Another Use for Baclofen – Binge Eating?

Only a week or so ago wrote about the use of baclofen (Lioresal®), a muscle relaxant, for treating addiction to alcohol.  Now there’s a report of a new use for baclofen – treating binge eating.  A report in the International Journal of Eating Disorders describes how 4 women with binge eating disorder and 3 with bulimia nervosa took 60 mg daily of baclofen for 10 weeks.  Five of them showed a 50% or greater reduction in the frequency of binge eating, and 3 were free of binging by the study’s end.  Side effects were minimal, and 4 of the women chose to continue with baclofen when the study ended.   That’s a pretty good recommendation for the treatment!