Ovarian Hormones and Binge Eating in Adulthood: Summary of Findings and Implications for Individual Differences in Risk in Women

Ovarian hormone influences on general food intake have been studied in animals for 60+ years. Yet, extensions of these data to key eating disorder symptoms in humans (e.g., binge eating [BE]) have only recently occurred. In this article, we summarize findings from studies examining the effects of ovarian hormones on BE. Findings suggest ovarian hormones contribute to BE in animals and humans, although studies are few in number and effects are not present in all women or all animals exposed to high-risk hormonal milieus. Differences in susceptibility may be due to gene × hormone interactions that can explain why some, but not all, women develop BE in the presence of risky hormonal environments.