How did AMY WINEHOUSE really die?

*EXTREME PIRATE RADIO*

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TOO YOUNG: Amy was found dead in her North London flat aged just 27

Three years ago today 27-year-old Amy Winehouse was found unconscious and without a pulse in her Camden Square house at around 3pm.

Emergency services and the police were called, but the multi-award-winning singer was declared dead at the scene.

An inquest confirmed that the British singer-songwriter died of alcohol poisoning.

But two years after her tragic death, her brother Alex said he believes it was bulimia that led to her death.

"Drink and drugs took their toll, but the eating disorder fatally weakened her," he told Observer Magazine.

"She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia."

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CAUSE OF DEATH: An inquest confirmed that the British singer-songwriter died of alcohol poisoning

On the anniversary of her death we speak to Lorna Garner, Chief Operating Officer of eating disorder charity Beat, about the potentially deadly effects of bulimia.

"It is possible that Amy Winehouse died because from the combination of her eating disorder and her issues with drink and drugs," said Lorna.

"The physical impact of an eating disorder over a sustained period of time includes organ damage."

"Some people have renal (kidney) failure, hepatic (liver) damage, weakening of the heart muscles and damage to the digestive system, amongst many other physical problems," she added. 

"This means that the body’s organs are not able to deal with processing alcohol in the same way that healthy organs would, and therefore the likelihood of organ failure is greater."

“The physical impact of an eating disorder over a sustained period of time includes organ damage”

Lorna Garner, Chief Operating Officer of eating disorder charity Beat

Bulimia is a serious mental illness where people feel that they have lost control over their eating and evaluate themselves according to their body shape and weight.

People with bulimia are caught in a cycle of eating large quantities of food (called bingeing), and then vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics (called purging), in order to prevent gaining weight.

This behaviour can dominate daily life and lead to difficulties in relationships and social situations and they may also have very low self-esteem and self harm.

More than 725,000 people in the UK alone are affected by an eating disorder like this, according to a 2015 study by Beat.

And there seems to be a strong link between eating disorders and alcoholism, as 37.5% of people with bulimia reported excessive alcohol use, and 26.8% reported alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence.

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RIP: Amy's brother believed it was her struggle with bulimia that led to her early death

Shona Wilkinson, Head Nutritionist at nutricentre.com, also said that “the combination of bulimia nervosa and alcoholism is a growing problem."

She sadi: "People who have bulimia may believe that being sick can help them to stay sober and they can therefore continue to drink more. This isn’t actually true.

"Alcohol can go through the body incredibly quickly especially if you haven’t eaten (or eaten and been sick).

"As there is no food to slow down digestion, alcohol absorption is increased and people can become intoxicated quicker.

"The worry is that this puts people in the dangerous situation of being incredibly drunk and not in control.”

Here Lorna Garner answers some common questions surrounding the dangers of bulimia and alcohol consumption.

1. What damaging effects can bulimia have on the body/internal organs?

It can result in organ failure and digestive system failure or impairment.

2. What other health complications can it cause?

Cardiac arrhythmias, anaemia, low blood pressure, bradycardia, dehydration, loss of or lowered electrolytes which are vital for muscle function, (if induced vomiting is present - damage to the throat or oesophagus and sometimes very extreme damage such as tearing).

It can also cause damage to teeth sometimes resulting in loss, damage to the throat, to the fingers used and if purging through laxative abuse it can damage the colon and intestinal tract, sometimes resulting in life long dysfunctional intestinal function.

Constipation, bloating, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps are also common in people suffering from bulimia.

The eating disorder can also have a detrimental impact on social life and mental health.

3. Is bulimia as serious as anorexia?

Yes. If the bulimia sufferer purges or induces vomiting over a sustained period of time it can be just as damaging.

Although the ratio of bulimia sufferers and death is lower than that of anorexia sufferers.

Certain types of emetics have a damaging affect upon the heart, and weaken it, as it did with Karen Carpenter.

4. Can people die from bulimia alone?

It is possible that someone may damage their organs and/or their digestive system to the point that there is fatal failure.

Unfortunately, the data are not clear as the cause of death would be recorded in relation to the failure of organ, for example, and not the underlying issue that led to the failure.

There have also been suicides due to the bulimia sufferer’s inability to continue to live with this illness.

5. What are the dangers of drinking alcohol while suffering from an eating disorder?

The physical impact of an eating disorder over a sustained period of time includes organ damage.

Some people have renal (kidney) failure, hepatic (liver) damage, weakening of the heart muscles and damage to the digestive system, amongst many other physical problems.

This means that the body’s organs are not able to deal with processing alcohol in the same way that healthy organs would, and therefore the likelihood of organ failure is greater.

6. Are you more likely tot get alcohol poisoning if you haven't been eating properly/have an eating disorder?

The body’s ability to process alcohol is also affected by body mass.

A small person will generally not have the same capacity to process alcohol as a larger person.

Therefore, it is likely that higher levels of alcohol consumption in a smaller person or a person whose digestive system is compromised, or whose organs are compromised, will increase the chances of toxicity.

7. If someone is suffering with an eating disorder how can they seek help?

See their doctor – the doctor is the first port of call to enable someone with an ED to access the level of care that they need.

8. If a parent if worried that their child has an eating disorder what should they do?

Talk to a doctor or healthcare professional, or visit our website at b-eat.co.uk where they will find information on EDs, the signs and what they can do, as well as details of our helpline if they wish to talk to a member of our helpline team.