A diet low in the amino acid glutamate may reduce migraine symptoms, a small study has found. The participants, 25 Gulf War veterans who suffered from migraines as part of a military service-related syndrome, reported a reduction in the number of attacks after a month of limiting glutamate-rich foods.
Although the features of migraines in this group may differ from those in other patients, if the underlying connection between glutamate and migraines is indeed the same, such an approach could potentially provide relief to the estimated billion people worldwide living with migraines. Current migraine treatments, including new drugs that block the neurotransmitter CGRP, may improve symptoms. However, according to neuroscientists from the University of New England, such drugs are not suitable for everyone. Therefore, dietary changes can be an affordable and relatively safe way to reduce the symptoms of the disease.
Glutamate acts as both an excitatory neurotransmitter and an amino acid found in foods like tomatoes, processed meats, aged cheeses, mushrooms and, in its most concentrated form, monosodium glutamate. In the study, 25 Gulf War veterans followed a low-glutamate diet for a month: They ate plenty of whole vegetables and fruits and eliminated foods rich in glutamate, such as soy sauce, mushrooms and ultra-processed foods. Before starting the dietary intervention, 64% of participants reported migraines in the previous week. After a month on this diet, this figure dropped to about 12%. After completing the study, 88% of participants decided to continue with the diet.
Additional MRI data showed that some areas of the visual system in the back of the brain became thinner after the diet, which may indicate neural changes associated with a decrease in migraine frequency.
Typically, glutamate from food does not enter the brain because it is blocked by the blood-brain barrier. But researchers suggest that in some people, this barrier may become more permeable, allowing glutamate to enter and over-activate neuron cells, which can trigger migraines.