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Dietary Intervention for Migraine Relief

Diet-Based Treatment for Migraine Relief

Who can join

Ages 18 to 75 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Men and women of all races and ethnicities
* Age 18-75 years
* Documented diagnosis of chronic or episodic migraine for at least 6 months, based on International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-III) criteria, defined as:

  * 8 headache days per month, and
  * 4 migraine days per month
* Migraine onset before age 50
* On a stable medication regimen for at least 1 month prior to enrollment
* Willing to maintain stable medications throughout the study
* Willing to discontinue supplements during the study period
* Women of childbearing potential must be willing to use birth control during the study timeframe

Exclusion Criteria:

* Current pregnancy, plans to become pregnant during the study timeframe, or current breastfeeding
* Current use of medications affecting glutamatergic or gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) neurotransmission (unless discontinued under physician guidance)
* Current use of quarterly injectable migraine preventive medications
* Unwillingness to modify dietary intake or to stop alcohol and marijuana use during the study
* Substance use disorder within the past year
* Diagnosed seizure disorder
* Severe asthma requiring past hospitalization

About the study

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether a low-glutamate diet can improve migraine symptoms in adults with migraine and to explore possible biological changes associated with dietary improvement. The study focuses on whether reducing dietary glutamate intake may influence processes involved in migraine, such as brain excitation, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Does following a low-glutamate diet reduce the number of migraine days and the severity and duration of migraine attacks, and improve quality of life?

Are improvements in migraine symptoms associated with changes in blood-based biological markers related to migraine activity?

Researchers will compare participants assigned to the low-glutamate diet with participants assigned to a wait-list control group to evaluate differences in migraine outcomes and related biological measures.

Participants will:

Complete a baseline run-in period while tracking headaches using a daily migraine diary

Either follow a low-glutamate dietary intervention or continue their usual diet as part of a wait-list control

Complete standardized questionnaires related to migraine symptoms and quality of life

Provide blood samples for laboratory analyses

Undergo neuroimaging assessments (for a subset of participants)

What is being tested

• Dietary training (behavioral)

Sponsor: American University · Participants: 40 · Started: Mar 2, 2026

Contact the study team

• Kathleen Holton · Phone: 5037571578

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07360405

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Migraine
• Chronic Pain

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Nov 15, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.