Are weird cravings sign of possible mineral deficiency?

[cwade]

I have a strange question about something that happens to me quite often.  Whenever I pass a construction site, am exposed to airborne concrete dust, or smell certain kinds of damp metal, I begin having the most overpowering cravings, chewing (sometimes hard) at the insides of my cheeks, or compulsively biting the sides of my tongue.

I spent 5 years (94-99) as a strict vegetarian / vegan, and have been eating mostly Lacto/Ovo with some poultry and seafood since 1998.  I have been anemic my whole life.

Could this strong, bizarre craving have something to do with my mineral deficiency, and can anyone suggest a possible regimen that may help it?  Thank you very much...

[samroad]

There is a condition called PICA where one has strong cravings for non-food items such as dirt, clay, rust, chalk, paint chips...

Some experts think it may be related to a specific mineral deficiency such as Zinc, Iron, Magnesium....

Don't know if that's what's going on with you, but you did mention you're anemic.  Perhaps mention this to your doctor.  

P.S. NEVER take iron supplements--or others without your doctor's approval (especially iron!).  

Best of luck

Mike

[dxw]

I've been looking for a site to explain the same cravings you are having   - I myself have been a strict veg 5yrs ago - anemic - now just eat healthy without meat/pasta accept chx/fish/shellfish - I walk in a ceramic pottery warehouse and go nuts -  I eat this natural gum 5-8 times a day called peelu dental gum - it gives me that hint taste of cement. The explaination of mineral def makes sense - I'm surprised I did not figure that out myself - since I read up on homepathic/herbs/def and advise others and not focus on healing myself - I will give the minerals a try and advise in a month.

[m3hannah]

I experienced these cravings of clay, dirt, chalk and other simular things as a child.  Although I have always been aware of the strong attraction to the smell of wet clay or wet concrete after a rain, I have not experienced the strong cravings from my childhood until this last month.  The funny thing is, although I do not eat a lot of meat, I do eat meat, I am not pregnate, nor am I low in iron.  I have been taking vitamins pretty regularly but I think I'll keep a closer watch on the cravings when I take calcium.... I'm at a loss.  I can say that I have not been very hungry lately but crave ice like crazy!  How can we figure out what is causing this?

[fullmergavin]

I've actually been eating mud and dirt since I was about 10. Grew up that way my whole life, never could stop.

Just kidding~.

For the anemic lady, I would advocate that you ask that your copper level be checked (Plays just as big of a role w/ anemia as iron-unfortunately, it is rarely looked into) and ask your physician about the merits of adding B12, Folic Acid and B6 to your diet.

Knowing where your copper level is sitting is HUGE-more than you would ever know, as a matter of fact. If he/she would ever agree to run this test for you, remind him/her they must take into account that of the two genetic disorders that can go along with distortions to copper serum.

As for why anyone would want to eat dirt or clay, etc, I wouldn't begin to know what that would ever be about.

[dduvall]

Oh my gosh,I am so glad I found this site, I thought I was going crazy, I want to eat fresh laid asphalt, anything at a construction site, drink bleach and gasoline, and anything with a strong smell, I also want to eat my sons sidewalk chalk when we are outside,  not to mention wanting to crab ahandful of dirt and shoving it in my mouth, these cravings are overpowering Iwill salivate when we pass construction sites......
HELP
D

[andi345]

Hi my name is Andi, I am an 18 year old female and I have a serious concerns about my latest food-related (or lack there of) cravings. For the past 2to3 months I have the strongest urges to eat clay, chalk or sand .  I’ve even gone as far as licking the vents in my house as compensation.  As far as I know I am on the healthier side, my weight is on the lighter side for my height but I am still normal. I have no idea what to do every time I go to the beach  or pass a construction site I seem to find myself salivating  at the smells. Once even (when no one was looking) pouring handfuls of sand into my mouth hoping to get rid of the craving. I don’t know what’s wrong with me I’m hoping  writhing this e-mail to u will help me. Please respond in urgency.  Thank you.

[Vykei]

I have the strongest urge all the time to smell gasoline.  Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.  It is driving me crazy I want to smell it all the time.  I want to taste sooo bad but I know that it would prob. kill me.  We have a gas can in our garage and everytime I walk past the garage my mouth begins to water.  I am anemic also and drink diet pop alot.  I like other chemical smells also like old car fumes, dirtbike and atv fumes, some paints, some markers, etc. Does anyone have a clue what causes this?  I am at my witts end because I am a smoker and sniffing gas is very bad for me.  I DO NOT want to get high from it, I just crave the smell so bad.

[thilmoa]

I am having the same problem... craving the smell of gasoline, asphalt and exhaust fumes... but mainly gasoline.  I also am not wanting to get high from it, but just want to inhale the smell... I have told my husband about this and he just kind of laughs at me... but it is kind of scary... why all of the sudden is this happening?  I am not a junky... I am a normal, functioning person!

