Veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness have reported significant relief from migraine symptoms after adopting a low-glutamate diet, according to research conducted by scientists from Georgetown University and American University. The study, presented on November 16, 2023, at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, highlights measurable changes in the brain linked to dietary adjustments.
Brain scans revealed decreased cortical thickness in veterans following the low-glutamate diet, providing the first evidence that dietary changes correlate with improvements in neurological symptoms. This research suggests a potential low-cost treatment option for veterans experiencing chronic health issues since the 1990–1991 Gulf War.
The study’s senior author, Ashley VanMeter, Ph.D., a professor of neurology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, expressed excitement over the findings. “This shows that the brain itself is responding and changing,” she stated. “This isn’t a psychological reaction. These are actual changes in the brain related to the diet.”
Understanding Gulf War Illness and Glutamate
Gulf War Illness affects over a quarter of veterans who served during the first Gulf War. Symptoms can include debilitating pain, gastrointestinal issues, and migraines, largely attributed to exposure to neurotoxic chemicals during service. Glutamate, a common component in processed foods, is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system and plays a role in pain mediation.
The collaborative research effort involves Kathleen Holton, Ph.D., MPH, a nutritional neuroscientist at American University, who developed the low-glutamate diet. Currently, this diet is undergoing rigorous evaluation in a large multi-site clinical trial aimed at confirming its effectiveness for veterans with Gulf War Illness.
“We are eager to explore solutions for these veterans who have faced these challenges since the 1990s,” VanMeter noted.
Study Details and Key Findings
In the initial phase of the study, researchers compared cortical thickness between veterans with Gulf War Illness and healthy participants. They found that those with the illness exhibited a significantly thicker right visual cortex, and were more likely to experience migraines compared to their healthy counterparts.
Following a month on the low-glutamate diet, participants showed a notable reduction in cortical thickness as well as a substantial decrease in migraine frequency. “More than half of the Gulf War veterans had migraines before the diet, and that dropped to under 20% after following the diet for one month,” VanMeter explained. This reduction illustrates a significant improvement in their quality of life.
Holton emphasized that the findings support their hypothesis that glutamate contributes to Gulf War Illness symptoms by causing excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress in the brain. These factors can create a vicious cycle of ongoing symptoms for those sensitive to dietary glutamate.
Additional improvements were reported in the study group, including significant reductions in widespread pain, fatigue, mood issues, and cognitive dysfunction. The research team plans to publish further findings from their ongoing study.
Potential for Broader Impact and Next Steps
The thickening of the visual cortex is a common characteristic among migraine sufferers, particularly those with visual disturbances. This raises the possibility that a low-glutamate diet may benefit a broader population of migraine patients, potentially offering a dietary alternative to medication, according to VanMeter.
“This is a very doable diet,” she said. “It’s a healthy diet, it’s not that hard to follow, and it’s a very low-cost way of treating what for some individuals is a chronic and debilitating condition.”
Holton added that the research contributes to a growing body of evidence concerning the impact of ultra-processed foods on health. “This underscores how diet can not only lead to sickness but can also play a critical role in treating symptoms,” she noted.
Ongoing research aims to further explore the mechanisms at play, including investigating whether a compromised blood-brain barrier contributes to glutamate sensitivity. The findings from this study offer hope not only for veterans but also for the wider community grappling with similar neurological challenges.
