Anorexia Nervosa

Diet and Nutrition: (references)

• Avoid sugar, alcohol, caffeine and tobacco

Vitamins and Minerals: (references)

• Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement
• Vitamin B6: 50 mg.
• Vitamin B Complex: 1 ml. IM
• *Vitamin B12: 1,000 mcg. IM
• *Folate: 5 mg. IM
• Calcium: 1200 mg.
• Zinc: 30 mg. TID
• *Copper: 2 - 4 mg.

Supplements: (references)

• 5-Hydroxytryptophan: 50 mg. TID (Note: approximately 1-3% of oral tryptophan enters the brain compared to 70% of oral 5-HTP)
• Melatonin: 3-6 mg. at 9PM

Botanicals: (references)

• Tincture - *Acorus calamus (4), *Hydrastis canadensis (4): take 1/4 tsp. TID
• Tincture - *Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice): take 1/4 tsp. at lunchtime (Licorice makes more adrenal cortical hormone available)

• Individual botanicals to be considered for this condtion:
  Acorus calamus (Sweetflag, Calamus)
  Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice)
  Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal)
  Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
  Taraxacum officinale (Dandelion, Lion's tooth)

Homeopathic Remedies: (references)

• General anorexia nervosa:
  
  ARS, calc, carc, caust, CHIN, hyos, ign, lach, levo, merc, nat-m, perh, puls, rhus-t, staph, SULPH, tarent, verat
• Refuses to eat:
  
  ars, bell, caust, cocc, croc, grat, HYOS, ign, KALI-CHI, kali-p, op, PH-AC, phyt, plat, puls, sep, TARENT, VERAT, VIOL-O
• Anorexia nervorsa in children:
  
  ARS, calc, carc, CHIN, ign, lach, levo, merc, nat-m, perh, puls, rhus-t, staph, SULPH, tarent, verat

(For an overview of Homeopathy, click here.)   

Other Therapies: (references)

• Do not exercise excessively

Recommended Labs:

• Rule out celiac disease: Celiac Profile
• Rule out candidiasis: Candida Panel
• Rule out Crohn's Disease: CBC with Diff, ESR, CRP, Colonoscopy with Biopsy, Upper GI Series
• Rule out food allergies: IgG Food Allergy Antibody

*  The recommended use of this supplement or therapy is based on a physiological mechanism or empirical data and is not necessarily supported by peer-reviewed research studies.

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).