The dangers and complications associated with an eating disorder can appear at any stage of the illness. One need not appear dangerously thin or even be at a normal weight for their health, even their life, to be threatened by the effects of the illness on their body.
The following is a list of some of the dangers arising from and diseases caused by eating disorder behaviours.
Malnutrition -
caused by under eating or overeating. The word malnutrition indicates deficiency
for energy, protein and micronutrients (e.g. vitamin A, iodine and iron) either
singularly or in combination. It can cause severe health risks including (but
not limited to) respiratory infections, kidney failure, blindness, heart attack
and death.
Dehydration - caused by the depletion or lack of intake of fluids in the
body, or by restriction of carbohydrates and fat. Restriction/Starvation,
vomiting and laxative abuse are the primary causes in sufferers of Eating
Disorders. Symptoms include dizziness, weakness, or darkening of urine. It can
lead to kidney failure, heart failure, seizures, brain damage and death.
Electrolyte
Imbalances - electrolyte are essential to the production of the body's
"natural electricity" that ensures healthy teeth, joints and bones, nerve and
muscle impulses, kidneys and heart, blood sugar levels and the delivery of
oxygen to the cells.
Hyponatremia (related to "water-loading") - as stated above, electrolytes
are essential to proper body functioning. Drinking too much water (more than
eight, eight-ounce glasses in less than twelve hours), can cause Hyponatremia
(not enough sodium in the blood), especially in someone already malnourished or
dehydrated. Hyponatremia can cause fluid in the lungs, the brain to swell,
nausea, vomiting, confusion and even death.
Refeeding
Syndrome (related to treatment) - Starved or severely malnourished patients
can undergo life-threatening fluid and electrolyte shifts following the
initiation of agressive nutritional support therapies. This phenomenon is known
as "refeeding syndrome" and can occur in patients receiving either enteral (tube
feeding) or parenteral (intravenous feeding) nutritional support. To avoid the
development of the refeeding syndrome, nutrition support in patients at risk
should be increased slowly while assuring adequate amounts of vitamins and
minerals. Organ function, fluid balance and serum electrolytes (especially
phosphorus, potassium and magnesium) need to be monitored daily during the first
week and less often thereafter.
Lanugo -
(soft downy hair on face, back and arms). This is caused due to a protective
mechanism built-in to the body to help keep a person warm during periods of
starvation and malnutrition, and the hormonal imbalances that result.
Oedema -
swelling of the soft tissues as a result of excess water accumulation. It is
most common in the abdominal area of Anorexics and/or Bulimics (can be caused by
laxative and diuretic use).
Muscle
Atrophy - wasting away of muscle and decrease in muscle mass due to the body
feeding off of itself.
Impaired
Neuromuscular Function - due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies
(specifically potassium), and malnutrition.
Paralysis - transient (or temporary) paralysis -- extreme weakness of
muscles or not being able to move at all -- Caused by low levels of potassium,
and/or the degeneration of nerve cells, in the spinal cord or in the brain,
which have been deprived of essential nutrients. Left untreated, periods of
paralysis may happen more frequently and more severely, lead to permanent muscle
weakness, and even result in death.
Tearing
of Oesophagus - caused by self-induced vomiting
Mallory-Weiss tear - associate with vomiting, a tear of the
gastro-oesophageal junction
Gastric
Rupture - spontaneous stomach erosion, perforation or rupture.
Gastrointestinal Bleeding - bleeding into the digestive tract.:
Oesophageal Reflux - Acid Reflux Disorders - partially digested items in the
stomach, mixed with acid and enzymes, regurgitates back into the oesophagus.
This can lead to damage to the oesophagus, larynx and lungs and increases the
chances of developing cancer of the oesophagus and voice box. Reflux can
sometimes become severe enough that food cannot be kept down at all and medical
attention should be sought immediately.
Barrett's Oesophagus
- associated with Cancer of the oesophagus and caused by Oesophageal Reflux,
this is a change in the cells within the oesophagus.
Cancer
- of the throat and voice box (Larynx) due to acid reflux disorders.
Insomnia
- having problems falling and/or staying asleep.
Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome - continuous and crippling fatigue related to a weakened
immune system.
Hyperactivity - manic bouts of not being able to sit still.
Swelling
- in face and cheeks (following self-induced vomiting).
Callused or
bruised fingers - this is caused by repeated using the fingers to induce
vomiting.
Dry Skin
and Hair, Brittle Hair and Nails, Hair Loss - cause by Vitamin and Mineral
deficiencies, malnutrition and dehydration.
Low
Blood Pressure, Hypotension - cause by lowered body temperature,
malnutrition and dehydration. Can cause heart arrhythmias, shock or myocardial
infarction.
Orthostatic
Hypotension - sudden drop in blood pressure upon sitting up or standing.
Symptoms include dizziness, blurred vision, passing out, heart pounding and
headaches.
Low
Platelet Count or Thrombocytopenia - Caused by low levels of vitamin B12 and
Folic Acid, and/or by excessive alcohol. It may also be an indication of a
suppressed immune system or immune dysfunction.
Disruptions in Blood
Sugar Levels - Low Blood Sugar/Hypoglycemia: can indicate problems with the
liver or kidneys and can lead to neurological and mental deterioration.
Diabetes
- high blood sugar as a result of low production of insulin. This can be caused
by hormonal imbalances, hyperglycemia, or chronic pancreatitis.
