title: Women with anorexia nervosa should not be treated with estrogen or birth control pills in a bone-sparing effect.
abstract: Eating disorders are prevalent, serious conditions that affect mainly young women. An early and enduring sign of anorexia is amenorrhea. There is no evidence for benefits of hormone therapy in patients with anorexia; however, hormone medication and oral contraceptives are frequently prescribed for young women with anorexia as a prevention against and treatment for low bone mineral density. The use of estrogens may create a false picture indicating that the skeleton is being protected against osteoporosis. Thus the motivation to regain weight, and adhere to treatment of the eating disorder in itself, may be reduced. The most important intervention is to restore the menstrual periods through increased nutrition. Hormone and oral contraceptive therapy should not be prescribed for young women with amenorrhea and concurrent eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: Center of Osteoporosis, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden. ingrid.b.bergstrom@karolinska.se
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: Milita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crisby
authors.forename: Anne-May
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hölcke
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fored
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jakobsson Kruse
authors.forename: Ann-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Of Sandberg
mesh_terms: D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015519:Bone Density; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D000075202:Contraindications; D004967:Estrogens; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D008598:Menstruation; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D004967:Estrogens
keywords: Amenorrhea; anorexia; eating disorders; hormone therapy; oral contraceptive therapy; osteoporosis