Can GLP-1 Meds Help Prevent Migraines? Exciting New Research Offers Hope
By MigraineFreeLiving Staff
If you live with chronic migraine, you’ve probably tried multiple treatments with mixed results. Now, exciting new research suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists—a type of medication originally developed for weight loss and diabetes—might offer relief from migraines.
What Are GLP-1 Medications?
GLP-1 receptor agonists (short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) are medications that help regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. You might recognize names like liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza), semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound).
These drugs are getting a lot of attention for their role in managing obesity and type 2 diabetes. But now, researchers are discovering that they might also help reduce chronic migraine attacks—and not just because of weight loss.
The Study: Liraglutide and Migraine
In a 12-week pilot study, researchers looked at how liraglutide (Saxenda) affected migraine frequency in people with obesity who hadn’t had success with at least two other preventive migraine treatments. Results were promising:
Participants averaged 9 fewer headache days per month after starting liraglutide (down from about 20 to 11 days).
This benefit appeared even though their weight barely changed, suggesting that the migraine relief wasn't just due to weight loss.
The study included 31 people, most of them women in their mid-40s.
But Why Would a Weight Loss Med Reduce Migraines?
As it turns out, many medications used for migraine were first used for other purposes!
The study’s authors believe the results could be related to how GLP-1 medications reduce intracranial pressure (ICP)—the pressure inside your skull. High ICP has been linked to both chronic migraine and a condition called idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), which shares similar symptoms.
GLP-1 drugs may also lower levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key player in migraine attacks. (You might recognize CGRP as the target of newer migraine meds like Aimovig or Emgality.)
What This Means for You
It’s quite unlikely that insurance companies would pay for GLP-1 medications for the sole purpose of treating migraine at this time.
If you’ve struggled with migraines AND if you also live with diabetes or obesity—GLP-1 medications like liraglutide or semaglutide might be worth discussing with your doctor. While this research is still early and more studies are needed, it opens the door to a whole new way of thinking about migraine prevention.
The Bottom Line
This study gives new hope to people with tough-to-treat migraines. GLP-1 drugs such as liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza), semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) could eventually be part of the migraine treatment toolbox—not just for weight loss, but as direct migraine fighters.
The information provided here is based on emerging research and should not be interpreted as an endorsement or guarantee of effectiveness for any medication, including prescription drugs like liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza), semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound). These medications are not currently FDA-approved for the treatment of migraine. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health or starting any new medication.
To see the original study, read Braca et al, Headache, June 2025 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40525593/)