Juicerexia
Posted on: January 15th, 2014
The Dr. Oz show started the New Year with a much talked about segment on Extreme Juicing, or Juicerexia. The clip was first aired in October 2013, and is somewhat controversial due to its classification of Juicerexia as an eating disorder. I thought I’d weigh in on the fad of Extreme Juicing, touch on its potential dangers, and consider its classification as an eating disorder.
What is Extreme Juicing or Juicerexia? Extreme Juicing refers to an eating pattern whereby a person replaces food with a series of juices consumed during the day for the purpose of rapid weight loss. The juice ingredients are any combination of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices. Sometimes, an individual will use a juicer and make the juice at home. Many supermarkets now carry juice packs, so a person can go on a 3-day juice cleanse, for example, and buy a pack of 9 juices to last three days. This can be very expensive. I recently saw a pack of 6 juices, 16 ounces each, for $55!
Dr. Oz noted in his segment that much of the initial weight loss is water. But over time, because of the low nutrient content of juicing, continued weight loss is, at least in part, due to the loss of muscle mass. Extreme Juicing can actually weaken the heart muscle. And in an article in the Huffington Post in August of last year, “Juice Cleanses: The New Eating Disorder,” Dr. Judith Wurtman refers to the “chronic nutrient deficiency” of prolonged juice cleanses that eventually weakens bones and leads to osteoporosis.
As far as Juicerexia’s classification as an eating disorder, it is worthwhile to revisit what defines an eating disorder. The Mayo Clinic defines eating disorders as “a group of serious conditions in which you’re so preoccupied with food and weight that you can often focus on little else. . . .” Since individuals that practice Extreme Juicing experience an unhealthy preoccupation with juicing and the associated weight loss, I agree that Juicerexia falls squarely in the category of eating disorders. If you or someone you know is actively engaged in Extreme Juicing, encourage him or her to seek help so that the underlying trigger can be addressed and the juicing cycle can be broken.
Dr. Oz Show Clip: “Juicerexia”
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