A $3.7 million federal grant will support a study of testosterone and binge eating in women using existing data from 520 female twins. Announced October 29, 2026, the project brings together scientists at Michigan State University and Texas A&M University to examine daily hormone changes, eating behavior, and inherited susceptibility.
Key Takeaways
- The National Institute of Mental Health awarded a $3.7 million multiyear grant to researchers studying testosterone and binge eating
- The project will use 45 days of records from 520 female twins and measure testosterone in more than 15,000 stored saliva samples
- Researchers will examine testosterone alongside estradiol, progesterone, and genetic differences
- The project has not established that testosterone causes binge eating or identified a new treatment
Michigan State University announced the grant on October 29 as researchers seek to understand whether changing testosterone levels are associated with binge-eating symptoms and why any relationship might differ among women. The work will use previously gathered observations and biological samples rather than a new trial of a drug or hormone treatment.
The project is co-led by Kristen Culbert, a research specialist in Michigan State’s psychology department, Kelly Klump, a Michigan State psychology professor, and Shaunna Clark, an associate professor at Texas A&M University.
“We do not expect testosterone to impact every woman in the study in the same way,” Klump said in the university’s announcement. The distinction reflects a central aim of the project: examining individual differences instead of treating one hormone as a universal explanation for eating behavior.
Testosterone Study Examines Binge Eating in Women
Although testosterone is often associated with male physiology, it is also present in women. The new work will examine its relationship with binge-related eating both independently and alongside estradiol, a form of estrogen, and progesterone.
Previous studies from Klump’s research group have examined links between ovarian hormones and changes in eating behavior. The testosterone project addresses a more specific gap. Its federal research description says investigators will evaluate whether day-to-day testosterone variation corresponds with changes in binge eating and whether inherited susceptibility helps explain different responses.
That question does not assume that hormone levels determine a woman’s eating habits. Binge-related behavior can occur in different circumstances, while an observed relationship between two measures may reflect other factors the analysis cannot fully separate.
Separate research into mental health during perimenopause has documented women’s self-reported emotional symptoms during another hormonal transition. Those findings concern a different population and set of outcomes. They do not establish whether testosterone contributes to binge eating, but they illustrate the importance of examining distinct hormonal and psychological processes.
The project will also consider whether the combination of hormones matters more than a testosterone measurement viewed in isolation. The research plan calls for examining interactions rather than assigning all risk to a single biological factor.
Twin Registry Provides 520 Participants and 15,000-Plus Samples
According to the federal grant record, researchers will work with existing information from 520 female twins who provided daily records across 45 consecutive days. The earlier collection produced more than 100,000 data points, including measures of binge-related eating and ovarian hormones.
For the new work, scientists plan to test more than 15,000 archived saliva samples for testosterone. Those measurements will be compared with participants’ daily records. The project therefore builds on observations already collected while adding a hormone measure that was not part of the original analyses.
The twin registry also allows researchers to investigate genetic influences. Twins share different degrees of genetic similarity, giving scientists a method for examining whether the association between hormones and eating behavior varies with inherited characteristics. That design can reveal patterns, but it cannot by itself prove that a hormone causes a particular behavior.
The Department of Health and Human Services lists the grant under award number R01MH144712, with a project period running from August 15, 2026, to April 30, 2031. Its public record identifies $800,361 for the initial fiscal-year award. Michigan State describes the full multiyear grant as $3.7 million.
The current announcement describes a research plan, not final results from the testosterone analyses. Any findings will also need to be interpreted in the context of the participants and methods used rather than assumed to apply to every woman.
Earlier Research Reveals the Limits of Hormone Findings
A June 2026 study published in JAMA Network Open followed 422 women using combined oral contraceptives over 49 days. Researchers reported higher emotional-eating scores when participants took hormone-containing pills than when they took inactive pills. The primary measure was emotional eating, which should not be treated as equivalent to a confirmed diagnosis of binge-eating disorder.
The study also evaluated 51 participants who had reported clinically defined binge-eating episodes. Its results provided an association to examine, not evidence that oral contraceptives cause binge-eating disorder or that a particular treatment should be changed.
Rachel Richardson, a methods specialist with Cochrane, identified several limitations in comments distributed by the Science Media Centre. These included the voluntary sample, participants’ knowledge of which pills they were taking, and the lack of a washout period between active and inactive pills. Each could affect interpretation of self-reported behavior.
The new testosterone project differs from that contraceptive study. It will analyze naturally occurring testosterone levels in stored samples rather than compare days on different contraceptive pills. The two projects address related questions but should not be presented as testing the same exposure.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases defines binge eating as consuming an unusually large amount of food over a short time while feeling unable to control the eating. Recurring episodes at least weekly for three months, together with other clinical criteria, may indicate binge-eating disorder. Occasional overeating does not meet that definition.
Broader conversations about food and body image, including women runners challenging diet culture, raise separate concerns about pressure around eating and performance. Those experiences should not be confused with a clinical diagnosis or used to infer that a particular hormone explains individual symptoms.
The National Institute of Mental Health describes eating disorders as conditions with overlapping biological, psychological, behavioral, and social influences. For binge eating in women, an observed hormone-related association cannot substitute for individualized clinical assessment or established treatment approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does testosterone cause binge eating in women?
Researchers have not established that testosterone causes binge eating in women. The new project will examine whether daily testosterone changes are associated with eating behavior and whether genetic factors help explain any differences.
How many participants are included in the study?
The research will use existing daily records from 520 female twins collected over 45 days. Investigators also plan to measure testosterone in more than 15,000 stored saliva samples.
Will the research test a new treatment?
No. The study will analyze observational records and archived biological samples rather than test a new medication or hormone therapy.
How is binge-eating disorder different from occasional overeating?
Binge-eating disorder involves recurring episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food while feeling unable to control the behavior, along with distress and other clinical criteria. A qualified healthcare professional can assess whether symptoms meet diagnostic standards.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The research discussed is ongoing and does not establish that hormonal changes cause binge eating. Individuals experiencing eating-related concerns or hormonal symptoms should consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized evaluation and guidance.
