The Heart’s Silent Struggle in Eating Disorders
Have you ever felt dizzy when standing up too fast? Or noticed your heart racing when you’re just sitting still? If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or prolonged malnutrition, these symptoms might not just be annoying, they could be signs that your heart is working overtime to keep up.
One of my favorite sayings holds true for all the strange things that happens to the body when struggling with malnutrition:
“The body is designed to keep you alive and it will compensate to keep you alive.”
Let’s take a look at what happens when your body isn’t getting enough nutrition and how your heart responds.
A Slowing, Exhausted Heart:
Your heart is a muscle, and like any muscle, it needs fuel to function properly. Without enough nutrition, the heart doesn’t have the energy it needs to pump efficiently. Your body will take notice and compensate.
Once the body recognizes, it’s not getting the appropriate fuel it will complete a systems evaluation on where it can costs to lower energy expenditure. One of the ways it lowers usage of energy is by lowering the heart rate.
Think about when your phone’s battery is nearly drained, it slows down, dims the screen, and struggles to function. Your heart does the same when it doesn’t have enough energy from nutrition. The result? bradycardia (a low heart rate), which can make you feel tired, sluggish, or even cause fainting. In severe cases, the heart slows down so much that it struggles to circulate blood properly.
What you might feel: Extreme fatigue, cold hands and feet, dizziness, or trouble focusing. It is also possible you do not feel any of this and that is because the body does a good job to compensate and keep things business as usual as best it can.
The Dizzy Spells of Orthostatic Hypotension:
Ever stood up and suddenly felt lightheaded or like the world was tilting? Or your vision goes out for a few seconds?
That’s orthostatic hypotension, a drop in blood pressure when you change positions. When your body doesn’t have enough nutrients, blood circulation weakens, making it harder for your heart to adjust when you stand up. When this occurs the body registers the difficulty it experiences changing positions and will often compensate for the low blood pressure by increasing the heart rate.
What you might feel: Dizziness, blurred vision, or even blacking out for a few seconds.
The Overworked, Racing Heart:
When the heart realizes it’s struggling to get enough blood to your organs, it compensates by speeding up- like a car revving its engine to keep from stalling. This can lead to tachycardia (a high heart rate), making your heart feel like it’s racing even when you’re resting. It’s your body’s way of saying, “I’m in survival mode.”
What you might feel: A pounding heart, anxiety, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort.
Why This Matters:
These changes aren’t just uncomfortable, they can be dangerous. A weakened heart from malnutrition increases the risk of arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), fainting, and even cardiac complications. The good news? Your heart is resilient. With proper nutrition and support, it can regain strength.
What You Can Do:
Listen to your body: If you’re experiencing dizziness, fatigue, or a racing heart, it’s worth checking in with a professional.
Seek support: Recovery isn’t just about food, it’s about healing your whole body, including your heart.
Nourish consistently: Eating regularly and including a variety of nutrients helps your heart function at its best.
Remember it takes time. Your body may take time to feel safe enough to return to consistent normal physiological function. As it continues to receive consistent nutrition, it will begin to feel safe and you will see the results.
Your heart is working hard for you—let’s give it the care it deserves.