Efficacy And Safety Of Exogenous Ketone Bodies For Preventive Treatment Of Migraine A Study Protocol For A Single Centred, Randomised, Placebo Controlled, Double Blind Crossover Trial

This study is investigating a new approach to preventing migraines using ketone supplements. Migraines affect millions of people, but current preventive medications often come with difficult side effects that many patients can't tolerate. Researchers believe that energy metabolism problems in the brain may contribute to migraine development, which has led them to explore ketones as a potential solution.

The study will test beta-hydroxybutyrate (βHB) mineral salts, which are supplements that can raise ketone levels in the blood without requiring a strict ketogenic diet. Ketones are alternative fuel sources that the brain can use when glucose metabolism isn't working optimally. Previous research has shown that ketogenic diets can dramatically reduce migraine frequency, but maintaining such a restrictive diet long-term is challenging for most people.

Forty-five people with episodic migraines will participate in this carefully designed study where each person will try both the ketone supplement and a placebo for 12 weeks each, with a break in between. Researchers will track migraine frequency, intensity, and medication use, while also measuring various biological markers to understand how the treatment works. The crossover design means each participant serves as their own control, making the results more reliable.

This research represents an important shift toward addressing the underlying metabolic causes of migraines rather than just treating symptoms. If successful, ketone supplements could offer a new, potentially safer option for migraine prevention. From a metabolic health perspective, this study highlights how optimizing cellular energy production might help prevent neurological conditions, connecting brain health to overall metabolic wellness in clinical practice.