Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements for Eating Disorders

People with eating disorders who restrict their food intake are at risk for multiple nutrient deficiencies, including protein, calcium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, and essential fatty acids. A general multivitamin-mineral formula can reduce the detrimental health effects of these deficiencies.

In a preliminary study of women with anorexia nervosa, those who supplemented with 45 mg of vitamin K2 per day for approximately one year experienced significantly less bone loss, compared with women who did not take the supplement. This study suggests that supplementing with vitamin K2 may help prevent osteoporosis, which is a common complication of anorexia nervosa. The amount of vitamin K2 used in this study was much larger than the amount of vitamin K found in food and most supplements. Moreover, vitamin K2 is not yet generally available as a supplement, although it can be obtained through some nutritionally oriented doctors. Individuals interested in using this treatment should be monitored by a doctor.

Zinc deficiency has also been detected in people with anorexia or bulimia in most, though not all, studies. In addition, some of the manifestations of zinc deficiency, such as reduced appetite, taste, and smell, are similar to symptoms observed in some cases of anorexia or bulimia...