Popular drug that treats a serious health condition called attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has shown promising results in curing the binge eating disorder (BED), according to a new study.
The Lindner Center of Hope Research Institute in Mason, Ohio, conducted a new medical study on the binge eaters and found that ADHD drug, named lisdexamfetamine, can help in combating the severe disorder which is responsible for many health problems.
The randomized clinical study ran from May 2011 to January 2012.
An estimated four million Americans have the binge eating disorder due to multiple reasons including the lifestyle habits.
BED is defined as recurrent episodes of inconsistent consumption of food that can result into numerous health problems.
For the latest study, the Lindner researchers compared the drug with a placebo in 500 adults having moderate to severe BED condition. The researchers administered the drug to the participants in the following dosages- 30, 50 or 70 mg/day or a placebo.
“In studies of ADHD, lisdexamfetamine improved impulsive symptoms and reduced hunger. BED is characterized by increased impulsivity and increased hunger, and animal studies suggested drugs like lisdexamfetamine reduced binge eating behavior,” said lead researcher Dr. Susan McElroy.
According to the study, the number of binge-eating days per week dropped remarkably in the groups taking 50 mg and 70 mg doses of the ADHD drug daily compared with the placebo group.
After about a month, 50 percent of the participants taking 70 mg doses of the ADHD drug and 42.2 percent of those taking 50 mg were found getting rid of the BED behavior completely.
“The study’s findings need to be replicated in studies of larger groups of people with the eating disorder. Pharmaceutical firm is having discussions with the FDA about getting approval of lisdexamfetamine for the treatment of BED,” McElroy said.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given approval to the ADHD drug Lisdexamfetamine in 2007 to treat the health condition.
The findings were detailed online in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.
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