Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States, yet there is no drug specifically developed for the condition that affects people of all racial and ethnic groups,” said Abanoub Armanious, a master of science student at Rutgers School of Public Health and lead author of the study.

Lisdexamfetamine, marketed as Vyvanse, first received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of ADHD, “but its ability to also reduce the frequency of binge eating episodes led to its approval for binge eating disorder,” said Morgan James, assistant professor of psychiatry, member of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center at the Brain Health Institute, and senior author of the study. It is now the only approved medication for moderate to severe binge eating disorder in adult patients.

The study, published in Psychiatry Research Communications, explores the subjective experiences of individuals with binge eating disorder and prescribed lisdexamfetamine. Although many taking the medication reported reduced binge episodes and improved appetite control, others experienced significant side effects and inconsistent efficacy results. 

Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge eating episodes accompanied by a loss of control over how much one eats, and is often comorbid with depression, anxiety and obesity-related health issues such as Type 2 diabetes. Although clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of lisdexamfetamine in reducing binge eating episodes in some patients, patient-centered qualitative data on its use had previously been lacking, according to researchers.

Source: https://www.rutgers.edu/news/common-treatment-binge-eating-disorder-shows-mixed-results