Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia are known to weaken bones in women, but the results of a new study suggest that the same may be true in men. And while eating disorders disproportionately affect women, their impact on bones may be more severe in men, researchers report. Dr. Arnold E. Andersen and colleagues from University of Iowa in Iowa City studied 380 people treated for eating disorders, 46 (14%) of whom were men. Compared with the bones of men who did not have eating disorders, bone density in the spine was substantially lower in men with eating disorders. And compared to women with eating disorders, men with eating disorders-particularly those with bulimia-tended to have a greater bone deficiency, according to the report. The number of men with eating disorders who had diminished bone density suggests not only that the condition is a common complication of eating disorders, but a serious one as well. The investigators also found that men with eating disorders had below-normal levels of the male sex hormone testosterone, which may affect bone density. Currently, the research team is testing the effects of testosterone therapy in men with eating disorders to see whether the hormone helps restore bone density while men are gradually returning to a healthy weight.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: The Lancet 2000;355:1967-1968
