title: Pilot Study on the Homeopathic Treatment of Binge Eating in Males.
abstract: Context • Frequent binge eating is often a symptom of an underlying eating disorder, such as bulimia nervosa (BN) or binge eating disorder (BED). The role of homeopathy in the treatment of binge eating remains poorly explored. Objective • The study intended to measure the efficacy of individualized homeopathic treatment for binge eating in adult males. Design • This case study was a 9-wk pilot using an embedded, mixed-methods design. A 3-wk baseline period was followed by a 6-wk treatment period. Setting • The setting was the Homeopathic Health Clinic at the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg, South Africa. Participants • Through purposive sampling, the research team recruited 15 Caucasian, male participants, aged 18-45 y, who were exhibiting binge eating. Intervention • Individualized homeopathic remedies were prescribed to each participant. Primary Outcome Measures • Participants were assessed by means of (1) a self-assessment calendar (SAC), recording the frequency and intensity of binging; (2) the Binge Eating Scale (BES), a psychometric evaluation of severity; and (3) case analysis evaluating changes with time. Results • Ten participants completed the study. The study found a statistically significant improvement with regard to the BES (P = .003) and the SAC (P = .006), with a large effect size, indicating that a decrease occurred in the severity and frequency of binging behavior during the study period. Conclusions • This small study showed the potential benefits of individualized homeopathic treatment of binge eating in males, decreasing both the frequency and severity of binging episodes. Follow-up studies are recommended to explore this treatment modality as a complementary therapeutic option in eating disorders characterized by binge eating.
authors.forename: Hertzog Johannes
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: van Heerden
authors.forename: Radmila
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Razlog
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pellow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D002032:Bulimia; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica