Eating Disorders - Complications of Anorexia

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Testosterone levels decline in boys as they lose weight, which also can affect their bone density. In young boys with anorexia, weight restoration produces some catch-up growth, but it may not produce full growth.

Neurological Problems

People with severe anorexia may suffer nerve damage that affects the brain and other parts of the body. The following nerve-related conditions have been reported:

• Seizures
• Disordered thinking
• Numbness or odd nerve sensations in the hands or feet (peripheral neuropathy)

Brain scans indicate that parts of the brain undergo structural changes and abnormal activity during anorexic states. Some of these changes return to normal after weight gain, but there is evidence that some damage may be permanent. Still, the extent of the neurologic problems is unclear, and some studies have been unable to determine specific mental problems associated with anorexia.

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Blood Problems

Anemia is a common result of anorexia and starvation. In one study, 38% of anorexic participants had anemia. A particularly serious blood problem is pernicious anemia, which can be caused by severely low levels of vitamin B12. If anorexia becomes extreme, the bone marrow dramatically reduces its production of blood cells, a life-threatening condition called pancytopenia.

Gastrointestinal Problems

Bloating and constipation are both very common problems in people with anorexia.

Multiorgan Failure

In very late anorexia, the organs simply fail. The main warning sign is high blood levels of liver enzymes, which require immediate administration of calories.

Complications in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Eating disorders are very serious for young people with type 1 diabetes. A study of over 2000 women found that bulimia, or a combination of bulimia and anorexia, was more common among women with type 1 diabetes.

The complications of eating disorders that affect all patients are even more dangerous in this group of patients. Low blood sugar, for example, is a danger for anyone with anorexia, but it is a particularly dangerous risk for those with diabetes. If patients do not take their insulin, high blood sugar, which is also very dangerous, can occur. Unfortunately, patients with eating disorders may skip or reduce their daily insulin in order to decrease their intake of calories. Extremely high blood sugar levels can cause diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition in which acidic chemicals (ketones) accumulate in the body. This condition can lead to coma and death.

Other complications for people with type 1 diabetes and eating disorders include kidney damage and eye damage. One study found that 85% of young women with diabetes and eating disorders had retinopathy, damage to the retina in the eye, which can lead to blindness.

Review Date: 12/13/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.