Electrolytes are electrically charged molecules involved in the functioning of nerves and muscles and in the maintenance of appropriate fluid balance in the body. Anorexia is an eating disorder. People affected with anorexia either binge and purge by vomiting or severely restrict the amount of food they eat. Anorexia can lead to dangerous electrolyte imbalances.
Background
Anorexia is characterized by an obsessive pursuit of thinness, with distorted body image and a fear of becoming obese. It mostly affects teenage girls. According to the Merck Manual Home Edition, people with anorexia diet constantly but are obsessed with food and deny that they have a problem. The rapid shifts in weight can cause electrolyte imbalances, such as low potassium, and vomiting can result in low sodium and low chloride.
Symptoms
The symptoms of anorexia are psychological and physical. Weight loss in people with an obsessive preoccupation with weight gain and body image is one of the first diagnostic factors. Symptoms of abnormal weight loss, low body weight or body mass index, fear of obesity, denial about being thin and an obsession with food usually help with the diagnosis. As the weight loss continues, girls stop having menstrual periods and can have low heart rate, low blood pressure, bloating, swelling and constipation. Low sodium in the blood makes fluid leave the blood vessels, causing tissue swelling. Low potassium can cause muscle cramps and arrhythmias.
Evaluation
The evaluation of a person with anorexia usually begins when a family member or friend becomes concerned enough to bring the person to medical attention. Doctors measure electrolytes using a blood test called a basic metabolic panel. Additional tests that rule out other conditions include thyroid functions tests, an electrocardiogram and bone density testing. According to Lab Tests Online, a test called prealbumin can help establish the nutritional status of a person suspected of having an eating disorder.
Treatment
Treatment requires a concerted team effort between doctors, mental health specialists and nutritionists. Restoring normal body weight with nutritional interventions is one of the goals, as are restoring bone mass, stabilizing electrolyte imbalances and psychotherapy to try to change body image and food obsessions. Treatment for electrolyte imbalances includes intravenous fluids, with frequent monitoring to avoid rapid changes in electrolyte levels. Restoration of bone mass may require calcium and vitamin D supplements. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 25 to 50 percent of patients recover with a treatment program, but the relapse rate ranges between 4 and 27 percent.
Warning
Another electrolyte imbalance in people with anorexia is loss of calcium, an important component of bone tissue. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 90 percent of women with anorexia have osteopenia, or mineral bone loss. This condition can stunt growth in teenagers and cause bone fractures in older patients.
