What Medications Are Used to Treat Binge Eating?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiagnosisTreatmentsTreatment OutcomesTips That Can Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Diagnosis

Treatments

Treatment Outcomes

Tips That Can Help

What is the most important information I should know about medications to treat binge eating disorder?Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is the only FDA-approved medication to treat binge eating disorder. You should not take lisdexamfetamine if:You are hypersensitive to amphetamine products; orYou have used a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the previous 14 days.

What is the most important information I should know about medications to treat binge eating disorder?

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is the only FDA-approved medication to treat binge eating disorder. You should not take lisdexamfetamine if:You are hypersensitive to amphetamine products; orYou have used a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the previous 14 days.

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is the only FDA-approved medication to treat binge eating disorder. You should not take lisdexamfetamine if:

Binge eating disorderis the most common eating disorder in the United States.It is a psychiatric condition that requires treatment, saysJanet Lydecker, PhD, assistant professor and team member of the Program for Obesity, Weight, and Eating Research (POWER) at Yale School of Medicine.

While most people occasionallyovereator find comfort in food, that doesn’t necessarily mean they have a binge eating disorder. A healthcare professional can evaluate you and determine whether you have this condition.

Accordingly, they will determine a treatment plan based on your needs and goals. The treatment plan may involvetherapy,medication, or a combination of the two.

This article covers how binge eating disorder is diagnosed, treatment options, the efficacy of treatment, and how binge eating disorder treatment can be improved.

Diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder

“A psychologist or another healthcare provider will interview a patient about their eating habits in order to make adiagnosis,” says Lydecker.

According to Lydecker, binge eating disorder has some key features, which include:

Additionally, binge eating disorder is different from bulimia, which includes both binge eating and purging of food.

Identifying Purging Disorder

Treating Binge Eating Disorder

Seeking treatment for binge eating disorder is important because the disorder can lead to health conditions such asdepression, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, blood pressure, gallbladder disease, and cancer.

Lydecker outlines the treatments for binge eating disorder, which include medication and therapy.

Medication

Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX), sold under the brand nameVyvanse, is the only FDA-approved medication to treat binge eating disorder.

This medication is a stimulant that is also used to treatattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

As with any medication, Vyvanse has several potential side effects, so it is important to discuss the safety of taking the medication with a healthcare provider who knows you. For example, your healthcare provider would carefully assess whether you have heart problems or are at risk for stroke.

Side effects of Vyvanseinclude vomiting, nausea, and other gastrointestinal issues. Since it is a stimulant, it can also cause effects such as jitters, insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, and in some cases, mania. Vyvanse is a controlled substance because it has the potential for misuse and addiction.

Other medications that may be given for binge eating disorder are usedoff-labelbecause they are not approved for the treatment of this condition. Several of these are weight-loss medications because many patients with binge eating disorder also have obesity and one of their goals may be to lose weight for their health.

Weight loss medications can include Xenical (orlistat),Qsymia(phentermine-topiramate), Contrave (naltrexone-bupropion), Victoza (liraglutide), Ozempic (semaglutide), and Imcivree (setmelanotide).

People with binge eating disorder who also have co-occurring mood disorders may be prescribedantidepressant medications.

Understanding Binge Eating and ADHD

Therapy

The recommended psychological treatment for binge eating disorder iscognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which is very effective at reducing the number of binge eating episodes individuals have.

CBT treatment usually involves weekly meetings with a therapist that focus on how thoughts connect with emotions and binge eating behaviors.

The therapist works with the patient to interrupt any triggers leading to binge eating episodes. CBT also teaches patients toproblem-solvebehavior patterns to reduce the likelihood of binge eating.

Other psychological treatments includeinterpersonal therapy, which focuses on improving relationships to reduce distress, and behavioral weight-loss counseling, which focuses on setting goals and using social support to make gradual, sustainable changes in eating and exercise.

Lydecker discusses treatment duration and outcomes for binge eating disorder below.

