# An open-label pilot study of psilocybin-assisted therapy for binge eating disorder

## TL;DR

A small study found that psilocybin-assisted therapy may safely reduce binge eating and improve mental health in people with BED.

## Contribution

This is the first open-label pilot study to explore psilocybin-assisted therapy for BED.

## Key findings

- All participants reported reduced binge eating frequency, sustained over 14 weeks.
- Improvements in depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility were observed.
- fMRI showed increased brain activation in regions linked to food cue processing after treatment.

## Abstract

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder and is associated with psychiatric comorbidities, health impairments, and decreased quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy may promote cognitive and emotional flexibility and disrupt maladaptive behavioral patterns, making it a promising candidate for BED treatment. This open-label pilot study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and preliminary therapeutic effects of a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin administered in the context of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based psychotherapy in adults with BED (N = 5). Primary outcomes included safety measures, and exploratory outcomes included self-reported binge eating frequency, depression, anxiety, psychological flexibility, anthropometric indices, and neuroimaging biomarkers assessed over a 14-week follow-up. Psilocybin was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events. Reductions in self-reported binge eating frequency were observed across all participants and sustained through week 14. Improvements were also noted in depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility. Three participants showed reductions in body mass index and waist circumference. Given the open label design and small sample size, causality cannot be inferred. fMRI analyses generated preliminary signals of change—such as increased functional activation from pre- to post-intervention in the middle frontal gyrus, angular gyrus, and supramarginal gyrus in response to processed versus unprocessed food cues. Psilocybin-assisted therapy was feasible and well-tolerated in individuals with BED. The clinical and neurobiological observations provide directions for future adequately powered trials.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-025-01508-3.

Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder and can have a serious impact on mental health, physical health, and overall quality of life. Many people with BED struggle with repeated patterns of eating that feel hard to change, even when they want to. New treatments are needed to help people break these cycles in safe and supportive ways. This small pilot study explored whether a single dose of psilocybin, given alongside a type of talk therapy focused on values, acceptance, and behavior change, could be safely used with adults who have BED. Five adults took part in the study and were followed for about three months. The treatment was well tolerated, and no serious safety concerns were found. All participants reported fewer binge eating episodes after the treatment, and these improvements lasted throughout the follow-up period. Many also reported feeling less depressed and anxious and more able to respond flexibly to difficult thoughts and emotions. Some participants showed small reductions in weight and waist size. Brain scans suggested possible changes in how participants responded to food-related images. Because this was a small study without a comparison group, stronger conclusions cannot yet be made. However, the findings suggest this approach may be promising and worth studying further in larger trials.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40337-025-01508-3.