What is the chemistry behind bulimia?

Answer 1

As far as I know, this is inconclusive, but scientists and doctors are doing tests and have so far come up with interesting results.

There is evidence in studies of twins that anorexia has a genetic component, and likewise that bulimics inherit a PREDISPOSITION to develop the disease, maybe from a family of addicts (the tendency to which is actually genetic).

There is a new disorder which has recently been discovered called "purging disorder" in which women (mostly) purge without bingeing. This raises the question of there being some kind of chemical "need" behind the act of purging itself, which does induce a kind of "high" because of the release of endorphins that occurs when the body induces vomiting.

There's more than just chemistry behind bulimia... it's a psychological, emotional, and social disorder, as well as having a certain "chemistry" to it. But there are a few highly suspect neurotransmitters and chemicals in the body that could contribute to the disease. One of these is dopamine, which has been found to have less receptor sites in bulimics than in ordinary people. and interestingly is the chemical that anorexics produce too much of and starve (more and more as the body adjusts) to decrease. There's also a chemical called CCK (I think that stands for cholesosystiknin) which is responsible for the feeling of satiety, which bulimics have been found to have lower levels of in some cases, thus explaining the lack of feeling full and desire to keep eating. The jury is out on that one though.

Bulimia is a progressive disease, and the longer a person has suffered, the more likely it is that their body chemisty is indeed out of whack. Sufferers soon become trapped in a vicious cycle of restricting, bingeing and purging because the body's natural cues and signals are, in a word, focked.

Take it from one who knows.