Migraines are incapacitating headaches that afflict millions of people across the world. Indeed, they, at times, tarnish the quality of life with heavy pain, nausea, and light and sound sensitivity. Finding effective treatments tops the list of priorities for most people who suffer from chronic migraines. What if migraine drugs can do a little more—say, help in weight loss?
Research in the past few years has identified that some migraine medications can also contribute to weight loss. This relationship has opened the eyes of healthcare providers and patients who are searching for two-for-one benefits in their pharmaceutical treatments, especially in those suffering from dual problems of migraines and weight control. How strong is this association?
Basically, drugs used for treating Migraine are entitled to a place as weight-loss drugs, or is this an absolute coincidence? Really, can migraine medications help in losing weight, or is it just a coincidence? Well, let’s check it out.
Migraines And Obesity: Is There A Correlation?
Before getting into specifics of medications, it will be good to mention the probable relationship between migraines and body weight briefly. The American Migraine Foundation says that there is a potential association between Migraine and weight-related disorders, such as obesity.
Studies have documented that individuals with obesity stand at a higher risk of developing migraines. In addition to that, the frequency and severity of Migraine increased with a higher body weight.
The relationship between Migraine and weight, however, seems to be very complex. On one hand, migraine patients tend to gain weight due to reduced physical activity and comfort eating during headache episodes.
On the other hand, certain migraine medications can cause weight loss, either due to side effects or mechanisms that affect appetite and metabolism.
Migraine Drugs And Weight Loss: An Overview
Several medications used to treat or prevent migraine symptoms report weight loss as their side effects. Some of them are the following:
1. Triptans
2. Topiramate
3. GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, including Semaglutide
Let us discuss the mechanism of action for each of these drugs and how they can bring about a condition like weight loss.
1. Triptans And Serotonin Receptors
Triptans belong to a class of drugs primarily used in the treatment of migraines. They act on serotonin receptors and reduce inflammation of blood vessels. Their main application is in migraine therapy, but studies suggest that they could provide an unexpected benefit: weight loss.
Research Findings:
UT Southwestern Studies: Obese mice were treated with triptans by researchers. Surprisingly, the frovatriptan-treated mice lost an average of 3.6 percent of their body weight over a month-long period, while the control group gained 5.1 percent. Besides reducing body weight, the drugs improved glucose metabolism.
Mechanism: Triptans, such as frovatriptan, are known to bind at serotonin receptors at the Htr1b subtype. These receptors have roles in the control of appetite.
Implications: While this study was done on mice, it does open up exciting ways for repurposing existing migraine medications for weight management in humans. However, further studies are to be needed to confirm these findings.
2. Topiramate (Topomax)
Topiramate is an anticonvulsant medication used to a great extent in migraine prophylaxis. These migraine drugs can work by dampening overactive nerve signals in the brain, thereby lessening the frequency and severity of the Migraine. One of the most exciting properties of Topiramate is its ability to induce weight loss.
Research Findings:
National Library Of Medicine: Topiramate was used for its preventive effect against migraines in people, and it is reported to have caused quite a good amount of weight loss. This effect was especially prominent in people with obesity or who were overweight.
Mechanism: Topiramate seems to induce weight loss through increased satiety, reduced hunger, and modulation of taste, which makes food less appealing to some.
FDA Approval: Having realized the potential of the Topiramate and Phentermine combination for weight loss, the FDA approved it under the brand name Qsymia for weight management. This drug provides effective weight reduction in both the short and long term.
Considerations: While Topiramate does help in weight loss, it is not entirely risk-free. Some patients have experienced cognitive side effects, like attention deficit, memory problems, and confusion. It has to be taken under a doctor’s care, specifically off-label uses such as weight management.
3. GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
Recent studies have shown that GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as Semaglutide, potentially benefit both Migraine and weight loss. Preliminary studies indicated that these migraine drugs, developed for treating T2D, lowered the frequency and severity of migraines. Several trials also indicated that Semaglutide is associated with considerable weight loss in people with obesity.
Research Findings :
Novo Nordisk Trials: Novo Nordisk, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, conducted clinical trials that proved that Semaglutide can reduce body weight significantly for those suffering from obesity. These results led the FDA to approve Semaglutide, under its brand name Wegovy, for weight reduction.
National Library Of Medicine: A study by NLM suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists may also lower both the frequency and severity of migraines, making it an up-and-coming treatment for two purposes.
Mechanisms: GLP-1 receptor agonists can induce a useful weight loss response in aggregate by increasing insulin secretion, decreasing appetite, and delaying gastric emptying. Its possible benefits for migraine prevention are still under investigation, but early results are promising.