Janet Lydecker, PhDIn general, individuals with binge eating disorder can expect about three months of treatment, whether that is medication or psychological treatment.

Janet Lydecker, PhD

In general, individuals with binge eating disorder can expect about three months of treatment, whether that is medication or psychological treatment.

Many individuals with binge eating disorder have two goals when they start treatment:

In general, CBT is very good at helping individuals stop binge eating, but it does not necessarily help with weight loss. Behavioral weight-loss counseling tends to be better with weight loss than CBT and also helps individuals to stop binge eating.

Medications seem to be helpful while patients are taking them, but not much is known about how patients do long-term after they stop taking the medications.

Tips to Improve Treatment Outcomes

These are some strategies that can help you reduce binge eating and improve treatment outcomes:

Summary

Binge eating disorderis a psychiatric condition that can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. If you think you or a loved one may have a binge eating disorder, you should seek treatment from a healthcare professional. Treatment can involve therapy and medication.

Vyvanse is the only FDA-approved medication to treat binge eating disorder. However, your healthcare provider may also prescribe medications to help you lose weight or treat depression or anxiety. Treatment typically takes around three months.

If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at1-800-931-2237.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are coping with an eating disorder, contact theNational Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helplinefor support at1-800-931-2237.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

The Connection Between Body Image and Eating Disorders

6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vyvanse. Package insert. Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.; 2019.National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Binge eating disorder.Zendegui EA, West JA, Zandberg LJ.Binge eating frequency and regular eating adherence: The role of eating pattern in cognitive behavioral guided self-help.Eat Behav. 2014;15(2):241-243. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.03.002Frayn M, Livshits S, Knäuper B.Emotional eating and weight regulation: A qualitative study of compensatory behaviors and concerns.J Eat Disord. 2018;6:23. doi:10.1186/s40337-018-0210-6Davy BM, Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Wilson KL, Davy KP.Water consumption reduces energy intake at a breakfast meal in obese older adults.J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1236-1239. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.04.013

6 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vyvanse. Package insert. Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.; 2019.National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Binge eating disorder.Zendegui EA, West JA, Zandberg LJ.Binge eating frequency and regular eating adherence: The role of eating pattern in cognitive behavioral guided self-help.Eat Behav. 2014;15(2):241-243. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.03.002Frayn M, Livshits S, Knäuper B.Emotional eating and weight regulation: A qualitative study of compensatory behaviors and concerns.J Eat Disord. 2018;6:23. doi:10.1186/s40337-018-0210-6Davy BM, Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Wilson KL, Davy KP.Water consumption reduces energy intake at a breakfast meal in obese older adults.J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1236-1239. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.04.013

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Vyvanse. Package insert. Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.; 2019.National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Binge eating disorder.Zendegui EA, West JA, Zandberg LJ.Binge eating frequency and regular eating adherence: The role of eating pattern in cognitive behavioral guided self-help.Eat Behav. 2014;15(2):241-243. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.03.002Frayn M, Livshits S, Knäuper B.Emotional eating and weight regulation: A qualitative study of compensatory behaviors and concerns.J Eat Disord. 2018;6:23. doi:10.1186/s40337-018-0210-6Davy BM, Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Wilson KL, Davy KP.Water consumption reduces energy intake at a breakfast meal in obese older adults.J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1236-1239. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.04.013

Vyvanse. Package insert. Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.; 2019.

National Institute of Mental Health.Eating disorders.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Binge eating disorder.

Zendegui EA, West JA, Zandberg LJ.Binge eating frequency and regular eating adherence: The role of eating pattern in cognitive behavioral guided self-help.Eat Behav. 2014;15(2):241-243. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.03.002

Frayn M, Livshits S, Knäuper B.Emotional eating and weight regulation: A qualitative study of compensatory behaviors and concerns.J Eat Disord. 2018;6:23. doi:10.1186/s40337-018-0210-6

Davy BM, Dennis EA, Dengo AL, Wilson KL, Davy KP.Water consumption reduces energy intake at a breakfast meal in obese older adults.J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1236-1239. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.04.013

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