© 2013 MGH Adolescent Neuroendocrine Unit.

Improving Health Through Research

In Conjunction with the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program (EDCRP) at Massachusetts General Hospital


Why study bone health in females with eating disorders and female athletes?


Eating disorders and amenorrhea can often cause low bone density, leading to weak bones that could fracture easily. Developing strong bones when you are young is crucial for maintaining healthy bones for the rest of your life. Since we build over 90% of our bone mass before the age of 20, adolescence is the most critical window of time to impact lifelong bone density. Through our bone studies, we hope to improve bone density in “at risk” teenagers and young women.


Why study eating disorders?


We devote our time to studying eating disorders because they are complex disorders that can produce long term effects. In addition to the effects on bone, eating disorders also impact many other medical and psychological conditions. Through our Brain Study, we are taking a cross-disciplinary approach to examine eating disorder trajectories. We hope to understand how hormones and areas of the brain that regulate appetite are involved in the patterns of eating disorders. The goal of our research is to not only better understand how eating disorders affect the physical and mental health of adolescents, but to ultimately identify effective and targeted treatments of eating disorder symptoms



Since 1985, the MGH Neuroendocrine Clinical Research Center has provided patients with treatment while advancing knowledge.  We have spent over twenty years researching bone and hormonal health in adolescents. Click "More info" to view past studies, results, and publications. 


Contact Us!


Adolescent Neuroendocrine Unit

Massachusetts General Hospital

55 Fruit St., BUL 457B

Boston, MA 02114










Looking for treatment options?
Visit http://www.massgeneral.org/eatingdisorders to learn more.
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