Cyproheptadine produced modest increases in total caloric intake by humans

Four male and three female normal-weight research volunteers, participating in an 18-day residential study, received oral cyproheptadine (4 mg) or placebo at 0930, 1245, and 1730 hours daily. Food intake, performance, and subjective ratings were measured throughout the day. The interaction between cyproheptadine and carbohydrate consumption was examined by providing subjects diets that engendered varied levels of carbohydrate intake. Three diet conditions were tested for 6 days each: a regular diet, a low-carbohydrate (high-fat) diet, and a high-carbohydrate diet. Placebo was given on days 1, 2, 3, and 6, while cyproheptadine was given on days 4 and 5 of each diet condition. When subjects received placebo and had access to a regular diet, they consumed 2500 kcal/day (59% carbohydrate 28% fat, 13% protein). Total caloric intake decreased (p < 0.007) when subjects received placebo and had access to the low-carbohydrate diet (40% carbohydrate, 43% fat, 17% protein) and increased (p < 0.056) when subjects received placebo and had access to a high-carbohydrate diet (70% carbohydrate, 19% fat, 11% protein). Cyproheptadine significantly increased total daily caloric intake by 20%, to 3000 kcal, only under the regular diet condition. The increase in caloric intake was due to an increase in the number of eating occasions without a change in eating occasion size. Although subjects consumed more food under the regular diet and cyproheptadine condition, cyproheptadine had no effect on the relative contribution of macronutrients to total daily caloric intake. There was no evidence for a modulation of the food-intake increasing effects of cyproheptadine by the macronutrient mix of the available diet. Cyproheptadine also significantly altered self-reported mood: compared to placebo, cyproheptadine produced significant increases in ratings of "Tired", "Sleepy", "Headache", "Can't Concentrate", and "Bad Drug Effect" and decreases in "Alert". Furthermore, cyproheptadine produced small decrements in psychomotor task performance.