Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder. It’s a serious, potentially life-threatening, mental health condition.
People who have anorexia are very anxious about their weight and body shape. They try to keep their weight as low as possible by strictly controlling what they eat. Many people with anorexia will also exercise excessively.
They may also use other methods to try to control their weight, like using laxatives, vomiting after eating, and taking stimulant drugs.
Signs and symptoms of anorexia include:
Restricting your food intake means your body isn’t getting enough energy or nutrition. This can lead to other physical symptoms.
Eating too little for a long time can cause physical symptoms, like:
People with anorexia may also:
In children with anorexia, puberty and the associated growth spurt may be delayed. They may gain less weight than expected for someone going through puberty. They might be shorter than other people of the same age.
If you get periods and you have anorexia, your periods may stop. Anorexia can also lead to infertility, for both men and women.
Beat has more information about treatment for anorexia
If someone close to you is showing signs of anorexia, you can offer help and support.
You could try talking to them about how they feel, and encourage them to think about getting help. Try not to put pressure on them or be critical of them, as this could make things worse. You could also offer to help by going with the person to see their GP.
If you’d like to get some advice on how to help, a healthcare professional, such as your own GP, can provide information on:
You could also get help from a support group for people who have loved ones with eating disorders.
Beat has more information about how to support someone with anorexia
When making a diagnosis, your GP will probably ask questions about your weight and eating habits.
For example, they might:
It’s important to answer these questions honestly. Your GP isn’t trying to judge you. They just need to accurately assess your symptoms.
If your GP thinks you may have anorexia, they’ll refer you to a specialist in eating disorders for a more detailed assessment. Your GP sometimes carries out this assessment.
Treatment for anorexia usually involves a combination of:
It’s important to start treatment as early as possible to reduce the risk of serious complications.
Treatment for anorexia is slightly different for adults and those under 18 years old.
If someone has anorexia for a long time, it can lead to severe complications and health problems. These can sometimes be permanent.
People with anorexia have an increased risk of:
Anorexia can cause an imbalance of minerals in the blood, like potassium, calcium and sodium. These minerals help keep you healthy. When there’s an imbalance, it can cause symptoms like:
Other conditions that can be caused by anorexia and malnutrition can include:
Misuse of laxatives can damage the bowels and cause permanent constipation.
Anorexia can lead to irregular menstrual cycles (periods), or cause your periods to stop altogether. This doesn’t mean anorexia makes you infertile.
If you have anorexia, even if your periods are irregular or have stopped, you should continue to use birth control if you aren’t planning a pregnancy.
If you have anorexia and are trying to become pregnant, you should discuss this with your GP and care team.
Anorexia during pregnancy can increase the risk of complications, like:
You’re also likely to need extra care and support during pregnancy if you have previously had anorexia and recovered from it.
Last updated:
07 November 2023