How Eating Disorders Affect the Brain

Eating disorders can affect the brain in several ways. This includes negatively impacting mental health and overall emotional well-being for teens and adults. 

Perhaps you or someone you love has an unhealthy relationship with food or struggles with disordered eating behaviors. If so, it is important to understand how those behaviors may impact the brain. 

Eating Disorders and Mental Health Conditions

Quite often, eating disorders and mental health conditions go hand-in-hand for adolescents and adults. The conditions a person may suffer from can vary based on the type of disordered eating they engage in. However, all of the following are common: 

  • Anxiety

  • Panic attacks

  • Depression

  • Chemical imbalances (impacting dopamine and serotonin levels)

  • Problems with concentration

  • Thoughts of self-harm or even suicide

Of course, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are themselves mental health conditions. It makes sense that they would be intertwined. 

Physical Changes to the Brain

Research has shown that people who engage in disordered eating behaviors have an increased risk of: 

  • Experiencing brain shrinkage. 

  • Undergoing structural changes to their brains. 

  • Neurotransmitter shifts. 

  • White matter loss in the brain.

  • Becoming more sensitive to taste. 

A lower heart rate than normal is also common, and this can cause less oxygen to flow to the brain. Long-term disordered eating behaviors and patterns may also lead to brain damage. 

Eating Disorder Progression

One of the most significant issues with eating disorders is the fact that once these behaviors become habitual, the disorder is likely to progress. 

A study funded by the National Institute of Health found that disordered eating behaviors change how the brain’s reward process works. This can effectively reinforce these behaviors, making recovery even more difficult. 

In one study, researchers learned that women with anorexia nervosa experienced a stronger reward from their brains when they restricted their food intake and maintained lower BMIs. 

As a result, these women may have a much easier time ignoring hunger cues and continuing to avoid eating. Without some type of intervention and treatment, the behavior is likely to persist and only get worse over time. 

Are These Brain Changes Permanent? 

Fortunately, researchers have found that with proper treatment, it may be possible to reverse the effects of eating disorders on the brain. 

The sooner treatment can begin the better. Putting treatment off not only makes recovering more challenging, but it decreases the chances of reversing the effects the patient’s disordered eating behaviors have had on the brain. 

Breaking the Eating Disorder Cycle

Many teens and adults recognize they are practicing disordered eating, and some believe they can simply stop without help. 

This is extremely difficult, and most people are not successful. Eating disorders require professional help for recovery. 

At Focus Integrative Centers, our intensive outpatient program (IOP) offers hope to individuals with eating disorders and their families. It is appropriate for those who have completed an inpatient stay but may work well for those who are new to treatment and have an excellent support system at home. 

If you would like more information about Focus Integrative Centers eating disorder treatment program, please contact us today, or call us at (865) 622-7116.

 

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Lauren Sterritt