Health Complications of Bulimia

Bulimia is an eating disorder that is generalized of periods of binging and periods. Binging is where a person will consume more food than average in a short period of time. Though some bulimics can consume up to 10,000 calories in a binge others might consume a chocolate bar and consider that to be a binge.

Usually, bulimics will be crushed by an extreme amount of guilt after binging on food that they then enter into the purging phase of bulimia. The purpose of the purge is to reduce the amount of calories that are absorbed by the body. Purging most often will take the form of forcing oneself to throw up to empty the stomach before the body has a chance to use the calories to produce excess weight.

This is not a normal way for the body to act so there are there is a definite connection between bulimia and health complications. Bulimia will disrupt the body's normal functions, the seriousness of the health complications will be determined from the type of purging the bulimic uses.

Forced vomiting will harm your digestive system. After repeated abuse of the intestinal system you will see swelling in the mouth and sores will begin to form sores in the mouth. It is also possible to rupture the lining of the stomach and esophagus through forced vomiting. This will lead to serious bleeding that will cause a large amount of health complications to the individual.

Health complications of bulimia are also characterized by cardiovascular forms. The body will feel an imbalance of electrolytes in the body. A wide spread behavior of bulimics is the abuse of ipecac syrup which causes an individual to instantaneously vomit. Abuse of ipecac syrup will cause heart abnormalities such as, irregular heart beat, rapid heart rate, chest pains, breathing problems and cardiac arrest. You may also experience low blood sugar and fainting or dizzy spells.

The acidic nature of our gastrointestinal juices that digests food will cause considerable damage to teeth. Teeth are covered with enamel. Digestive juices are so acidic that it wear on the teeth enamel and cause cavities to increase. Teeth may also become chipped, ragged, and you will notice and increase to sensitivity to hot or cold food.

Another way of purging is through the use of laxatives, diuretics, appetite suppressants, and ipecac syrup. This creates a case for drug dependence and these medications create a drug abuse situation. This may also lead to alcohol and substance abuse.

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bulimia/DS00607 , Mayo Clinic