NALOXONE, AN OPIATE BLOCKER, REDUCES THE CONSUMPTION OF SWEET HIGH-FAT FOODS IN OBESE AND LEAN FEMALE BINGE EATERS

To test the hypothesis that endogenous opiate peptides selectively inf luence hedonic response to sweet and high-fat foods, the opiate antago nist naloxone, opiate agonist butorphanol, and a saline placebo were a dministered by intravenous infusion to 16 obese and 25 normal-weight w omen. Twenty of the women (10 obese, 10 lean) fulfilled DSM-III-R diag nostic criteria for bulimia nervosa, as determined by psychiatric inte rview. During drug infusion the women tasted and rated 20 sweetened da iry products and were presented with eight snack foods of varying suga r and fat content. Naloxone suppressed hedonic responses in all subjec t groups and suppressed the consumption of sweet and high-fat foods in binge eaters, but not in nonbingers. Food intakes of obese women were not affected by naloxone. Butorphanol had no effect on either hedonic response or on food consumption in any group. Although opiate blockad e is not a viable strategy for weight reduction in the treatment of ob esity, it may be useful in the clinical management of the binge-eating disorder.