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Physical Dangers of Eating Disorders

© Heather Mudgett.

At first glance, it would seem that the main physical danger of an eating disorder would be malnutrition. While malnutrition is indeed a serious result of an eating disorder, there is much more to consider.

Let's go ahead and start with Malnutrition - a deficiency of protein, iron, key vitamins. Combinations of certain deficiencies could cause severe health risks such as heart attacks, repiratory infections, kidney failure, blindness and death.

Another serious danger is Dehydration - a result of the lack of fluids into the body and/or the depletion of fluids in the body. Starving, vomiting and abusing laxatives can all cause dehydration. Symptoms may include weakness, dizziness and dark urine. Dehydration can result in kidney failure, heart failure and death. An offshoot of dehydration is Electrolyte Imbalance - like dehydration, an imbalance occurs as a result of starving, vomitting and abusing laxatives. Electrolytes are key in producing the body's energy and ensure healthy teeth, joints, bones, nerve and muscle impulses, kidneys, heart, blood sugar levels and the delivery of oxygen to the cells. Those of you who have eating disorders are very likely quite familiar with dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. Remember the shaky, lightheaded feeling you get sometimes? Well, this is why you feel that way.

Hypertension & Low Blood Pressure are also results of malnutrition and dehydration and can cause heart arrythmias, shock or myocardial infarction. Sudden drops in blood pressure can occur when sitting up or standing up, and symptoms may be headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and passing out. Also, as a result of low blood pressure, poor circulation is also often a problem. Anorexics and bulimics frequently complain about being cold, even when bundled up and/or in warm areas. Poor circulation is to blame.

Lanugo is soft, downy hair which the body grows in attempt to keep itself warm during periods of starvation and malnutrition. Often, when an anorexic or bulimic's body weight becomes too low, the body will begin growing lanugo. While this isn't a physical danger or problem, it can be viewed as a clear signal that a person's weight is getting way too low.

Tears in the Esophagus can be caused by repeated vomitting. Also, frequent vomiting can result in tears in the gastroesophageal junction (Mallory-Weiss tears) as well as spontaneous stomach erosion, perforation or ruptures. I remember spending the night in the emergency room with a good friend (bulimic) who had several small tears in her esophagus, and was vomiting blood. She ended up being OK, but other people suffer serious problems from this.

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