beta-carotene and Anorexia-Nervosa

Topics: Adolescent; Anorexia Nervosa; beta Carotene; Daucus carota; Feeding Behavior; Female; Foot Dermatoses; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Hypervitaminosis A

Topics: Anorexia Nervosa; beta Carotene; Diet, Vegetarian; Female; Humans; Pigmentation Disorders

To study the prevalence of hypercarotenemia in a large cohort of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), to compare serum beta-carotene (betaC) values among restricting and purging AN subjects, and to investigate whether hypercarotenemia is related to an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.. Retrospective case-control study including 101 female patients and 95 age-matched normal controls in whom fasting serum betaC and lipid profiles were determined.. The prevalence of hypercarotenemia (>200 microg/dl) in the AN population was 62%. Mean serum betaC level was significantly higher in AN patients than in controls (237 +/- 103 vs. 160 +/- 45 microg/dl, p <.0001). Among AN patients, the level was higher in restricters than in purgers (271 +/- 110 vs. 186 +/- 78 microg/dl, p <.005). Fasting serum total and LDL cholesterol levels were also significantly higher in patients with AN than in controls, but no correlation was found between serum betaC and LDL cholesterol values.. Hypercarotenemia is a common finding in AN patients, especially in the restricter subgroup. The high prevalence of elevated serum betaC in AN patients supports its diagnostic value in atypical forms of eating disorders.

Topics: Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; beta Carotene; Biomarkers; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol, LDL; Diet, Reducing; Female; Humans; Hypercholesterolemia; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies

Anorexia nervosa is a chronic disorder characterized by the patient's refusal to maintain body weight and a myriad of medical complications. Two frequently cited and poorly understood complications are hypercholesterolemia and hypercarotenemia. We therefore measured fasting cholesterol and beta-carotene levels in a cohort of moderately severe anorectics.. All subjects were female and met DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa. Lipid profiles and beta-carotene levels were determined in 23 female anorexics.. The mean total cholesterol for this group of anorectics was 179.3 mg/dl. Low-density lipoprotein values (LDL) ranged from 47 to 173, with a mean of 104.1 mg/dl. The mean high-density lipoprotein value (HDL) was 51.5 mg/dl. Beta-carotene levels were all normal.. We conclude that total and LDL cholesterol in anorexia are well within the range of normal, and HDL levels are favorably high. Further, hypercarotenemia was not associated with anorexia nervosa.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; beta Carotene; Cholesterol; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Lipoproteins, HDL; Lipoproteins, LDL; Reference Values

Topics: Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Antioxidants; beta Carotene; Blood Specimen Collection; Carotenoids; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Indicators and Reagents; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Reference Values; Surveys and Questionnaires; Weight Loss