What are the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders?
The medical complications of eating disorders are often extensive, sometimes permanent, and may lead to death. Obviously the sooner you get help, the more likely you are not to suffer permanent damage from these effects. However, no matter what, you will have some effects of the eating disorder. Don't think you're invincible ... because you're not. No one is.
Some of the consequences of eating disorders listed below are specific to anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, some to compulsive overeating and some to the other different eating disorders or to eating disorders in general. If I have made a notation that it is, say, the effects of anorexia, that doesn't mean that if you have another eating disorder, you can't also have that complication. So please don't think that just because it typically relates to side effects of eating disorders other than your own that you can't still suffer from the complication.
This is not a comprehensive list of medical complications, but I tried to do my best. You should also check out the physical complications and specifics on vitamin and mineral deficiencies and the consequences of not getting enough.
Medical Complications of Eating Disorders
Amenorrhea - loss of menstrual periods, typically due to low body weight and low body fat (can effect anorexia and bulimia)
Anemia - low iron
Barrett's Esophagus - cancer of the esophagus due to vomiting
Blood Sugar problems - hypoglycemia (purging, starvation) or hyperglycemia (binging or overeating)
Circulation problems
Diabetes - typically due to hormonal imbalances as a result of malnutrition
Electrolyte Imbalance - typically due to purging and starvation (can lead to death)
Esophageal Tear - also called a Mallory-Weiss Tear; where the esophagus tears as a result of perforation or repeated purging
Gastric Rupture - where the stomach ruptures due to repeated purging, excess acid causing erosion or perforation
Heart arrhythmia - erratic heart beat due to electrolyte imbalances and dehydration (lack of potassium); can also be due to decreased muscle mass
Heart attack - for the same reasons listed for heart arrhythmia's
Hyponatremia - aka water loading; where you drink too much water (usually to stave off starvation) and there isn't enough sodium in the blood to absorb the water ... the result? You essentially drown your body. This can be fatal.
Hypertension - high blood pressure
Hypotension - low blood pressure
Intestinal Bleeding - usually due to laxative abuse
Ketoacidosis - ketones are excreted through the urine because the body is burning fat for energy instead of using sugar and carbohydrates (this can be fatal)
Kidney infection, damage or failure - because of dehydration, vitamin deficiencies and low blood pressure, the kidneys cannot function properly, resulting in infections (because they cannot clean out the toxins), damage (either permanent or not) and possibly kidney failure
Low Platelet Count - as a result of a vitamin deficiency - B12 and folic acid deficiencies
Malnutrition - including vitamin and mineral deficiencies (see those sections)
Muscle Atrophy - as a result of starvation and low body weight
Osteopenia - decreased bone mass due to loss of menstrual periods and lack of nutrition
Osteoporosis - more serious thinning of the bones beyond osteopenia; can lead to bone breaks
Pancreatitis - this occurs when the enzymes in the digestive tract attack the pancreas, usually due to trauma from vomiting and abuse of diuretics and laxatives
Reflux - due to the sphincter muscle's inability to keep the stomach acids and stomach contents from reentering the esophagus; cancer can develop as a result
Seizures - due to vomiting, dehydration, ketoacidosis or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
Ulcers - usually due to increased stomach acid, high soda, coffee and caffeine intake (typical for people with eating disorders), and cigarette smoking
Death - unfortunately, many of the medical complications listed above can lead to death; seek help immediately for your eating disorder; you are worth it!