Considerations for GLP-1 receptor agonists are that, even though such medications are promising for weight reduction and migraine prevention, they have not been applied generally to the latter indication. Further studies on the efficacy and safety of treating migraines are needed.
The Role of Diet In Migraine Management And Weight Loss
While medications do play an important role in keeping types of headaches like Migraine at bay and lose fat, they do their best work coupled with a healthy diet. Good nutrition, while it cannot cure or prevent a migraine, can aid in decreasing the frequency and severity of the attacks and promote a healthy weight.
1. Avoiding Trigger Foods
Some foods are known to be triggering even when you are taking migraine drugs. They include aged cheeses, processed meats, and foods that contain MSG or artificial sweeteners.
- Both caffeine and alcohol can trigger Migraine in some people. Their excessive intake can inhibit weight loss.
- Record your food intake to learn the foods that trigger your pain and avoid these foods.
- Implement dietary and lifestyle changes one at a time and in a gradual fashion to avoid the risk of Migraine.
2. Include Anti-Inflammatory Foods
It is already established that both migraine and obesity conditions have something to do with chronic inflammation in the body. Including anti-inflammatory foods in the diet can help to quench inflammation and promote health as a whole.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Present in fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3s may reduce inflammation and probably lower the frequency of migraine attacks.
- Fruits and Vegetables: A diet high in color, concerning fruits and vegetables, offers antioxidants to battle against inflammation and promotes overall well-being.
- Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are rich in antioxidants that protect one from inflammation.
- Nuts and Seeds: Very rich in healthy fats and antioxidants are almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds.
3. Balanced Meal
The inclusion of lean proteins and fiber-rich food can make a person full for a longer period, thereby aiding in weight management.
Whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates will give balanced blood sugar levels that avoid Migraine triggers.
4. Adequate Water Intake
Dehydration can trigger a migraine episode. Moreover, it may lead to overeating, as people often confuse thirst with hunger.
- You should know how to stay hydrated with electrolyte-rich fluids even when consuming migraine drugs. This is particularly important if you are physically active or sweat a lot. Drink at least 8 glasses (about 2 liters) of water a day.
- Add foods that have a high water content to your diet, including fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine; these dehydrate the body and can trigger an attack.
5. Keep To A Regular Meal Schedule
Low blood sugar from missing meals can trigger a migraine. Avoid these ups and downs by eating regular, balanced meals.
If you suffer from portion control issues, try eating smaller, more frequent meals to avoid overeating and maintain a healthy weight.
Other Tips For Managing Migraine And Achieving Weight Loss
Following are some of the natural ways to manage and sustain a migraine-free status and weight loss. All of the methods are based on changes in lifestyle, eating habits, and the development of stress management techniques to ensure overall well-being and support the accomplishment of your targets.
1. Get Enough Sleep: The prevention of migraines and control of weight both call for adequate sleep. Poor sleeping or desynchronized sleep may lead to the development of migraines and impairment of metabolism, leading to failure in weight loss.
- Choose your best time to sleep and get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Go to bed and rise at the same time each day, including weekends.
- Design a calming pre-sleep ritual to let your body know that it’s time to sleep.
2. Stress Management: Even when you are on migraine drugs, stress can trigger migraines and causes weight gain. It often leads to emotional eating or poor food choices.
- Meditation: Follow mindfulness meditation to pacify the brain and body, thereby reducing stress.
- Breathing exercises: Deep breathing techniques will help relax your body and bring down stress levels.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then gradually release each muscle group to help relax physical tension that may trigger a migraine.
3. Essential Oils Usage: Some essential oils have been found to alleviate the discomfort of migraines and thereby allow relaxation, hence indirectly managing weight.
- Peppermint Oil: Apply peppermint oil, diluted, to the temples. It creates a cooling sensation, which might help alleviate migraine pain.
- Lavender Oil: This oil can pacify; hence, it could be inhaled to console people with stress and sleeping disorders.
- Eucalyptus Oil: It is able to open up nasal passages and is an easier way of breathing. Some headaches are caused by restricted breathing.
4. Include Some Regular Exercise: A regular exercise routine is an essential factor in migraine management and weight loss. Physical activity improves blood flow, relieves stress, and is good for health in general, thus reducing the frequency and severity of Migraine.
- Aerobic Exercises: Those physical activities that improve cardiovascular health, like walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, etc., also burn out some extra calories and hence may help in both weight loss and reduction in migraine attacks.
- Strength Training: Weight lifting, resistance band, and bodyweight exercises build up muscle mass. It enhances metabolism and correct postures, hence decreasing tension, which may ignite migraine pain. So, even if you are on migraine drugs, do strength training.
