Plasma homocysteine levels in female patients with eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To examine plasma homocysteine, vitamin B(12), and folate levels in females with restricting and bingeing/purging eating disorders (EDs).

METHOD

Adolescent and adult female patients were compared to appropriate control groups with regard to plasma homocysteine levels.

RESULTS

The plasma homocysteine level of the adult ED patients was higher than that of controls for all age groups examined. In adolescents, no significant difference was found comparing ED patients younger than 16 years of age to control data, whereas in the 16-20 year age group, the plasma homocysteine level was significantly higher among the ED group, regardless of the type of ED. Vitamin B(12) and folate levels were within normal limits in all ED groups.

CONCLUSION

Elevated plasma homocysteine levels were found in adult and older adolescent female ED patients (but not in younger adolescents) compared to controls. This finding is not related to deficiencies in vitamin B(12) or folate.