Without intervention, the consequences of anorexia can be tragic. Prolonged dieting and weight loss leads to severe malnutrition. The body tries to stay alive by going into a hibernation-like state, slowing down to barely survivable levels. Almost every organ system is affected: brain, heart, liver, kidneys, bone marrow, skin, and reproduction. The heart muscle gets smaller, leading to poor circulation; and the heart rate slows, putting one at risk for potentially fatal heart attacks. Brain tissue is lost, some permanently. Girls lose their periods, and the lack of estrogen can lead to significant osteoporosis - weak bones - which develops in 50% of patients with anorexia.
Bulimia also causes serious health problems. Electrolytes, especially potassium, get dangerously low from frequent purging leading to potentially fatal heart attacks. Repeated vomiting can result in rupturing the esophagus or breaking blood vessels, presenting an emergency that can be life threatening.
The psychological complications of an eating disorder, though sometimes slower to surface, can be just as devastating as the physical problems. Rejection by peers and family conflict may be both the cause and the effect of the anorexic's self-destructive eating patterns. Schoolwork and relationships suffer, leaving the teenager isolated and even more determined to take control of their life by controlling their eating. Emotionally, one becomes isolated and deeply depressed. Self-esteem spirals downward as the disorder gains control over one's life. This can get to a point when teenagers consider suicide, which is the leading cause of death in people who suffer from eating disorders.