- Yoga/Pilates: This is a combination of physical movement with deep breathing techniques and relaxation, thus maintaining flexibility and reducing stress, preventing migraine events.
- Tai Chi: This martial art includes slow, purposeful movements that improve balance, flexibility, and mental focus, thereby helping in the management of both migraines and stress-related weight gain.
5. Observe Good Posture: If one does not see the sitting posture while working on computers or typing on electronic gadgets, then one is sure to get tight, taut muscles, which are the forerunners of headaches and can trigger migraine attacks.
- Be mindful of your posture throughout the day. Keep your shoulders back and head in line with your spine. Your feet should be flat on the floor. This posture, apart from taking weight loss drugs, helps in migraines.
- Take regular breaks to stand up and stretch from seated positions.
- Consider ergonomic adjustment techniques in the workplace, for example, a supportive chair and keeping your computer screen at eye level.
6. Limit Screen Time: More than usual, exposure to screen time may strain the eyes, which mostly results in headaches or even triggers migraines.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away at something 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds to help relax your eyes from the screen.
- Use blue light filters on your gadgets; it will definitely make a difference in reducing fatigue in the eyes in the dark.
- Take regular breaks from the screen and ensure the workstation has good lighting with less glare.
7. Triggers Monitoring And Avoidance: Identifying and avoiding your own triggers for a migraine reduces the frequency of attacks and allows one to stay on the weight loss regime.
- Keep a record of how you are feeling, what you eat, your stress levels, and other possible factors. This may help you identify some patterns and possible triggers.
- Avoid some common triggers like processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and strong smells.
Introduce changes in diet and healthy lifestyle rather gradually to avoid a shock that may trigger a migraine. Actually, the control of migraines and weight reduction is achieved by multi-faceted approaches, not just medications and exercise, but also by way of life and diet alterations.
Being careful about water intake, managing stressors, following up with a balanced diet, and avoiding potential triggers will help you reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks while supporting the process of weight loss.
Bottomline
This would be an exciting area of research in establishing the link between migraine drugs and weight loss, opening up new opportunities for treatment in subjects afflicted by both. Thus, drugs like Triptans, Topiramate, GLP-1 receptor agonists, etc, appear to have potential in weight management while alleviating migraines.
Of course, these medicines can be dangerous, and their consumption must be monitored closely by a doctor. The most important aspect, of course, is a healthy diet for the maintenance of both migraines and weight.
You can basically look after your whole body and perhaps even not require any medicines by eliminating the trigger foods, eating anti-inflammatory ingredients in your food, and eating balanced meals to never let the problem escalate. For dietary guidance on managing these health issues, please connect with our Fitelo experts.
Ultimately, the help that migraine medications could give to weight loss is a pure case of individual assessment. For some, they might be useful for a two-in-one benefit, but for others, lifestyle measures may hold secrets to taming both migraines and weight. Always consult with your health specialists to decide which course is best for you.
Monika’s Weight Loss With Migraine – Fitelo
Monika Kausal, a housewife from Melbourne, was struggling with weight gain and several medical issues, including Migraine. But with Fitelo’s customized diet plan, she lost 10 kgs in just 45 days, and her migraine symptoms improved too. Read her full success story below:
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Migraine Cause Weight Loss?
Migraine itself doesn’t directly cause weight loss, but severe migraines can lead to a loss of appetite or nausea, which may result in unintentional weight loss. Additionally, some migraine drugs can influence weight, either leading to weight gain or loss depending on the drug and individual response. Managing migraines with a balanced diet and lifestyle can help maintain a healthy weight.
How To Lose Weight When You Have Migraines?
To lose weight with migraines, eat a balanced diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, and veggies while avoiding migraine triggers like processed foods. Incorporate low-impact exercises like walking or yoga, and prioritize hydration, stress management, and good sleep.
What Is The Best Migraine Medicine For Weight Loss?
The best Migraine medicine for weight loss is Topiramate, found in Qsymia, which helps reduce migraines and supports weight loss. Always consult your doctor before use.
Can Diet Reduce Migraines?
Yes, a well-balanced diet plan can reduce migraines by avoiding common triggers like processed foods and caffeine while including magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens and nuts. Eating regular, nutritious meals helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which can prevent migraines.
Contact Us Today
Get in touch with our expert team at Fitelo to kick-start your transformative journey! Let us guide you toward your weight loss goals and help you cultivate sustainable and healthy eating habits. So, contact us today and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you with Fitelo!
Disclaimer
This blog was written to help you make healthy and better food choices. So, be aware and take care. The vital thing to consider is your health before starting a restrictive diet. Therefore, before starting, always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian if you have any concerns.
Eat Healthy, Live Healthy. Enjoy a long, happy life.
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