ED/loss of muscle mass

[Freccia]

I've posted this on another forum I'm a member of, so please forgive the "double" post - I'm just a bit confused right now!!!

I'm currently studying medicine as a specialisation for my work as a translator, and the course focuses on nutrition and eating disorders. And I am quite worried and confused by something I was told by the lecturer (a doctor and dietologist) and was hoping someone could clear up my confusion...

Last year I developed anorexia nervosa and my weight dropped from 61 to 45 kilos over a 7 month period, eating an average of 500 calories a day (if these figures are triggering please will a mod let me know and feel free to edit my post). I've now put the weight back on more or less; I think I'm 59 kilos or so, but am concerned that if I weigh myself too often it will get obsessive like it used to be. So I try to stay away from the scales...

Now according to this doctor, eating so few calories and losing weight in the manner and as fast as I did, I lost muscle mass (which I understand), but according to her these muscle cells have been destroyed and I will not get them back, except in the form of adipose tissue.

In fact I do have a bit of a pudge, but nothing serious, and I'm hoping to firm it up when I get into judo and running.

But I'm a bit worried about the prospect of having destroyed my muscle mass and never getting it back... It seems a bit iffy - is she telling the truth?

Any thoughts? Thanks

[WhoCaresWins]

Hi Freccia,

I am not an expert by any means, but this doesn't sound right to me. As I understand it muscle hypertrophy (ie your muscles getting bigger) is down to an increase in the size of the muscle cells (not the formation of new cells). As such, I'd guess that when you lost the mass, the cells just got smaller. If that's so, they should grow again with correct nutrition and training.

Anyway, good luck with your training!!

all the best
Who Care Wins

[violetti]

Hello Freccia,

the best decision you can make is to forget that horrible scale. Numbers in the scale don't tell you who you feel. Listening to your body is the best you can do for yourself and your recovery. Try to eat 4 - 6 times per day. Don't forget fat. After a few years bad eating because of ED (sometimes too little, sometimes too much, very seldom okay) I decided to try to eat in a way with some sense. After a couple of days making this decision and eating well I noticed I want to drink oil straight from the bottle. Didn't do that but poured oil onto my pasta food and so on. Now more oil, me feels quite good. Of course first (and in some cases quite long) hard to know if I'm hungry because body tries to recover from all the damage.

I'm not an expert but like WhoCaresWin said your doctors words sound a bit weird. After fast and hard weight loss your body and mind need much rest. After taking it easy for a while you can start to do sport and step by step increase the amount of sport hours per week. Just listen to your body. It knows.

Best luck! Keep your head up and work diligently! It's all worth it! Better life and happier days! <3

[Gelert]

Doesn't sound right either. This board is home to some people who have gone from EDs to being powerlifting champions of the universe. But that's anecdotal.

Doctors are notoriously bad at science anyway.

[emm7]

yes I agree with all of the above.
What that doctor is saying doesn't sound right to me! And it actually is a very triggering thing to say!
Yes listening to the body is vital in getting better.
NB is also important to tackle the underlying issues that were making and keeping you ill.
Be kind to yourself.

[Fallen_Horse]

...according to her these muscle cells have been destroyed and I will not get them back, except in the form of adipose tissue.

This is WAY wrong. This is equivalent to saying that if a bodybuilder stops training and loses their muscle, that if they try to gain their muscle back in the future it will all just be fat.


Umm, no.