Food in Migraine Management: Dietary Interventions in the Pathophysiology and Prevention of Headaches-A Narrative Review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing existing literature without systematic review methodology
PubMed 41228543 · doi:10.3390/nu17213471
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative review searching PubMed and Google Scholar (inception to August 2025) for dietary patterns, nutrients, and elimination strategies in migraine management, prioritizing randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and observational studies.
What was found
Observational cohorts linked Mediterranean-style diets to lower migraine frequency and disability. In an RCT of adults with overweight or obesity, a very low-calorie ketogenic diet yielded a ≥50% responder rate of 74% versus 6% for an isocaloric non-ketogenic diet. Omega-3 fatty acids showed prophylactic benefit in RCTs and network meta-analyses. Gluten-free diets improved headaches in celiac disease and selected non-celiac individuals. Alcohol and irregular caffeine intake were frequently reported triggers, while evidence for specific food additives was inconsistent.
Why it matters
It summarizes clinical and observational evidence for various dietary strategies as potential non-pharmacological adjuncts in migraine management.
Limits
As a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search protocol, formal risk-of-bias assessment, and quantitative meta-analysis. The total number of synthesized studies is not reported in the abstract. Much of the supporting literature relies on observational cohorts, small subgroup populations (e.g., individuals with obesity or celiac disease), or uncontrolled studies.
Cited by
- context Ultra-processed foods, chemicals, and nutritional deficiencies such as magnesium deficiency contribute to the development of migraines.