Does bingeing restore bulimics' alleged 5-HT-deficiency?

The co-occurrence of bingeing and depressed mood in bulimics may be explained by one pathogenic process: hyposerotonergic functioning. A relatively high carbohydrate intake improves mood and raises 5-HT level. Therefore, several authors suggested that the carbohydrate intake during binges may be a form of self-medication to compensate for bulimics' alleged hyposerotonergic functioning, thereby improving mood. This view, in which bingeing compensates for central 5-HT deficiencies, assumes that bulimics' binges contain relatively more carbohydrates than bulimics' non-binge-eating episodes. In the present study, bulimics' binge-eating and non-binge-eating episodes were compared as to macronutrient and calorie intake. However, no support was found for the hypothesis that binge-eating enhances brain serotonin.