Impact of Dietary Patterns on Migraine Management: Mechanisms of Action and Recent Literature Insights

Migraine headaches are a common and debilitating neurological disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life of affected individuals. Dietary patterns have been increasingly recognized as potential factors in the prevention and management of migraines. This comprehensive review aims to provide a comparative analysis of various dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurogenerative Delay (MIND), ketogenic diet, low-fat diet, low-glycemic diet, gluten-free diet, and fasting diet, in their efficacy for preventing and managing migraine headaches, as well as to highlight the underlying mechanisms.

In this systematic review, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched from inception to August 2023. Observational and intervention studies were included.

According to current results, following certain patterns, such as the MedDiet, DASH, MIND, ketogenic, low-fat diet, low-glycemic diet, and gluten-free diet, especially in gluten-sensitive people, has shown promising results for improving migraine symptoms. Based on the findings, more consumption of plant-based polyphenols, vegetables, dietary fibers, oily fish, legumes, and low-fat dairy products-all popular elements of plant-based dietary patterns like the MedDiet, DASH, and MIND-has been related to improved migraine symptoms. Furthermore, the clinical features of migraine headaches appear to improve with a change in the type and amount of dietary fats. Both the ketogenic diet and the low-fat diet with an emphasis on omega-3 fatty acid consumption have provided evidence of promising interventions in the clinical features of migraine headaches. However, fasting or skipping meals aggravates migraine attacks. Overall, these dietary approaches might play a main role in different cellular pathways, including improving mitochondrial function, neuroprotection, regulating vascular tone, inhibiting oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, and reducing levels of calcitonin gene-related peptides that are involved in the pathogenesis of migraine.

In conclusion, adopting specific dietary strategies may offer a viable approach for individuals suffering from migraines, warranting further research to establish definitive guidelines.