Coaches can sometimes put undue pressure on athletes by telling them to lose weight, but then not providing the education and resources in order to promote safe weight loss. What may start out as periods of fasting to lose weight, may develop into anorexia nervosa. The physical consequences of anorexia nervosa can be serious and even life-threatening. Lack of adequate nutrient intake puts the body at risk for many problems, but often the symptoms of nutrient deficiency are subtle such as dry skin, loss of hair, and lack of energy. The excessive loss of body fat makes it hard for the person to regulate body temperature and adapt to heat and cold.
Low estrogen leads to bone loss and osteoporosis.
Even teens and young adults can suffer stress and compression fractures due to premature bone loss. These changes can affect the heart, and can be deadly. The most common causes of death from anorexia nervosa are heart failure from electrolyte imbalances and suicide. Some individuals with bulimia nervosa will use self-induced vomiting or laxatives to eliminate large amounts of food, others will exercise excessively or go through periods of fasting. Bulimia nervosa is more prevalent than anorexia nervosa, and often harder to recognize.