Naltrexone treatment of bulimia: clinical and theoretical findings linking eating disorders and substance abuse.

Eating disorders and substance abuse may occur together frequently. Studies have demonstrated that 25%-50% of individuals with anorexia nervosa and bulimia will have a history of substance abuse, and that certain groups of drug abusers may have elevated rates of eating disorders. One mechanism which may explain this relationship is the role of endogenous opiate peptides in triggering the compulsion to binge-eat. The authors report the successful use of the long-acting opiate antagonist naltrexone in treating a group of bulimic individuals, and discuss the implications of these findings.