The tendency to overeat can be treated with the help of a hormone, according to a new study.
It found that low levels of the female hormone estrogen could trigger the condition. Researchers believe that developing hormone- based therapy could cure the condition.
Overeating, in which people often consume unusually large amounts of food for a short period of time, affects between one in 10 or one in 20 people. It is more common among women.
The new study was conducted by Dr. Yang Tzu, who is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and Texas Children's Hospital.
He explains that previous studies have shown that women who have an irregular menstrual cycle are more likely to be affected by the condition. This suggests that female hormones play a significant role in the development or prevention of such behavior.
Again, according to previous studies, there is a strong link between estrogen and the tendency to overeat in humans.
During laboratory studies, Dr. Zu and his team found that when hormone levels were high, overeating was prevented, but when they were low, overeating became more common.
According to Tzu, it can be said that women who develop a tendency to overeat also happen to have irregular menstruation .