What Happens to the Body in Severe Anorexia Cases?

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), "Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss." Anorexia is distinct from dieting in that it is driven by an obsessive and completely unrealistic perception of an individual's physical appearance, and it involves a disregard for physical health in the pursuit of emotional and physical control. Sustained and untreated cases of anorexia can cause severe and lasting physical problems which in some cases can even lead to death.

Infertility

• A woman's body must be able to ovulate and support a growing fetus in order for her to conceive and sustain a healthy pregnancy. However, when a woman is anorexic, and her body fat percentage falls beneath a certain point because of excessive weight loss, her body's hormone production is impacted. Without certain hormones, she will cease to ovulate and no longer get her period, which is a condition called amenorrhea. As a result, she will be infertile, unable to conceive until her body fat returns to a healthy level and her menstrual cycle resumes.

Osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose density and become prone to fracture. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, individuals with anorexia "can experience nutritional and hormonal problems that negatively impact bone density. Low body weight in females causes the body to stop producing estrogen, resulting in a condition known as amenorrhea, or absent menstrual periods. Low estrogen levels contribute to significant losses in bone density." The malnutrition characteristic of anorexia contributes further to the loss of bone density and the subsequent onset of osteoporosis.

Extreme Fatigue

• Individuals with anorexia characteristically experience extreme fatigue and problems concentrating. Because they are consuming such a restricted number of calories each day, their bodies are not receiving the energy or iron they need to function properly. The result is anemia and a general tiredness and feeling of mental and physical weakness that may cause an anorexic person to sleep more than usual. As the condition progresses, the fatigue may cause the affected person to have to take breaks during normal activities such as climbing stairs or unloading groceries.

Kidney Failure

• Anorexia is associated with poor nutrition and the use of laxatives, both of which can cause the affected individual to experience extreme dehydration, eventually leading to kidney failure. According to the Penn State Children's Hospital, kidney failure as a result of dehydration is when "the kidneys become unable to filter wastes from the body, maintain the proper balance of water and chemicals such as sodium and potassium in the bloodstream, or produce urine." In some cases, this type of kidney failure can be permanent.

Heart Problems

• Extreme cases of anorexia can impact the affected individual's heart muscle permanently, straining and weakening it and impairing its ability to function properly. According to NEDA, anorexia can lead to "abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure, which mean that the heart muscle is changing. The risk for heart failure rises as heart rate and blood pressure levels sink lower and lower." Deaths associated with anorexia are often a result of related heart failure.