Plain language summary
Environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle are known to play a role in migraine. Particular foods can act as direct triggers for individuals. Also, how the individual’s diet affects their blood sugar levels may be key to the frequency and severity of their attacks. Foods that are said to have low glycaemic index (GI), i.e. they are thought to raise blood sugar levels more slowly, may help with the management of migraine. In this randomised control trial, migraine patients were randomly allocated to either a low GI diet group or a medication group. Both groups were given tips for lifestyle changes and the diet group was also advised to eat a low GI diet and avoid high GI foods, while the medication group participants kept using their preventive medication. The frequency and severity of migraine attacks was assessed before the start of the study and at 1 month and 3 months after starting the low GI diet. At 3 months, the frequency and severity of attacks reduced significantly in both groups and the low GI diet was noted to be as effective as the drug treatment. The authors conclude that a low GI diet can be an effective and reliable method to reduce migraine attacks.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The role of dietary restriction in the management of patients with migraine is still a controversial topic in the headache field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of dietary restriction on migraine attacks. METHODS Patients diagnosed with migraine without aura according to the International Classification of Headaches were enrolled. Our study included 350 migraine patients evaluated at the neurology headache outpatient clinic. They were randomly divided into two groups: diet group as the study group and medication group as the control group. We told migraine patients to make lifestyle changes, especially those with low glycemic index in the diet group. On the other hand, propranolol, amitriptyline, flunarizine, and topiramate were used for the prophylaxis in the medication group. The frequency and severity of attacks [using the visual analog scale (VAS)] were recorded before starting dietary restriction and 1 and 3 months after the dietary restriction. RESULTS There were 350 participants in this study. After 3 months, a total of 147 patients (male/female: 17/130, mean age: 34.7±5.9) were evaluated in the diet group. The control group consisted of 147 age- and sex-matched, randomly selected patients with migraine without aura. In the first month after dietary restriction, monthly attack frequency significantly decreased in both groups but not the VAS score. The mean scores of VAS significantly decreased later in the diet group compared with those in the medication group (after 3 months). CONCLUSION The results of the study revealed that low glycemic index diet intake can be an effective and reliable method to reduce migraine attacks.
Methodological quality
Jadad score
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1
Allocation concealment
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No
