ADHD Medication May Treat Binge Eating Disorder

Statistics show that close to 24 million people in the United States suffer from an eating disorder, some which are not clinically defined yet are oftentimes linked by some form of depression.

A new drug that's typically used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may aid in helping those with binge-eating disorders (BED) minimize episodes. As there are currently no approved medications for BED, research suggests that the drug lisdexamfetamine dimesylate could help minimize related symptoms.

For the study, researchers compared lisdexamfetamine with a placebo in 259 and 255 adults suffering from moderate to severe BED during a trial span from May 2011 through Jan. 2012, which was administered in doses of 30, 50 or 70 milligrams.

Results showed that binge-eating days decreased in about 50 to 70 mg per day treatments. However, those in the 30 mg group saw relatively little difference when compared to placebo counterparts. The groups receiving higher medicine dosages also went as long as four weeks without binge-eating.

"The one-week BE episode response status was improved in the 50 and 70-mg [per day] treatment groups, and a greater proportion of participants achieved four-week cessation of BE episodes and global improvement of symptom severity with all lisdexamfetamine dosages. ... Confirmation of these findings in ongoing clinical trials may results in improved pharmacologic treatment for moderate to severe BED," they concluded, in a news release. 

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the JAMA Network Journal.

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