Amazing new findings about ED - could be curable with....antibiotics!

Maitria

I can't access the study, so the only thing I have to comment on is what you posted. I would like to be as excited about findings like this, but I've heard of tons of scientific studies that fizzle out and go nowhere. It's the nature of science, it's not a flaw, it is how advancements are made. But that's why I reserve my excitement for more promising, studied information.

It would be awesome if some people can be helped by this information, though they wouldn't have the mental illness of an eating disorder. They'd be suffering from actual anorexia, a lack of hunger, not the MI anorexia nervosa. When I don't want to eat because I have nausea, it's physiological, not a mental illness. Unfortunately, mice infected with a gut bacteria and then don't want to eat have very little to say about their mental health. If you don't feel good in your tummy, it's pretty normal to not want to eat.

I've really said all that I have to say, so I will leave your thread in peace. Your religion, science, needs both skeptics and open-mindedness. I'm glad you are an optimistic person and find hope from this.

SpockAdventures

Maitria Here's a couple of other links to articles about the study... they explain it much better than I.

sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141007103308.htmhttp://

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2783866/Could-eating-disorders-one-day-treated-antibiotics-Scientists-bacteria-gut-affect-appetite.html

http://www.neomatica.com/2014/10/08/molecular-origins-eating-disorders-found-gut-microbe/

And I thank you for your input, its' good to have people looking at issues from every side possible! We wouldn't be able to have science without differing perspectives!

shaumom

This is really kind of fascinating. Although to be honest, I do not understand why so many would say ED is solely psychological.

All we can say is that 'up to our current level of knowledge,' ED is psychological. And psychology is a soft science and it is FULL of completely incorrect information that changes when a few decades down the line, new information is introduced, or in some cases, old prejudices are eliminated. We may find out that many things we thought were ED's were actually something physical. We may find out that there are psychologically caused ED's and physiologically caused ED's. We may find out that all ED's have something physical involved.

All this study is showing is that there may be more involved to eating disorders than we're aware of. That it may NOT all be psychological. With so many of our young women bombarded with messages that affect their body images, who knows, perhaps a physical issue could be what tip some over into an ED while others can withstand the urge. Our minds are part of our bodies, not separate, and our minds are far more susceptible to the body's influence than probably a lot of us would like to believe.

There was no claim by the OP that ED WAS all caused by bacteria, only that there's evidence to explore regarding this that could have some amazing implications. It's an 'something to think about' sharing, at least that's how it struck me.

Yeah, it might never come to fruition, but it's just as valid to be excited about the implications as it is to be skeptical about them.

PRMinx

Having recovered from anorexia and bulimia, I can say with confidence that eating disorders - traditional eating disorders - are 100% psychological disorders. They are control disorders that emerge for certain people when life gets hard to handle. People who are subject to the disorder fight it their whole lives. Even now, 15+ years later, when I am going through something particularly unnerving, there's a temptation to regain control through eating habits.

Now, that said, I am sure that an eating disorder could cause gut problems that help the disease continue on. Over time, you just aren't hungry anymore. And, the effect of starvation on the brain can cause additional disorders (body dismorphia is big).

But, as much as it would be nice for ED to be cured with antibiotics, I just can't buy into it.

JoRocka

conniedj wrote: »

while gut bacteria is important for everyone...It definitely does not say it causes--but contributes, and it is only hypothesis. Eating disorders are primarily psychological...and should be treated as such. It is well known that the brain chemistry in those suffering from ED is altered in what is called the "reward" center of the brain.

But with that said, the food that normal folks eat these days is greatly lacking in pre- and probiotics. More good gut bacteria is good for everyone!

this. seriously.
I see nothing amazing about this- any body who struggles with extreme food hang ups- binging or any sort of extreme restriction it has everything to do with what's up in side the mind. And nothing else.

mnricha927

Paige682 wrote: »

Having recovered from anorexia and bulimia, I can say with confidence that eating disorders - traditional eating disorders - are 100% psychological disorders. They are control disorders that emerge for certain people when life gets hard to handle. People who are subject to the disorder fight it their whole lives. Even now, 15+ years later, when I am going through something particularly unnerving, there's a temptation to regain control through eating habits.

Now, that said, I am sure that an eating disorder could cause gut problems that help the disease continue on. Over time, you just aren't hungry anymore. And, the effect of starvation on the brain can cause additional disorders (body dismorphia is big).

