Her doctors described it as an « odd case of pica. »
We all have our unusual food preferences, but it’s unlikely any are quite as weird as the craving experienced by a 36-year-old woman featured in a recent case report. Her doctors described how the woman developed a sudden hunger for bleach—a craving likely triggered by an autoimmune disorder.
Doctors in Michigan detailed the strange tale in a paper published last month in the journal Case Reports in Psychiatry. The woman had developed a severe bout of anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, not long after she began to enjoy smelling and eventually tasting bleach powder. Though she was treated successfully for her anemia and deficiency, it’s unknown whether her bleach craving disappeared for good.Mouthing bleach
According to the case report, the woman visited a local emergency room with symptoms of severe anemia, including shortness of breath, fatigue, and pain along her lower left side. Initial tests found that she had macrocytic anemia (anemia characterized by overly large red blood cells) caused by a chronic lack of vitamin B12. The woman was soon given a blood transfusion and admitted into the intensive care unit for further treatment and evaluation.
The woman had a history of past psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety, though she had been managing well with medications.
