Q. My 11-year-old son is very thin and slow in developing. Even as an infant he seldom got hungry. Can boys become anorexic?
A. While eating disorders typically affect women, up to 10% of people with eating disorders are men. This rate is still only one in 10,000 men, compared to 1% of the women in America. Though much less is known about eating disorders in men than in women, important differences between males and females with eating disorders are known to exist. Studies show that men are less likely to seek help for emotional problems in general, and are even more reluctant to seek help for eating disorders, perhaps because eating disorders are seen as a “female problem.” This delay can reduce the effectiveness of treatment and increase the risk of medical complications.
Males often do not diet simply to lose weight. Their eating disorders sometimes begin with compulsive exercising, in addition to dieting. Compulsive exercisers often feel they need more exercise even after they have just finished exercising, and would rather exercise than spend time with family or friends. Anorexia in male teenagers may be particularly hurtful since growth retardation may never be completely overcome even after a sensible diet and exercise plan is implemented.
Abnormal eating habits may give rise to several medical problems, such as hypoglycemia, anemia, changes in blood clotting, low blood pressure, and problems with concentration and memory. In addition, people with eating disorders run a greater risk of psychiatric illnesses. For example, depression occurs in up to 50% of people with eating disorders and appears to be strongly linked to the abnormal eating behavior. Alterations in brain chemistry, especially lower levels of serotonin, are associated with eating disorders. The production of serotonin cannot proceed without an amino acid, L-tryptophan, which is necessarily supplied in the diet.
Zinc deficiency is routinely used to induce anorexia in experimental animals. Clinical manifestations of zinc deficiency and anorexia are remarkably similar, and there is evidence that zinc deficiency is intimately involved with anorexia in humans. Zinc supplementation enhances the rate of recovery in anorexia patients, increasing weight gain and improving their depression. The severity of depression is also correlated with zinc deficiency. Zinc would be an especially important nutrient for an 11-year-old boy because it is intimately involved in many of the hormones that regulate growth and sexual maturation.
While zinc may be the first nutrient to look at in relation to anorexia, magnesium and vitamin B-6 should also be evaluated. Zinc and vitamin B-6 work cooperatively in many body functions, and so do vitamin B-6 and magnesium. Anorexia is one of the first signs of magnesium deficiency in animals and thus deserves close attention. Since anorexics tend to be deficient in almost all nutrients because of reduced food intake, a well-balanced multivitamin/mineral is also needed.
Because of serious nutritional symptoms associated with eating disorders, treatment of eating disorders should involve a team of professionals, including a nutritionist.
This article appears in 2003.