Biological effects of anorexia nervosa

1. Hormonal change
- E.g. Reproductive hormones (estrogen and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)) are lower which can lead to amenorrhea, and infertility. Thyroid hormones and growth hormones are lower. Stress hormones are higher. Hence, children and adolescents may suffer from retarded growth.

2. Heart failure
- Reduce the heart size; hence result in low blood pressure and slowed pulse.
- Electrolyte imbalance - Electrolytes (calcium and potassium) are critical for maintaining the electric currents necessary for a normal heartbeat.

3. Kidney failure
- The long term dehydration damages the kidney since the body depends on a certain level of water to keep salt and other minerals in proper balance.

4. Effects on pregnancy
- A number of complications, including cesarean sections, postpartum depression, miscarriages, complicated deliveries, and premature birth.

5. Long term effect on bone and growth
- The female body needs fat in order to produce estrogen. Low in estrogen production due to low fat can cause bone loss because estrogen is important for osteoblast activity.
- This can cause osteopenia (loss of bone minerals) and osteoporosis ( more advanced loss of bone density)

6. Neurological effects
- Hormonal change can lead to some problems i.e. seizures, disorder thinking, and numbness or odd nerve sensations in the hands or feet (peripheral neuropathy).

7. Blood problems
- Anemia is a common result of anorexia and starvation. 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.