Medications for Binge Eating Disorder

There are several medications that are used for Binge Eating Disorder with mixed results. As opposed to other eating disorders, people with binge eating disorder often seek urgent pharmacological help hoping it sustains longstanding recovery.

The pharmaceutical industry has targeted weight as a primary focus for medication research with limited results. Many of those medications are also tested for Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Inevitably, people with this disorder assume it’s reasonable to seek medications to solve the issue.

However, BED is very similar to other eating disorders. The eating disorder thoughts and behavior cycles are generally consistent so treatment is also not very different. Medications can have some benefit, but therapy and nutrition work are crucial as well.

What is confusing is that there is a small subset of people with BED whose food cravings are different from binge urges. Typically, binge urges are a powerful pull to eat quickly in a way that numbs emotions and calms anxiety. However, a small number of people have food cravings and need certain foods to satisfy the desire for a certain taste and experience rather than block their feelings. Occasionally medications do seem to block these cravings.

Topamax, Wellbutrin, the discontinued Meridia and Naltrexone are medications known, in rare circumstances, to stop binges for people with BED with food cravings rather than binge urges effectively and for a long period of time. Other medications such as Vyvanse may do so temporarily but do not seem to last longer than a year or two at most.

The desire for a permanent fix is strong for people with any eating disorder including BED. It’s rare to find that relief, especially one with such an immediate effect. I hesitate to ever suggest this as an option to expect since it is very rare, but it’s important to understand the different forms of BED and the reasonable expectations and limitations of medication treatment for BED.

The misleading pharmaceutical industry has lumped BED treatment with weight loss medications and encouraged these patients to believe in a quick fix, much to their detriment. These patients need to understand how unlikely a quick fix is and instead seek an overall treatment plan as for any eating disorder.