Ketoacidosis - high levels of acids that build up in the blood (known as
ketones) caused by the body burning fat (instead of sugar and carbohydrates) to
get energy. It can be a result of starvation, excessive purging, dehydration,
hyperglycemia and/or alcohol abuse (it can also be a result of uncontrolled or
untreated diabetes). It can lead to coma and death.
Iron
Deficiency Anaemia - this makes the oxygen transporting units within the
blood useless and can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath, increased
infections, and heart palpitations.
Kidney
Infection and Failure - your kidneys "clean" the poisons from your body,
regulate acid concentration and maintain water balance. Vitamin Deficiencies,
dehydration, infection and low blood pressure increase the risks of and
associated with kidney infection thus making permanent kidney damage and kidney
failure more likely.
Osteoporosis - Thinning of the bones with reduction in bone mass due to
depletion of calcium and bone protein, predisposing to fractures.
Osteopenia - Below normal bone mass indicating a calcium and/or vitamin D
deficiency and leading to Osteoporosis.
TMJ
"Syndrome" and Related TMJ Problems - degenerative arthritis within the
tempero-mandibular joint in the jaw (where the lower jaw hinges to the skull)
creating pain in the joint area, headaches, and problems chewing and
opening/closing the mouth. Vitamin deficiencies and teeth grinding (often
related to stress) can both be causes.
Amenorrhoea - Loss of Menstrual Cycle (due to lack of secreting hormone,
Oestrogen, by the ovaries). Loss of the menstrual cycle can also lead to
Osteopenia and Osteoporosis.
Easily
Bruising Skin - Vitamin Deficiencies that decrease the body's ability to
heal itself, low blood pressure, low platelets count and/or extreme weight loss
will all lead to easily bruised skin that can take a long time to heal.
Dental
Problems, Decalcification of teeth, erosion of tooth enamel, severe decay, Gum
Disease - will be caused by stomach acids and enzymes (from vomiting);
vitamin D and calcium deficiencies, and hormonal imbalance. Can also be due to
the lack of exercise the teeth can get from the process of eating certain foods.
Dental problems can sometime indicate problems with the heart.
Liver
Failure - the liver aids in removing waste from cells, and aids in
digestion. You cannot live without your Liver. Fasting and taking acetaminophen
(drug found in over-the-counter pain killers) increases your risks for Liver
damage and failure. Loss of menstruation and dehydration (putting women at risk
for too much iron in their system), and chronic heart failure can lead to liver
damage or failure.
Bad
Circulation, Slowed or Irregular Heartbeat, Arrhythmias, Angina, Heart Attack
- There are many factors associated with having an Eating Disorder that can lead
to heart problems or a heart attack. Sudden cardiac arrest can cause permanent
damage to the heart, or instant death...electrolyte imbalances (especially
potassium deficiency), dehydration, malnutrition, low blood pressure, extreme
orthostatic hypotension, abnormally slow heart rate, electrolyte imbalances, and
hormonal imbalances call all cause serious problems with the heart, high blood
pressure, accumulation of fat deposits around the heart muscle, high
cholesterol, decreased exercise due to lack of mobility, diabetes and hormonal
imbalances can all lead to serious problems with the heart.
Infertility - the inability to have children. Caused by loss of menstrual
cycle, and hormonal imbalances. Malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies can also
make it impossible to succeed with a full-term pregnancy, and can increase the
chances significantly of a baby born with birth defects.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - a study a few years ago suggested that people
with Eating Disorders were at an increased risk for developing Polycystic
Ovarian Syndrome (PCO), and that recovery from the Eating Disorder should be
part of treatment for PCO.
Problems
during pregnancy - including potential for high risk pregnancies,
miscarraige, still born babies and death or chronic illness from minor to
severe, in children born (all due to malnutrition, dehydration, vitamin and
hormone deficiencies).
Depression - mood swings and depression will all be cause by physiological
factors such as electrolyte imbalances, hormone and vitamin deficiencies,
malnutrition and dehydration. Living with the Eating Disorder behaviours
themselves will cause depression. Depression can also lead the sufferer back
into the cycle of the Eating Disorder (or may have initially been the problem
before the onset of the ED). Stress within family, job and relationships can all
be causes. There are also a percentage of people born with a pre-disposition to
depression, based on family history.
Lowered
body temperature - Temperature Sensitivity - caused by loss of healthy
insulating layer of fat and lowered blood pressure.
Cramps,
bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, incontinence - increased or decreased
bowel activity.
Peptic
Ulcers - Aggravated or made more severe by increased stomach acids,
cigarette smoking, high consumption of caffeine or alcohol
Pancreatitis - this is when the digestive enzymes attack the pancreas. It
can be caused by repeated stomach trauma (such as with vomiting), alcohol
consumption or the excessive use of laxatives or
diet pills.
Weakness
and Fatigue - caused by generalized poor eating habits, electrolyte
imbalances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, depression, malnutrition, heart
problems.
Seizures
- the increased risk of seizures in Anorexic and Bulimic individuals may be
caused by dehydration, hyperglycemia or ketoacidosis. It is also possible that
lesions on the brain caused by long-term malnutrition and lack of
oxygen-carrying cells to the brain may play a role. SOME type of antidepressants
can increase the risk of seizure and usually carry a warning against prescribing
them to people with Eating Disorders, unless the benefits significantly outweigh
the risks.
Death
- Eating disorders can lead to death caused by any of the following or any
combination of the following: heart attack or heart failure; lung collapse;
internal bleeding, stroke, kidney failure, liver failure; pancreatitis, gastric
rupture, perforated ulcer, depression and suicide.