Eating disorders are more than food. Eating disorders are complex mental conditions associated with chronic eating habits and consequences. They negatively impact health, emotions, and the ability to work in important aspects of life. Eating disorders can have many health effects, especially if food limits are involved.
Some of the dangers can be specific to the disorder. For example, in the event of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Consumption Disorder (ARFID), the body is unable to receive the foods it needs to function properly. The body’s natural response is to slow down in order to save energy. Typical signs such as a significant decrease in heart rate and blood pressure result from this process. Bone density can also be affected, which weakens bones. This can raise the risk of fractures and future osteoporosis/osteopenia.
Other health issues can be linked with more than one form of an eating disorder. So, these include anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), or binge eating disorder (BED). Hence, eating in silence and feeling bad are not the only consequences of eating disorders. Several other health issues develop as a result.
Eating disorders can affect the heart, digestive system, bones, teeth, and mouth. This leads to severe consequences if not treated in a timely manner.
Here we discuss how eating disorders affect various parts of the body and the overall health and well-being of people dealing with the disease.
Consequences Of Eating Disorders
1. Physical Consequences Of Eating Disorders
Eating disorders can manifest physically in the skin, hair, and nails. And it can cause body issues such as obesity or anorexia. Hence, dry skin, decreased muscle mass, brittle hair, and nails, and extreme thinness is common physical symptoms.
Many patients with eating disorders suffer from malnutrition, leading to severe organ damage and even death.
On the other side of the scale, eating disorders can also lead to unnecessary weight gain or obesity. Also, binge eating disorders include uncontrollable overeating. This can lead to weight gain and other physical complications.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders reports that binge eaters who are obese are also at risk for all obese-related health issues. These include type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiac failure, etc.
2. Cardiovascular Consequences Of Eating Disorders
Anorexia nervosa is usually associated with heart or cardiovascular disorders. Eating fewer calories than you need means that the body is beginning to break down its own muscles and tissue for fuel. Muscles are some of the first organs broken. The heart is the most important muscle in the body. When it begins to break down, the risk of heart failure increases. When the body digests the heart for oxygen, it prevents the heart from pumping blood efficiently. This leads to lower blood pressure and lower circulation.
Bulimia can also result in heart disease as purging depletes your body with electrolytes.
Vomiting or abusing laxatives loses the electrolyte potassium. This plays a significant role in helping the heartbeat and muscles contract. Electrolyte imbalances can lead to irregular heartbeat and possibly heart disease and death.
Certain electrolytes can also be imbalanced from excessive water purging or drinking levels.
3. Gastrointestinal Consequences Of Eating Disorders
The development of eating disorders often causes gastrointestinal problems and discomfort. Stomach pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting are some of the signs.
Slow digestion or gastroparesis can interfere with regular stomach emptying and nutrient digestion.
Vomiting will bring down the esophagus and cause it to burst, causing a life-threatening emergency. Suppose someone has been vomiting for a long time. Then their salivary glands may be swollen under the jaw and in front of the ears. This could also happen if a person stops vomiting.
Binge eating will cause the stomach to burst, causing a life-threatening emergency.
Persons with Eating Disorders May Also Suffer:
- Intestinal obstruction, perforation
- Infections, such as mechanical intestinal complications
- Intestinal obstruction or blockage that prevents food and water from going into the intestines
- Intestinal perforation caused by the ingestion of a non-food item that causes a hole in the wall of the stomach
- Constipation can also be the result of eating disorders.
Other Gastrointestinal Effects Of An Eating Disorder Include:
- Blood sugar fluctuations
- Feeling full after eating small quantities of food
- Poisoning
- Intestinal blockage from solid masses of undigested food
4. Neurological Consequences Of Eating Disorders
One of the hallmarks of eating disorders is developing unhealthy relationships with food. Obsessing food and practicing unhealthy patterns, irregular feeding negatively affects the brain. These unhealthy ways can leave the brain without the energy it needs to perform its functions. This can lead to trouble concentrating, less focusing on the things you’re doing.
Eating disorders also contribute to neuron disconnection. Neurons use electrolytes to send electrical and chemical signals to the brain and body. Examples of electrolytes include potassium, sodium, chloride, and calcium. Extreme dehydration and electrolyte imbalances may lead to seizures and muscle cramping. If the brain and blood vessels cannot push enough blood to the brain, it can also lead to fainting or dizziness, particularly when standing up.
Neurons, also known as brain cells, need insulation around them called myelin. Without myelin, electrical signals from the neuron to the neuron are cut off or at least restricted. Without sufficient intake of fat in the diet, the insulation cannot shape or be healthy. This damage leads to numbness, tingling, and probably long-term neural damage.
5. Endocrine Consequences Of Eating Disorders
The body produces all of the hormones it requires for the fat and cholesterol that we eat. Without enough fat and calories in the diet, hormone levels can decline. These include sex hormones estrogen and testosterone, Thyroid hormones. This can lead to severe consequences:
- Reduced sex hormones can cause menstruation to fail, to become irregular, or to stop entirely.
- Reduced sex hormones can dramatically increase bone loss (known as osteopenia and osteoporosis) and the risk of fractured bones and fractures.
- Decreased metabolic resting rate as a result of the body’s efforts to conserve energy
- Over time, binge eating will increase the risk that a person’s body will become resistant to insulin. It is a hormone that helps the body get energy from carbohydrates. This could lead to type 2 diabetes.
- Without enough energy to fuel the metabolic fire, the core body temperature may drop. And hypothermia can develop.
- Starvation can cause high cholesterol levels. But this is NOT an indication to restrict dietary fats, lipids, and/or cholesterol.
6. Other Consequences Of Eating Disorders
- Low caloric and fat intake can cause the skin to dry, and the hair to brittle and fall out.
- Severe, chronic dehydration can lead to kidney failure.
- Poor nutrition can reduce the number of certain types of blood cells.
- Anemia develops when there are too few red blood cells or too little iron in the diet. Symptoms include fatigue, fatigue, and shortness of breath
- Malnutrition can also decrease the infection-fighting of white blood cells.
The Bottom Line
Apart from the above consequences, eating disorders are often characterized by psychological problems. These include distorted thinking, obsessive behavior, low self-esteem, self-harm, anxiety, depression, etc.
Eating disorders are actual, life-threatening, biologically induced medical disorders. They require psychotherapy, nutrition counseling, and other specialized treatments. When you or a loved one is dealing with an eating disorder, don’t wait to get professional help.
