In a study published by the American Medical Association Archives of General Psychiatry researchers found that bulimia might be the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. When deprived of the amino acid tryptophan, women who recovered from bulimia reported that they had a return of the symptoms of bulimia.
Tryptophan is the amino acid that reaches the news each November in the United States because of the increased amount of intake in turkey each Thanksgivng. Tryptophan helps the brain to produce serotonin, which is a mood and appetite-regulating chemical.
In another study from the University of Pittsburgh researchers reported they found an abnormal level of serotonin related chemical in the spinal fluid of women who were actively bulimic.
The history of eating disorders dates back to the times of the ancient Greeks but the discovery and description of bulimia is a relatively new concept. Related to the ease of hiding the disorder and low incidence of side effects until long term effects of bulimia are noticed, women and men with bulimia haven’t been able to benefit from diagnosis and treatment to help stem the tide of their particular disorder. But today, with adequate recognition and treatment many people are able to find a complete recovery.
Resources:
British Journal of Psychiatry: Reliability of Lifetime History of Bulimia Nervosa
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10945092
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Bulimia Nervosa
Science of Eating Disorder: History of Anorexia or Bulimia Nervosa
University of Rochester Medical Center: Bulimia Nervosa
University of Maryland medical Center: Bulimia Nervosa
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/bulimia-nervosa
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