Although a young person, usually a young woman, thinks nothing of the extreme weight loss seen with Anorexia, starving yourself can be very serious. The other type of Anorexia, involving stuffing and purging, is equally dangerous.
Eating disorders can affect every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. The following is a partial list of the medical dangers associated with anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.
- Irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, death
- Kidney damage, renal failure, death
- Liver damage (made worse by substance abuse), death
- Loss of muscle mass. Broomstick arms and legs.
- Permanent loss of bone mass; fractures and lifelong problems caused by fragile bones and joints. Osteopenia, osteoporosis, and dowager's hump
- Destruction of teeth, rupture of esophagus, damage to lining of stomach; gastritis, gastric distress including bloat and distension
- Disruption of menstrual cycle, infertility (see below)
- Delayed growth and permanently stunted growth due to undernutrition. Even after recovery and weight restoration, person may not catch up to expected normal height.
- Weakened immune system
- Icy hands and feet
- Swollen glands in neck; stones in salivary duct, "chipmunk cheeks."
- Excess hair on face, arms, and body. Long, downy lanugo hair. May be emaciated body's attempt to be warm.
- Dry, blotchy skin that has an unhealthy gray or yellow cast
- Anemia, malnutrition. Disruption of body's fluid/mineral balance (electrolyte imbalance, loss of potassium; can be fatal)
- Fainting spells, seizures, sleep disruption, bad dreams, mental fuzziness
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), including shakiness, anxiety, restlessness, and a pervasive itchy sensation all over the body.
- Anal and bladder incontinence, urinary tract infections, vaginal prolapse, and other problems related to weak and damaged pelvic floor muscles.
- Because of changes in the brain associated with under-nourishment, binge eating, and purging, the person does not, and perhaps cannot, weigh priorities, make judgments, and make choices that are logical and rational for normal people. Recovery, once the process has begun, requires time for the brain to readjust -- chemically and physically -- to normal and healthy patterns of eating. This is a combined physical/psychological problem.
If Obesity Follows
If binge eating disorder leads to obesity, the following increased risks must be taken into consideration:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Bowel, breast, and reproductive cancers
- Diabetes
- Arthritic damage to joints
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