Dexfenfluramine, Fluoxetine, and Weight Loss Among Female Carbohydrate Cravers

Judith Wurtman; Richard Wurtman; Eliot Berry; Ray Gleason; Hannah Goldberg; Janine McDermott; Merton Kahne; Rita Tsay

doi:10.1038/npp.1993.56

Dexfenfluramine, Fluoxetine, and Weight Loss Among Female Carbohydrate Cravers

Judith Wurtman, Richard Wurtman, Eliot Berry, Ray Gleason, Hannah Goldberg, Janine McDermott, Merton Kahne, Rita Tsay

Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

The consumption of excess calories as carbohydrates (CHO)-rich, protein-poor snacks characterizes the overeating of obese CHO cravers, premenstrual women, patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder, and former smokers. This specific appetite for CHOs may involve brain serotonin, as the synthesis and release of this neurotransmitter can increase following consumption of CHO-rich foods. To examine whether weight loss produced by serotoninergic drugs involves a selective reduction in CHO intake, obese females who consumed at least 30% of their daily calories from CHO-rich snacks were treated with dexfenfluramine ([DF] 15 mg b.i.d.); fluoxetine ([FL] 20 mg t.i.d.); or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. Weekly weight loss for 25 of 29 PL completers was 0.22 kg ± 0.06 (mean ± SEM); for 21 of 28 DF completers, 0.56 ± 0.08 kg; and for 18 of 30 FL completers, 0.58 ± 0.09 kg (PL < DF = FL; p = .039). Seven FL subjects, 2 PL subjects, and 1 DF subject withdrew from the study due to side effects; other withdrawals were due to intercurrent illness or personal problems. Prior to treatment, subjects consumed over 40% of their daily CHO intake from snacks. Both of the drugs selectively decreased CHO snack intake (p < 0.05); DF, but not FL, also decreased meal CHO intake (p < .025). These results suggest that weight loss following treatment with serotoninergic drugs may relate to a selective decrease in CHO appetite.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	201-210
Number of pages	10
Journal	Neuropsychopharmacology
Volume	9
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.1993.56
State	Published - 1993

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title = "Dexfenfluramine, Fluoxetine, and Weight Loss Among Female Carbohydrate Cravers",

abstract = "The consumption of excess calories as carbohydrates (CHO)-rich, protein-poor snacks characterizes the overeating of obese CHO cravers, premenstrual women, patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder, and former smokers. This specific appetite for CHOs may involve brain serotonin, as the synthesis and release of this neurotransmitter can increase following consumption of CHO-rich foods. To examine whether weight loss produced by serotoninergic drugs involves a selective reduction in CHO intake, obese females who consumed at least 30% of their daily calories from CHO-rich snacks were treated with dexfenfluramine ([DF] 15 mg b.i.d.); fluoxetine ([FL] 20 mg t.i.d.); or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. Weekly weight loss for 25 of 29 PL completers was 0.22 kg ± 0.06 (mean ± SEM); for 21 of 28 DF completers, 0.56 ± 0.08 kg; and for 18 of 30 FL completers, 0.58 ± 0.09 kg (PL < DF = FL; p = .039). Seven FL subjects, 2 PL subjects, and 1 DF subject withdrew from the study due to side effects; other withdrawals were due to intercurrent illness or personal problems. Prior to treatment, subjects consumed over 40% of their daily CHO intake from snacks. Both of the drugs selectively decreased CHO snack intake (p < 0.05); DF, but not FL, also decreased meal CHO intake (p < .025). These results suggest that weight loss following treatment with serotoninergic drugs may relate to a selective decrease in CHO appetite.",

author = "Judith Wurtman and Richard Wurtman and Eliot Berry and Ray Gleason and Hannah Goldberg and Janine McDermott and Merton Kahne and Rita Tsay",

year = "1993",

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AU - Wurtman, Judith

AU - Wurtman, Richard

AU - Berry, Eliot

AU - Gleason, Ray

AU - Goldberg, Hannah

AU - McDermott, Janine

AU - Kahne, Merton

AU - Tsay, Rita

PY - 1993

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N2 - The consumption of excess calories as carbohydrates (CHO)-rich, protein-poor snacks characterizes the overeating of obese CHO cravers, premenstrual women, patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder, and former smokers. This specific appetite for CHOs may involve brain serotonin, as the synthesis and release of this neurotransmitter can increase following consumption of CHO-rich foods. To examine whether weight loss produced by serotoninergic drugs involves a selective reduction in CHO intake, obese females who consumed at least 30% of their daily calories from CHO-rich snacks were treated with dexfenfluramine ([DF] 15 mg b.i.d.); fluoxetine ([FL] 20 mg t.i.d.); or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. Weekly weight loss for 25 of 29 PL completers was 0.22 kg ± 0.06 (mean ± SEM); for 21 of 28 DF completers, 0.56 ± 0.08 kg; and for 18 of 30 FL completers, 0.58 ± 0.09 kg (PL < DF = FL; p = .039). Seven FL subjects, 2 PL subjects, and 1 DF subject withdrew from the study due to side effects; other withdrawals were due to intercurrent illness or personal problems. Prior to treatment, subjects consumed over 40% of their daily CHO intake from snacks. Both of the drugs selectively decreased CHO snack intake (p < 0.05); DF, but not FL, also decreased meal CHO intake (p < .025). These results suggest that weight loss following treatment with serotoninergic drugs may relate to a selective decrease in CHO appetite.

AB - The consumption of excess calories as carbohydrates (CHO)-rich, protein-poor snacks characterizes the overeating of obese CHO cravers, premenstrual women, patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder, and former smokers. This specific appetite for CHOs may involve brain serotonin, as the synthesis and release of this neurotransmitter can increase following consumption of CHO-rich foods. To examine whether weight loss produced by serotoninergic drugs involves a selective reduction in CHO intake, obese females who consumed at least 30% of their daily calories from CHO-rich snacks were treated with dexfenfluramine ([DF] 15 mg b.i.d.); fluoxetine ([FL] 20 mg t.i.d.); or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. Weekly weight loss for 25 of 29 PL completers was 0.22 kg ± 0.06 (mean ± SEM); for 21 of 28 DF completers, 0.56 ± 0.08 kg; and for 18 of 30 FL completers, 0.58 ± 0.09 kg (PL < DF = FL; p = .039). Seven FL subjects, 2 PL subjects, and 1 DF subject withdrew from the study due to side effects; other withdrawals were due to intercurrent illness or personal problems. Prior to treatment, subjects consumed over 40% of their daily CHO intake from snacks. Both of the drugs selectively decreased CHO snack intake (p < 0.05); DF, but not FL, also decreased meal CHO intake (p < .025). These results suggest that weight loss following treatment with serotoninergic drugs may relate to a selective decrease in CHO appetite.

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Dexfenfluramine, Fluoxetine, and Weight Loss Among Female Carbohydrate Cravers

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