But, as much as it would be nice for ED to be cured with antibiotics, I just can't buy into it.

With you on this. Dealt with it and have my Bachelor's in Psychology. They are usually anxiety based disorders and controlling food intake is a means to control something in life. It may be true that these bacteria are formed as a result of disordered eating, but I do not for a second believe that eating disorders are "caused" by bacteria in the gut.

ucabucca

Sorry ED are control issue related. Bacteria may end up in the stomach because of lack of certain nutrients but that is not the cause. Each person has their own fear foods some will binge Most are controlling the hunger very few have no hunger. I am also one who has been down this path started from a medical issue but still a control issue. I have been stable and at a great weight for a few years. Antibiotics isn't the answer

tartansheep

this is actually really important. i'm just amazed that they're doing research into them, to be honest! I hope they can find a cure.

SpockAdventures

shaumom wrote: »

This is really kind of fascinating. Although to be honest, I do not understand why so many would say ED is solely psychological.

All we can say is that 'up to our current level of knowledge,' ED is psychological. And psychology is a soft science and it is FULL of completely incorrect information that changes when a few decades down the line, new information is introduced, or in some cases, old prejudices are eliminated. We may find out that many things we thought were ED's were actually something physical. We may find out that there are psychologically caused ED's and physiologically caused ED's. We may find out that all ED's have something physical involved.

All this study is showing is that there may be more involved to eating disorders than we're aware of. That it may NOT all be psychological. With so many of our young women bombarded with messages that affect their body images, who knows, perhaps a physical issue could be what tip some over into an ED while others can withstand the urge. Our minds are part of our bodies, not separate, and our minds are far more susceptible to the body's influence than probably a lot of us would like to believe.

There was no claim by the OP that ED WAS all caused by bacteria, only that there's evidence to explore regarding this that could have some amazing implications. It's an 'something to think about' sharing, at least that's how it struck me.

Yeah, it might never come to fruition, but it's just as valid to be excited about the implications as it is to be skeptical about them.

Thanks! I'm glad you understand, it really is just something to think about, and besides, no one ever said we know everything about everything! Of course we recognize the psychological...but science is making leaps and bounds every day, that we really need to acknowledge!

SpockAdventures

tartansheep wrote: »

this is actually really important. i'm just amazed that they're doing research into them, to be honest! I hope they can find a cure.

Thanks for understanding the importance! There's nothing wrong with us saying that we've been wrong just because we didn't know something, if that's even the case!

PikaKnight

I don't think you really understand about eating disorders.

SpockAdventures

PikaKnight wrote: »

I don't think you really understand about eating disorders.

Sorry, I'm not going to keep sugar coating my responses - you are all telling me that I am wrong when this is a finding SCIENTISTS are discovering IT'S FACT BASED and while it may not be the total solution it is a possible cause to eating disorders. Stop being so stubborn and refusing to acknowledge that we don't know everything about everything. I never said I did, and I am not the that conducted the study or wrote the article.

I fully understand that this is very personal for a lot of people. It's personal to me, ti's why I care about it. But just because you experienced an eating disorder doesn't mean you know everything about it. I live with bipolar, and I am happy to say that I don't know everything about it. Only stupid people assume there is nothing more to learn. Sorry.

PikaKnight

SpockAdventures wrote: »

PikaKnight wrote: »

I don't think you really understand about eating disorders.

Sorry, I'm not going to keep sugar coating my responses - you are all telling me that I am wrong when this is a finding SCIENTISTS are discovering IT'S FACT BASED and while it may not be the total solution it is a possible cause to eating disorders. Stop being so stubborn and refusing to acknowledge that we don't know everything about everything. I never said I did, and I am not the that conducted the study or wrote the article.

I fully understand that this is very personal for a lot of people. It's personal to me, ti's why I care about it. But just because you experienced an eating disorder doesn't mean you know everything about it. I live with bipolar, and I am happy to say that I don't know everything about it. Only stupid people assume there is nothing more to learn. Sorry.

There could be medical conditions that trigger certain behaviours but anorexia and bullimia aren't going to be "cured" by combating the bacteria. That's the issue. It's not curable in the sense that you've got a cold. It's a mental condition that ends up needing to be addressed and continued to be proactive on in regards to not falling back into habits.

