)
It’s worth noting that this was a small, early-stage study. With just 31 people involved, and no data on certain health markers like blood sugar or A1C levels (important for people with diabetes), scientists say more research is needed. Future studies with larger groups, longer follow-ups, and a look at different doses could provide clearer answers.
Still, this early evidence offers a flicker of hope to the millions who suffer from migraines—especially those who haven’t found relief from traditional treatments.
Related Quirky Connections: Could Other Weight-Loss Drugs Help Migraines?
While this study focused on liraglutide, its cousin semaglutide (found in Ozempic and Wegovy) has a similar effect on the body and might produce the same migraine-reducing benefits. Though this hasn’t been officially tested yet, it’s a promising area for future research—and one many migraine sufferers will be watching closely.
A New Frontier in Migraine Treatment?
What started as a tool for managing weight and diabetes may be opening a surprising new door in medicine—one that offers hope to millions who silently battle migraines. This discovery serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes the most impactful medical breakthroughs come from unexpected places.
Migraine sufferers often face a frustrating maze of trial-and-error treatments, from prescription medications to lifestyle changes to alternative therapies. Many end up juggling multiple drugs, each with its own set of side effects, just to try to keep the headaches at bay. The potential of a widely available drug like liraglutide to ease that burden—especially in cases where traditional migraine medications have failed—is no small deal.
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What makes this especially promising is the possibility of a dual benefit. Imagine a medication that not only supports weight management and stabilizes blood sugar but also cuts back on disabling headaches that can disrupt careers, relationships, and daily life. While it’s not yet a magic bullet, the early findings suggest it could become a powerful tool in a multi-pronged approach to migraine management.
It also nudges researchers to look beyond the usual suspects—brain chemistry, inflammation, or nerve misfires—and consider other overlooked contributors, like pressure from spinal fluid. If that mechanism proves to be key, it could reshape how we understand and treat migraines moving forward.
