Eating disorder drug review finds mixed evidence and side effect concerns
Across eating disorder studies, topiramate showed possible benefits for some eating behaviors, while other mood stabilizers had mixed or limited evidence. Fatigue and thinking difficulties complicate interpretation of possible benefits.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review describes possible benefits from topiramate for abnormal eating behaviors in binge eating disorder and bulimia, but also highlights side effects. Evidence for other mood stabilizers is inconsistent or limited. These findings do not establish a general benefit across eating disorders, and the abstract cannot quantify the balance between improvement and harm.
This abstract-based account lacks effect sizes, detailed comparison groups, treatment durations and the results of its study-quality assessment. It cannot establish which findings rest on stronger evidence or how often adverse effects occurred.
Different diagnoses and medicines
The review covers several eating disorders and multiple medications. Lithium findings in people with binge eating disorder or bulimia and coexisting depression remain distinct from findings in anorexia; they should not be combined into one treatment claim.
Benefits alongside adverse effects
Topiramate was studied alone or with phentermine, and also appeared in research on sleep-related eating episodes. The abstract reports fatigue and cognitive impairment, meaning difficulties with thinking, making adverse effects part of the evidence.
The original publication
Mood stabilizers in eating disorders: A systematic review.
Sesso G, Fantozzi P, Calderoni S et al.
J Affect Disord · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40480389
- Record checked
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