Managing metabolic migraine: Brain Ritual launches new medical food solution in US
17 Apr 2024 --- Brain Ritual, a health and wellness brand from KetoSwiss, unveils MigraKet on the US market, a holistic medical food formulation designed to address dysfunctional brain energy metabolism, a potential root cause for migraines.
The company states that metabolic-related migraines affect 30–80% of migraine sufferers, where attacks are triggered by specific foods or drinks, lack of food or oxygen, dehydration, toxins or oxidative stress, intense exercise, lack of sleep or other trigger factors connected to metabolism.
“We do not think a complex condition like migraine should be addressed with a drug targeting a single receptor,” Dr. Elena Gross, Ph.D., CEO, CSO and founder of KetoSwiss, tells Nutrition Insight.
“MigraKet is created specifically for migraines, while most other available solutions or drugs are re-purposed treatments. If they’re migraine-targeted, they focus on eliminating the pain only, often with unwanted side-effects and low efficacy.”
Gross explains that MigraKet targets dysfunctional metabolism, providing an innovative way to manage metabolic migraine by combining ketone bodies and micronutrients.
“The ketone bodies serve as an alternative and more effective fuel source for the brain than glucose. The various micronutrients such as antioxidants, fat- and water-soluble vitamins, minerals, amino acids and electrolytes support efficient energy metabolism in the brain and body.”
Energy metabolism
MigraKet should be taken twice daily for four weeks for consumers to notice the effects. The water-soluble powder sachets contain bioactive electrolytes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and bioactive ketone bodies.
Gross underscores: “It is a clean, drug-free formulation containing bioactive ingredients which are healthy for the body and without systemic side-effects. MigraKet was created with two major principles in mind — ‘First, do no harm’ and ‘Let food be thy medicine.’”
Her research on ketone bodies showed their potential in migraine management with a 30% success rate. At the same time, the product’s other ingredients, magnesium, CoQ10 and riboflavin, have also been evaluated in controlled clinical trials.
The product is available for pre-order in the US, with Canada following soon, says Gross. “In Europe, the MigraKet launch is a few years away.”
“Our unique approach to migraine management through clean nutrition and metabolism is a first of its kind in the US, and we are at the forefront of this novel and innovative field. We strongly believe mastering metabolism will become relevant for various neuro-psychiatric conditions.”
MigraKet should be taken twice daily for four weeks to notice the effects (Image credit: Brain Ritual).Migraine management
Chronic migraine is defined as having a headache on at least 15 days per month — of which eight have migraine symptoms — for at least three months. According to Gross, MigraKet is the “only medical food for migraine available in the US.”
“Migraine is generally a very under-studied condition, which seems shocking considering it’s the second leading cause of disability worldwide and the number one disabler of young women.”
“Migraine is three times as prevalent in women as it is in men. Sadly, women’s health has a history of being set aside — a trend which we’re happy to see changing in recent years and actively trying to contribute to.”
Recently, Gencor also underscored that migraine treatment options may have unwanted side effects. The company released clinical trial results for its palmitoylethanolamide ingredient, Levagen+, to help alleviate discomfort associated with migraine headaches.
Next steps
Since MigraKet is designed to improve brain metabolism, Gross notes it may also have other applications.
“While migraine is our first indication, we believe that a suboptimal metabolism plays a role in various psychiatric and neurological disorders or at least a metabolic subgroup thereof. We are already studying the potential of MigraKet in mental health, where we believe that there may also be a metabolic subgroup of sufferers.”
Brain Ritual aims to become the leading brain metabolism brand and highlight metabolism’s role in brain functioning and malfunctioning, highlights Gross.
“Medical foods that address a root cause of debilitating neuro-psychiatric conditions without adding intolerable side-effects are currently in development, studied or planned. We want to build awareness around the importance of metabolic health and eradicate the stigma around brain health disorders.”
“Furthermore, we have developed a novel, potentially more potent, ketogenic molecule, which holds much promise.”
By Jolanda van Hal
