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Rachel V Thomas

GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Show Promise for 17 Million With Binge Eating Disorder, Suggests Study

GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and liraglutide, best known for regulating appetite and aiding weight loss, may also help reduce symptoms of binge eating disorder (BED), which affects more than 17 million people worldwide, according to a new study.

The systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, found that GLP-1 drugs, with semaglutide as its key ingredient, reduced binge eating episodes, loss-of-control eating and emotional eating, highlighting their potential role in treating binge eating disorder alongside obesity.

Binge eating disorder affects over 17 million people globally, and around two-thirds of people with the condition also live with overweight or obesity. It is also common among individuals seeking weight-loss treatment. 

"Binge eating disorder, where people regularly eat an excessive amount of food while feeling they have lost control, is common and highly impairing, affecting over 17 million people worldwide," said lead author Dr Ilaria Costantini from the Psychiatry Department at University College London (UCL), UK. 

"But treatment options are limited and there are currently no approved medications, so there remains a need for better ways to help people living with this condition. We found evidence that weight loss drugs may help to manage some key symptoms of binge eating disorder," Costantini added. 

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/babies-without-vitamin-k-shot-face-higher-brain-bleeding-risk-study-article-155107033" data-type="tilCustomLink">Babies Without Vitamin K Shot At Higher Risk Of Brain Bleeding: Study</a>

The researchers analyzed 25 randomized controlled trials conducted across 12 countries on four continents, involving 8,069 participants. 

The trials evaluated GLP-1 drugs that target the appetite-regulating hormone GLP-1, including semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic or Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and liraglutide. 

These medications suppress appetite by acting on the central nervous system and insulin secretion, delay stomach emptying, and may also influence brain pathways involved in reward and impulse control. 

Compared with placebo or other treatments, people taking GLP-1 drugs reported: 

<ul><li>Moderate reductions in binge eating severity</li><li>Reduced loss-of-control eating</li><li>Lower levels of uncontrolled eating</li><li>Reduced emotional eating </li></ul>

Read More: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/obesity-driven-ckm-syndrome-a-growing-public-health-threat-warns-american-heart-association-article-155041893" data-type="tilCustomLink">Obesity-Driven CKM Syndrome A Growing Public Health Threat, Warns American Heart Association</a>

The researchers also found that participants taking GLP-1 drugs reported greater cognitive or dietary restraint, meaning they made more deliberate efforts to limit what they ate. 

The benefits extended beyond weight loss, with improvements seen in several behaviors associated with binge eating disorder. 

<h2>More Research Needed on Dietary Restraint </h2>

While increased dietary restraint was observed, the researchers cautioned that it remains unclear whether this represents healthy self-regulation or a more rigid, potentially harmful eating pattern that could worsen binge eating over time. 

"From the evidence available, we cannot say whether the increase in dietary restraint reflects a positive and helpful form of self-regulation or if it is a more dysfunctional pattern of eating. We hope that future research can clarify whether or not taking weight loss drugs might contribute to more pathological forms of eating restriction such as meal skipping," said Izzy Emptage from UCL Psychiatry. 

The researchers said GLP-1 drugs could become an important addition to treatment plans for binge eating disorder when used alongside psychological therapies and social support. 

However, they also highlighted important limitations. Most of the studies included in the review had a high risk of bias, were funded by pharmaceutical companies, and rarely included participants with a clinical diagnosis of binge eating disorder, reducing the certainty of the findings. 

"GLP-1s may offer a promising additional treatment option for people living with both binge eating and obesity," the researchers said, while stressing that these drugs "should not be viewed as a standalone solution to binge eating disorder." 

They added that larger, independently funded clinical trials are needed before these medications can be routinely recommended for treating binge eating disorders.

Health Conditions A-Z

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glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-show-promise-for-17-million-with-binge-eating-disorder-suggests-study

binge

Binge Eating Disorder

GLP 1 Weight Loss Drugs

GLP 1

Ozempic

Wegovy

Mounjaro

liraglutide

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GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and liraglutide, best known for regulating appetite and aiding weight loss, may also help reduce symptoms of binge eating disorder (BED), which affects more than 17 million people worldwide, according to a new study. The systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, found that GLP-1 drugs, with semaglutide as its key ingredient, reduced binge eating episodes, loss-of-control eating and emotional eating, highlighting their potential role in treating binge eating disorder alongside obesity. Binge eating disorder affects over 17 million people globally, and around two-thirds of people with the condition also live with overweight or obesity. It is also common among individuals seeking weight-loss treatment. "Binge eating disorder, where people regularly eat an excessive amount of food while feeling they have lost control, is common and highly impairing, affecting over 17 million people worldwide," said lead author Dr Ilaria Costantini from the Psychiatry Department at University College London (UCL), UK. "But treatment options are limited and there are currently no approved medications, so there remains a need for better ways to help people living with this condition. We found evidence that weight loss drugs may help to manage some key symptoms of binge eating disorder," Costantini added. Also read: Babies Without Vitamin K Shot At Higher Risk Of Brain Bleeding: StudyWhat Did The Study Find? The researchers analyzed 25 randomized controlled trials conducted across 12 countries on four continents, involving 8,069 participants. The trials evaluated GLP-1 drugs that target the appetite-regulating hormone GLP-1, including semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic or Wegovy), tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and liraglutide. These medications suppress appetite by acting on the central nervous system and insulin secretion, delay stomach emptying, and may also influence brain pathways involved in reward and impulse control. Compared with placebo or other treatments, people taking GLP-1 drugs reported: Moderate reductions in binge eating severityReduced loss-of-control eatingLower levels of uncontrolled eatingReduced emotional eating Read More: Obesity-Driven CKM Syndrome A Growing Public Health Threat, Warns American Heart AssociationThe researchers also found that participants taking GLP-1 drugs reported greater cognitive or dietary restraint, meaning they made more deliberate efforts to limit what they ate. The benefits extended beyond weight loss, with improvements seen in several behaviors associated with binge eating disorder. More Research Needed on Dietary Restraint While increased dietary restraint was observed, the researchers cautioned that it remains unclear whether this represents healthy self-regulation or a more rigid, potentially harmful eating pattern that could worsen binge eating over time. "From the evidence available, we cannot say whether the increase in dietary restraint reflects a positive and helpful form of self-regulation or if it is a more dysfunctional pattern of eating. We hope that future research can clarify whether or not taking weight loss drugs might contribute to more pathological forms of eating restriction such as meal skipping," said Izzy Emptage from UCL Psychiatry. Researchers Urge Caution The researchers said GLP-1 drugs could become an important addition to treatment plans for binge eating disorder when used alongside psychological therapies and social support. However, they also highlighted important limitations. Most of the studies included in the review had a high risk of bias, were funded by pharmaceutical companies, and rarely included participants with a clinical diagnosis of binge eating disorder, reducing the certainty of the findings. "GLP-1s may offer a promising additional treatment option for people living with both binge eating and obesity," the researchers said, while stressing that these drugs "should not be viewed as a standalone solution to binge eating disorder." They added that larger, independently funded clinical trials are needed before these medications can be routinely recommended for treating binge eating disorders.

glp-1 weight-loss drugs show promise for 17 million with binge eating disorder, suggests study

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