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Research: hormonal treatment for compulsive overeating

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gothchiq
gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
in Debate Club
For people who don't feel full when they are full: http://www.healthline.com/health-news/overeating-is-it-all-in-your-head-072315

Could be wonderful for people with binge eating disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome, and stuff like that.

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  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
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    I think it's great, but i am leary of increasing hormone levels unless they find that one is deficient in that hormone. As far as I know, that is not a known cause of compulsive overeating.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    Within a month after getting off sugar, all forms of all grains and processed foods in general my cravings ceased and nearly two years later have not returned. Without cravings there is no temptation to binge eat. I expect a lot of my hormones have improved the way my general health has improved after ditching the sugar and grains.

    Not sure however the world needs one more pill to fix bad eating.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    It isn't a pill. I believe they inject it. I do agree that a person must be tested first and demonstrate an actual deficiency. No doctor would in good conscience administer hormonal treatment to someone who does not have a need for it.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    Do look up Prader-Willi syndrome if you haven't heard of it. These are people with a deficiency such that they literally ALWAYS feel hungry no matter how stuffed they are. It's a genetic problem that makes them like that.
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
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    gothchiq wrote: »
    Do look up Prader-Willi syndrome if you haven't heard of it. These are people with a deficiency such that they literally ALWAYS feel hungry no matter how stuffed they are. It's a genetic problem that makes them like that.

    Cool thanks.
  • madammags
    madammags Posts: 97 Member
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    moe0303 wrote: »
    I think it's great, but i am leary of increasing hormone levels unless they find that one is deficient in that hormone. As far as I know, that is not a known cause of compulsive overeating.

    Did you read the actual study (it's available for free following the link in the article). GLP-1 is already a target in diabetes and obesity treatment, as it is involved in the hedonic response to food*. The new study is mainly trying to find out the actual mechanism by which this hormone acts, so that we can target drugs/treatment better.

    * Which you can see, if you've read the Why do people overeat and/or become obese? Is it harder than average for some to lose weight? thread on this subforum, is a huge part of why many of us overeat.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    edited June 2016
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    gothchiq wrote: »
    Do look up Prader-Willi syndrome if you haven't heard of it. These are people with a deficiency such that they literally ALWAYS feel hungry no matter how stuffed they are. It's a genetic problem that makes them like that.

    I might help with PW but I doubt it will help with BED. People don't usually binge eat out of hunger. It's a different type of compulsion. I would wager than most overeating is done out of hunger.
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
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    madammags wrote: »
    moe0303 wrote: »
    I think it's great, but i am leary of increasing hormone levels unless they find that one is deficient in that hormone. As far as I know, that is not a known cause of compulsive overeating.

    Did you read the actual study (it's available for free following the link in the article). GLP-1 is already a target in diabetes and obesity treatment, as it is involved in the hedonic response to food*. The new study is mainly trying to find out the actual mechanism by which this hormone acts, so that we can target drugs/treatment better.

    * Which you can see, if you've read the Why do people overeat and/or become obese? Is it harder than average for some to lose weight? thread on this subforum, is a huge part of why many of us overeat.

    I did not read the study, yet.

    which page of the thread?
  • madammags
    madammags Posts: 97 Member
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    moe0303 wrote: »
    which page of the thread?

    I can't remember right now, I'd have to go find it, but a number of people in the thread have been saying specifically that their overeating is NOT triggered by hunger (and I find the same thing). I could see how targeting the hedonic response, particularly coupled with therapy to work on underlying issues with food (e.g. seeing food as a reward, wanting what is forbidden, having learnt to clean your plate), could be very useful in treating people with e.g. BED and similar issues.

    @Need2Exerc1se The whole point is that this hormone plays a role in the hedonic (enjoyment) response to food, rather than the homeostatic (physical hunger). As I said just above, I do think that for BED one would have to treat underlying food issues as well (I don't know what types of therapy tend to work for BED, though I wonder if CBT is used).

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    gothchiq wrote: »
    Do look up Prader-Willi syndrome if you haven't heard of it. These are people with a deficiency such that they literally ALWAYS feel hungry no matter how stuffed they are. It's a genetic problem that makes them like that.

    I might help with PW but I doubt it will help with BED. People don't usually binge eat out of hunger. It's a different type of compulsion. I would wager than most overeating is done out of hunger.

    Ugh! I hate when my poor typing skills make my posts say the opposite of what I meant. I would wager that most overeating is NOT done out of hunger.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I'd be leery of tinkering with hormone levels as well, mostly because hormones have often turned out to affect multiple systems in complex ways that were not at all apparent at earlier stages of research.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    There is a circular thing that can happen with appetite, noted by those who have overstretched their stomachs. Initially they ate past fullness. Later they grow to feel hungry for the ridiculously large meals and snacks. And it builds on itself if they keep eating more and more. Their levels of leptin and ghrelin are disrupted. Again, I would personally only find this treatment advisable for those who have failed in nonmedical methods. Possibly, for people who had gastric banding or other surgery, and failed *that*. I personally know one such person. She had gastric banding. For one year, she followed the plan and lost weight. After that, she restretched her stomach and gained ALL the weight back!

    Most people do not need interventions like this as we find other, healthier tactics. Most people probably do not have significant hormonal impairment. When it comes to controversial methods, I would probably favor the hormonal treatment over the one where they pump the chewed meal back out of their stomachs. :X But yes I am certain there will be side effects of some sort. I guess it depends on whether they stand to lose their lives from their obesity or not, as to whether it would be worth it. It would have to be that extreme.

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