Although curing a certain medical cause that could act like a trigger would not "cure" the behaviour or thoughts associated with what ends up pushing people into disordered eating/eating disorders.

Ethereal_Whisper

As someone struggling with an ED, i can tell you personally that there is no "turning off" of food, at least for me. I still want food, i still enjoy food sometimes, and i still crave certain things, however, whenever i want something, there's a voice in my head that says "hey no you really shouldn't"(i put that in much nicer terms). While an ED could cause weird things in the body, i don't think weird things in the body cause an ED. That would be like saying electrolyte imbalances cause purging. It doesn't work like that.

If antibiotics were the answer, i would be cured as i was on them just a few months ago.
I'm glad they're doing research, but i think they may be looking in the wrong direction.

MyChocolateDiet

The link did not open for me. In general though I'm having a chicken/egg type wonder about this. Does the person become ED and have psychological outcomes after having this thing in the gut messing with one's ability to eat, or does the act of limiting one's food from psychological issues happen first and then one's stomach situation changes?

Sorry for the layman's terms but I think you get the idea.

Ethereal_Whisper

MyChocolateDiet wrote: »

The link did not open for me. In general though I'm having a chicken/egg type wonder about this. Does the person become ED and have psychological outcomes after having this thing in the gut messing with one's ability to eat, or does the act of limiting one's food from psychological issues happen first and then one's stomach situation changes?

Sorry for the layman's terms but I think you get the idea.

for me it was the thoughts first, then the behaviors, and often in recovery, it's the behaviors that go first, then the thoughts. I've had depression since i was 10, so that didn't help any.

So basically: thoughts>>behaviors>>physiological issues

SpockAdventures

MyChocolateDiet wrote: »

Ethereal_Whisper wrote: »

PikaKnight wrote: »

SpockAdventures wrote: »

PikaKnight wrote: »

I suggest you read one of these links so you can stop assuming that it's a cure all and that I'm making this *kitten* up. Additionally, read the whole thread, I've already had this conversation with people. If you choose to be ignorant and close-minded to better understanding a disease more scientifically, that's on you, but I choose to be excited at the prospect that the medical causes the psychological and there could be a lot more in the future that we could do for eating disorders.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141007103308.htm
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-ticker/gut-bacteria-protein-linked-anorexia-and-bulimia
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2783866/Could-eating-disorders-one-day-treated-antibiotics-Scientists-bacteria-gut-affect-appetite.html
http://www.medicaldaily.com/anorexia-and-bulimia-may-be-closer-digestive-illnesses-not-psychiatric-ones-306409

Let me point out, that three of these four articles are in publications meant for DOCTORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND SCIENTISTS. Not the average person. Which means that this is a very real possibility that is being discussed.

SpockAdventures

And my terrible use of hyperlinks made the whole thing weird. So let's try this again....

I suggest you read one of these links so you can stop assuming that it's a cure all and that I'm making this ***** up. Additionally, read the whole thread, I've already had this conversation with people. If you choose to be ignorant and close-minded to better understanding a disease more scientifically, that's on you, but I choose to be excited at the prospect that the medical causes the psychological and there could be a lot more in the future that we could do for eating disorders.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141007103308.htm
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/science-ticker/gut-bacteria-protein-linked-anorexia-and-bulimia
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2783866/Could-eating-disorders-one-day-treated-antibiotics-Scientists-bacteria-gut-affect-appetite.html
http://www.medicaldaily.com/anorexia-and-bulimia-may-be-closer-digestive-illnesses-not-psychiatric-ones-306409

Let me point out, that three of these four articles are in publications meant for DOCTORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND SCIENTISTS. Not the average person. It's not just something someone cooked up in their basement, it's for real. Sorry.

PikaKnight

You keep saying sorry as you passive aggressively call "people" close minded, ignorant, stupid etc. Just because you say sorry doesn't make it okay to insult people btw and tells a lot about how you deal with discussions/disagreements.

SpockAdventures

Ethereal_Whisper wrote: »

While an ED could cause weird things in the body, i don't think weird things in the body cause an ED. That would be like saying electrolyte imbalances cause purging. It doesn't work like that.

Actually, and not to be argumentative, but my husband does have an illness that causes his stomach and brain to have miscommunication so when he sees food or smells it, it tricks his brain into thinking he is full, so the thought of eating becomes sickening. So yes, the body and bacteria and stuff can do weird things like that.