Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Learn more about the results we get at Within
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Bulimia nervosa (BN) is an eating disorder characterized by cycles of binging and purging, or periods of taking in large amounts of food and liquid, then compensating for those periods with behaviors like self-induced vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
This type of disordered eating has been shown to have an impact on many internal systems and functions. And although there has not been a connection established between BN and thyroid cancer, research has shown that bulimic behaviors do impact thyroid hormone levels.
The thyroid is responsible for many functions within the body, but one of its most important functions is regulating metabolism - or the process that helps the body convert food into energy.
The organ produces several hormones to aid in this conversion, including T3 and T4, which help determine how much energy certain cells need and regulate body temperature and heart rate.5 But those processes can be thrown off by patterns of disordered eating.
Bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa (AN) and binge eating disorder (BED), have also been shown to have an impact on metabolism, usually by lowering the resting metabolic rate, or the total number of calories burned when the body is at rest.1,6,7
Thankfully, these kinds of disruptions have yet to be shown to lead to thyroid cancer, but it appears, based on previous studies, that bulimia nervosa can impact the thyroid in other ways.
Research into the specific impact bulimia nervosa has on the thyroid has been sparse over the years, but the results have been consistent.
In two separate studies, conducted two years apart by the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), researchers found that BN had an impact on patients' thyroid hormone levels - specifically the amount of T3 and T4 in someone's blood.1,2
In particular, T3 levels appeared to drop during periods when the patients were not partaking in disordered eating behaviors. This led scientists in both studies to conclude that binge-purge behavior was connected to a temporary increase in active thyroid hormone levels and metabolic rate.1
Binge-purge behavior has been connected to a temporary increase in active thyroid hormone levels and metabolic rate.
In the second study, T3 levels were found to correlate with the amount of calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates consumed. Though scientists were unsure whether lower T3 levels during periods of abstinence were connected to lower caloric consumption during these periods, or if they could reflect hypothalamic-pituitary dysregulation.2 This second conclusion points to an impaired neurological response to acute stress, which is sometimes present in certain mental health disorders.8
Can bulimia cause thyroid issues?
In 1996, a third study was conducted to further investigate why or how bulimia nervosa impacted circulating thyroid hormones. While this study found similar results, and came to the similar conclusion that periods of binging and purging may stimulate thyroid activity, there was similar murkiness over why T3 and T4 levels dropped during periods of abstinence.3
To date, there’s a lot of conflicting opinions on the subject. Some believe the fall in thyroid hormone levels during periods of abstinence from binge-purge behaviors is an adaptation to natural changes in caloric intake. Others see it as a potential sign of thyroid dysfunction, which may call for further treatment.
It's likely future studies will be needed to clear up this issue. Though, while BN seems to affect the thyroid, at this time, thankfully, no studies have connected these issues to thyroid cancer.
Get help today
Bulimia nervosa can impact much more than thyroid hormone levels. This disorder is dangerous, and could potentially be deadly if left untreated.
If you or a loved one are struggling with BN or showing signs of an eating disorder, it's important to seek out help. If you need support in any aspect of treatment or recovery from bulimia nervosa, please call for a free consultation today.
Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.
Disclaimer about weight loss drugs: Within does not endorse the use of any weight loss drug or behavior and seeks to provide education on the insidious nature of diet culture. We understand the complex nature of disordered eating and eating disorders and strongly encourage anyone engaging in these behaviors to reach out for help as soon as possible. No statement should be taken as healthcare advice. All healthcare decisions should be made with your individual healthcare provider.
