Abstract
A simultaneous decrease in skin collagen content, skin thickness and bone mineral density in women with a 4-year period of amenorrhoea due to anorexia nervosa has been reported. This association supports the hypothesis that a generalized loss of collagen is a major factor in the causation of osteoporosis following oestrogen deficiency.
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Bone and skin are connective tissues, and in both the major organic constitute is type I Âcollagen. The relationship between skin and bone has been investigated in many articles. Savas et al. [1] reported a simultaneous decrease in skin collagen content, skin thickness and bone mineral density in women with a 4-year period of amenorrhoea due to anorexia nervosa (AN). This association supports the hypothesis that a generalized loss of collagen is a major factor in the causation of osteoporosis following oestrogen deficiency.
Moreover, in AN there is often a vegetarian lifestyle that has an impact on fat metabolism causing a remarkable stimulation of carnitine uptake and a reduction in collagen synthesis-associated genes [2]. In addition, an increased risk of osteoporosis, which is also known to be associated with a lowered collagen synthesis, has been associated in vegetarians with a low cobalamin (vitamin B12) status.
References
Savas M et al (1989) The effect of anorexia nervosa on skin thickness, skin collagen and bone density. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 96(12):1392–1394
Karlic H et al (2008) Vegetarian diet affects genes of oxidative metabolism and collagen synthesis. Ann Nutr Metab 53:29–32
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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Strumia, R. (2013). The Effect of Anorexia Nervosa on Skin Thickness and Skin Collagen. In: Strumia, R. (eds) Eating Disorders and the Skin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29136-4_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29136-4_12
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