Scientists discover another major side effect of the weight loss drug - but this time, it's good
Researchers say that GLP-1 drugs may be able to help migraines.
Recently developed weight loss drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro have clearly helped patients to attack obesity and the health problems that accompanied it. But just like any medication, some serious side effects can accompany the GLP-1 prescriptions, including potentially fatal pancreatitis , disgraceful Skin changes , and more. However, this is not all bad news: scientists recently announced that there could be a positive side effect for drugs that could help patients fight against persistent migraines.
In relation: Ozempic and Wegovy may have landed 25,000 people in the emergency room - here is the frightening reason .
A new study examined how weight loss drugs affect migraines.
The latest information comes from a small pilot study conducted by researchers in Italy and recently published in Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Bread . They hypothesized that the increase in intracranial pressure (ICP, or pressure on the brain) which plays a role in chronic migraines could be attenuated by taking a GLP-1 medication. The team cited previous studies that have shown that weight loss drugs can reduce brain pressure .
To test their hypothesis, the team gathered 26 women and five male participants who had fought against chronic migraines and obesity. The group was then prescribed a daily dose of 1.8 mg of Liraglutide for three months, which is a type of GLP-1 Medicine Sold under the Saxenda (directly for weight loss) and Victoza brands (for diabetes management and out of AMM for weight loss), according to the Mayo clinic.
Participants were invited to hold a detailed head journal to monitor their symptoms, including how intense their migraines were. The researchers also measured the body mass index of each person (BMI) during the study to monitor any weight loss.
Here is what the results have found.
At the end of the 12 -week pilot period, approximately half of the patients saw at least one Decreases by 50% in days with headaches , going from 20 to 11. Seven participants experienced an even better recovery, seeing their frequency drop to 75% - and even we saw their migraines disappear completely. There was no significant difference in the effects between male and female participants.
And it was not only the frequency that decreased. Patients also said they were less weakened by their migraines, impact scores in the daily newspapers of participants being reduced by half during the trial, reports ABC News. Overall, only a few patients reported other initial side effects, such as stomach problems and nausea, before disappearing further in the study.
"Our results show that Liraglutide can be effective in the treatment of high frequency or insensitive migraine in patients with obesity," wrote the team in their conclusion.
In relation: Doctors warn that drugs like Ozempic make you "lean fat".
GLP-1 drugs could help fight migraines.
Throughout the study, the researchers noted an insignificant decrease in the BMI of the participants, From 34.0 to 33.9 , according to a press release. They said that it suggests that weight loss itself is probably not the reason for the decrease in migraines - which means that drugs could potentially have another use outside AMM.
"An increased pressure of the famous liquid in the brain can be one of the mechanisms underlying migraine", " Simone Braca , MD, auteur principal de l'étude et neurologue à l'Université de Naples Federico II, a déclaré à ABC News. "And if we target this mechanism, these preliminary evidence suggest that it can be useful for migraine."
The results could be the first steps towards a large breakthrough.
The researchers quickly underlined specific limits of the study, including the very small size of the sample and the self -depressed nature of the head newspapers.
However, they hope that their results will be able to provide a solid starting point for future studies on the potential of GLP-1 drugs to treat debilitating and persistent headache. This includes so different versions of medicine, such as semaglutid drugs like Wegovy or Ozempic, could be just as effective.
"There is still a substantial part of migraine patients who are faced with an unsatisfied need and who live with his burden," Braca told ABC News. "New drugs that could target other ways, I think that could reassure these patients and give them hope."
In relation: The doctor says that Ozempic increases certain health risks up to 900% .
The point to take away:
A small study conducted in Italy examined a potential link between GLP-1 drugs and chronic migraines. Using 31 participants taking a typical dose of Liraglutide drugs for three months, a team of scientists watched daily headaches using a patient's headache journal.
At the end of the 12 weeks, half of the participants experienced a 50% decrease in the frequency of migraines. Seven others saw a decrease of 75%, while a patient saw his migraines disappear entirely, even if their weight loss was minimal.
Scientists say that additional research is necessary to better understand potential uses, but they hoped that their results could be used as a launch for future GLP-1 and migraine studies.
