A recent study suggests that weight loss injections may help reduce the frequency of debilitating migraines in women. Researchers presented findings at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, indicating that women receiving appetite-suppressing injections required less medication to manage severe migraine attacks.
The study, based on Danish health registry data involving 150,000 individuals who began treatment with Wegovy or Ozempic between 2022 and 2024, revealed that women using the injections needed triptan drugs, a common migraine treatment, 8% less often. The most significant reduction in triptan use, at 18%, was observed in women aged 18 to 35.
Scientists believe that the injections, which mimic the hormone GLP-1, may have anti-inflammatory properties that could potentially alleviate migraines. The injections might also impact the central nervous system, affecting the pathways associated with migraines.
Migraines affect approximately ten million people in the UK, with women being more susceptible than men. Symptoms include intense throbbing pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and heightened sensitivity to light, sound, and smells, with episodes lasting for days.
The study was sponsored by Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy for weight loss and Ozempic for Type 2 diabetes. The participants, predominantly women with an average age of 50, experienced a gradual decrease in triptan use after starting the injections.
Noémie Roland, the study author and assistant professor at the University of Southern Denmark, emphasized the need for further research to confirm whether semaglutide directly impacts migraines beyond weight loss. The study compared triptan usage before and after participants began the weight loss injections, showing a gradual decline in reliance on triptans over time.
Rob Music, CEO of the Migraine Trust, highlighted the gender disparity in migraine prevalence and the importance of addressing the condition seriously. While initial findings suggest the potential benefits of GLP-1s in reducing migraine symptoms in women, additional research is warranted in this area.
