Addicted to Food:  

Dieters and drug addicts both get the munchies—and now the same treatment may help both overcome their cravings.

A drug being tested for use in treating addiction also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake, according to a new animal study from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory.

 

Researchers studied 50 rats, some bred to be obese and others reared normally. After 40 days of injections of Vigabatrin (GVG), the obese rats shed up to 29 percent of their total weight while non-obese animals lost 12 to 20 percent.
 
Why should you care? Two reasons: The results not only identify an easy treatment for obesity, but also show obesity is extremely similar to drug addiction.

 

“Binge-eating disorder very closely parallels the behavior and changes in the brain we see in cocaine addicts,” said Dr. Stephen Dewey, the senior chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratory who led the study.
 
Substance abusers relapse because cues or triggers in their surroundings set them off. They see a place where they used to buy drugs or run into a friend they used to abuse with, and dopamine—our brain’s pleasure transmitter—spikes.

 

The same thing happens to obese people: They see an iced caked sitting on the table or catch a whiff of savory barbecue, and they crave it. Gorging inevitably ensues.

 

Vigabatrin stops this vicious cycle by preventing an increase in dopamine, according to Dewey. So the typical rush of pleasure that follows seeing or smelling tasty foods is blocked, and feasting is avoided.

 

Even better news: Unlike most obesity-drug trials, Vigabatrin is already being tested in people to treat cocaine and methamphetamine addiction. In fact, the FDA granted fast track status to approval after identifying the drug as one that addresses an unmet clinical need, and appears safe and effective.

 

Exactly how long the third and final phase of clinical trials will last is uncertain. If approved, Vigabatrin will be available by prescription to treat both binge-eating disorders and drug addiction.

 

“It’s no magic bullet,” Dewey said. “But (food) cravings that result from environmental cues are the No. 1 cause of bingeing. If you take away No. 1, it’s an enormous help.”

 

Cravings can cause even the most diligent dieters to fail to meet their weight-loss goals. Put a stop to overeating by recognizing the cues that send you to the drive-thru again and again. You can also sub fat with flavor by eating smaller, more satisfying dishes. With the right eating plan, you can fight cravings all day long.

 

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