Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa
More than any other mental illness, the course, prognosis, and therapy of anorexia nervosa are shaped by the physical changes associated with being underweight. This article provides an overview of the endocrine changes associated with malnutrition and underweight. This overview serves as a basis fo...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/16/3509 |
| _version_ | 1797583611304607744 |
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| author | Christian Fricke Ulrich Voderholzer |
| author_facet | Christian Fricke Ulrich Voderholzer |
| author_sort | Christian Fricke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | More than any other mental illness, the course, prognosis, and therapy of anorexia nervosa are shaped by the physical changes associated with being underweight. This article provides an overview of the endocrine changes associated with malnutrition and underweight. This overview serves as a basis for understanding the other articles in this special issue, which deal with the health risks associated with being underweight. In this context, the differences between underweight in anorexia nervosa and in constitutional thinness are of particular importance in assessing the impact of intentional weight loss. In this context, the regulation of hunger and satiety deserves special interest, as this is the area in which the intentional influence on body weight comes into play. Clinical consequences on, for example, fertility, bone metabolism, the homeostasis of, for example, serum glucose levels, or body temperature have been observed for a long time; nonetheless, the medical responses, apart from vitamin supplementations and advice to gain weight, are still limited. Therefore, emphasis was placed on the potential improvement of outcomes through the administration of central or peripheral hormones. Studies were identified on PubMed via a selection of relevant keywords; original texts that were cited in reviews were studied where it was advantageous. This review found some promising data on bone health and the administration of transdermal oestrogen, which is not yet widely used, as well as distinct hormonal markers to differentiate between CT and AN. We concluded that the continuous efforts to investigate the role of endocrinology in underweight and/or anorexia nervosa lead to outcome benefits and that more and higher-powered studies are needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:40:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b6a3153a41b446a99fb640c7b80d4c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:40:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b6a3153a41b446a99fb640c7b80d4c72023-11-19T02:28:50ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432023-08-011516350910.3390/nu15163509Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia NervosaChristian Fricke0Ulrich Voderholzer1Schoen Klinik Roseneck, 83209 Prien am Chiemsee, GermanySchoen Klinik Roseneck, 83209 Prien am Chiemsee, GermanyMore than any other mental illness, the course, prognosis, and therapy of anorexia nervosa are shaped by the physical changes associated with being underweight. This article provides an overview of the endocrine changes associated with malnutrition and underweight. This overview serves as a basis for understanding the other articles in this special issue, which deal with the health risks associated with being underweight. In this context, the differences between underweight in anorexia nervosa and in constitutional thinness are of particular importance in assessing the impact of intentional weight loss. In this context, the regulation of hunger and satiety deserves special interest, as this is the area in which the intentional influence on body weight comes into play. Clinical consequences on, for example, fertility, bone metabolism, the homeostasis of, for example, serum glucose levels, or body temperature have been observed for a long time; nonetheless, the medical responses, apart from vitamin supplementations and advice to gain weight, are still limited. Therefore, emphasis was placed on the potential improvement of outcomes through the administration of central or peripheral hormones. Studies were identified on PubMed via a selection of relevant keywords; original texts that were cited in reviews were studied where it was advantageous. This review found some promising data on bone health and the administration of transdermal oestrogen, which is not yet widely used, as well as distinct hormonal markers to differentiate between CT and AN. We concluded that the continuous efforts to investigate the role of endocrinology in underweight and/or anorexia nervosa lead to outcome benefits and that more and higher-powered studies are needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/16/3509anorexia nervosaendocrinologyconstitutional thinnesshormoneshormonal alterations |
| spellingShingle | Christian Fricke Ulrich Voderholzer Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa Nutrients anorexia nervosa endocrinology constitutional thinness hormones hormonal alterations |
| title | Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa |
| title_full | Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa |
| title_fullStr | Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa |
| title_short | Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa |
| title_sort | endocrinology of underweight and anorexia nervosa |
| topic | anorexia nervosa endocrinology constitutional thinness hormones hormonal alterations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/16/3509 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christianfricke endocrinologyofunderweightandanorexianervosa AT ulrichvoderholzer endocrinologyofunderweightandanorexianervosa |