Summary
Why this matters:
Researchers at Michigan State University found birth control pills may increase binge-eating symptoms for some women, underscoring the need for personalized approaches to care.
The findings fill a major gap in research on women’s health and eating disorders for how oral contraceptive medications affect binge-eating symptoms.
Self-monitoring was found to help reduce binge eating, providing a potential tool for managing risk.
A new study from Michigan State University found increases in binge eating when taking hormone pills in the form of oral contraceptives — but not in all women. This is the first large-scale study of changes in binge-related symptoms with oral contraceptive use.
The longitudinal study tracked 422 women from the Michigan State University Twin Registry who were taking combined oral contraceptives or contraceptives that include both synthetic estrogen and progestin hormones.
These contraceptives include active pills that contain synthetic hormones including synthetic estrogen and progestin, as well as inactive pills, or hormone-free placebo pills. The inclusion of both active and inactive pills provided a unique opportunity for researchers to examine changes in binge eating when a woman was taking her active versus inactive pills.
For 49 consecutive days, the researchers tracked changes within women for emotional eating, a form of binge eating where individuals overconsume food in the presence of negative emotions.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found significantly increased emotional eating when women were taking active versus inactive pills. These findings were present in the full sample of women as well as in women who reported current or past histories of clinical levels of binge eating.
Previous research has suggested ovarian hormones (natural estrogen and progesterone) play a significant role in binge-eating risk in females. These new findings suggest that synthetic hormones in combined oral contraceptives may also heighten risk.
“These findings are important for highlighting the potential negative impact of combined oral contraceptives in women. Nonetheless, it’s important to note that not every woman in the study developed binge eating — they are safe for many women, and it’s likely that the risk is targeted to those with other risk factors,” said Kelly Klump, lead author of the study and MSU Research Foundation Distinguished Professor in MSU’s Department of Psychology. “Future studies are needed to better identify who is at risk and inform personalized medicine approaches to women’s health.”
The study also found that the act of reporting on binge eating every day, otherwise known as self-monitoring, helped decrease binge eating for the participants in the study. These decreases were observed even when women were taking active hormone pills.
“We found that self-monitoring was an effective tool in mitigating risk for women in the study,” said Klump. “The more we can equip women with tools and educate medical providers about these risks, the more effective care can be given.”
By educating medical practitioners about the effects of combined oral contraceptives on binge eating and the value of self-monitoring, the researchers hope that a more personalized approach can help those at risk.