[jh1234]

If you crave smells like gas, asphalt, exhaust, PineSol, Vicks, bleach, ceramics, or if you want to EAT ice, dirt, clay or other similar things, YOU PROBABLY HAVE IRON DEFICIENCY. These symptoms are called PICA. Pica is found most often in pregnant women and children who are anemic but pica can sometimes happen in healthy non-pregnant women and men. Even mild iron deficiency can cause pica. Go to your doctor to get tested. Tell him you think you have pica and anemia, and ask for anemia testing. He/she test your blood for iron, ferritin, MCV, MCHC, RDW, RBC, Hematocrit, and Hemoglobin. Your doctor may do tests to see whether blood loss is the cause of your anemia, for instance, bleeding from stomach ulcers, excessive menstrual bleeding or from donating blood. You should let him/her know if you are vegetarian, do not eat red meat, or are an endurance athlete (these increase your risk of anemia). If you are indeed iron deficient, once you start taking an iron supplement, your pica symptoms will disappear in 10 days - 2 weeks.

[caregiver222]

Boy, that is an interesting question. I think jh1234 is going in the right direction to suggest iron deficiency and the testing recommended  by jh1234 is right on the money.

[sue98]

WOW!!  I can't believe I just happened to come accross this forum!!  I am sooooo thankful I did!  I was researching, AGAIN, about these overwhelming cravings I have, and that is how I found this forum.  I can't believe I finally found other people who can relate to these cravings I've been experiencing for some time now!!  To be honest, the few people I have shared this "problem" with really do think I'm crazy!!!!  I have yet (until now) found anyone that can even begin to understand how or why I crave the things I do.  I believe I started having these cravings for about 2 years now, and maybe more!

I'm embarassed to say that just talking about these cravings here is making my mouth water!  I think the very first cravings I started having were for fuel.  I especially LOVE the smell of diesel fuel before it is burned in a vehicle, but I also love the fumes that come from a diesel truck of any kind.  I also love the smell of other fuels about as well now, such as gasoline and kerosine!!  I don't just love them-----I LOVE them, and I desperately want to eat them!!  I also find that I love the smell of fresh cut wood, such as you would find in the lumber isle of Home Depot, etc.  I have even stopped at Home Depot just to walk through the lumber isle and smell the wood, all the while salivating!!  I also want to eat the wood, and I try to think of ways that I can do this without harming myself.  I sit and daydream of eating sawdust that is soaked with gasoline!!  I have told my son and my husband this, and they seem very concerned.  I have assured them that I will not eat anything harmful, but to be honest, sometimes the cravings are so overwhelming that I think I HAVE to eat something to satisfy my cravings.  My cravings now include MARKERS, certain kinds of DIRT (just by the way it looks to me), lots of chemical smells, such as CLEANING PRODUCTS.  I also crave the smell of WOOD STAIN, too!!  There is a shop some miles from my house that sells Amish made oak furniture.  When you go in that shop, you get a strong smell of stain!  It makes my mouth water, and I feel like I want to lick the furniture!  Also, another craving that is just as powerful as the rest is ASPHALT (blacktop)!!!  I want to inhale it and eat it!  Whenever I went through a construction area this summer where they were laying asphalt, I would roll my window down and take deep breaths to inhale every bit of the fumes I could!

My cravings are so bad I try to think of places I can go to smell the things I crave!!  I get bottles of cleaner out of the cupboard and smell them over and over again.  I think the biggest problem is, though, that smelling never seems to be enough.  As I said before, I want to EAT these things.  I even want to feel certain textures between my teeth while I'm chewing them!

I am a vegetarian but not totally vegan, as I do use milk and eggs in baking.  I also eat cheese, but I don't eat any red meat, poultry, or seafood!  I am cold all the time, and people have told me before that I am probably anemic.  I am terrified to go to the doctor for ANY reason, so I have never been tested for anemia!  The whole doctor thing is a huge issue of it's own, but I really am a normal person!  I'm so glad to find out that I am not alone with these cravings!  They are much more powerful than most people could ever understand, and these cravings are with me EVERY single day, all day long.  Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone!

[Lisadel]

Oh my goodness!  I thought I was the only one who experienced this wierd need to smell Pine-sol, Seabreeze facial astringent, Vicks vapor rub, gasoline, magic markers, and tea tree oil.  I feel like a drug addict because I will stand and smell these things hoping nobody sees me.  I would be so embarrassed.  Fortunately, I don't want to eat these products.  However, I do feel like sniffing sometimes isn't enough.  I don't feel  loopy after sniffing these items, but I do feel better after taking several whiffs.  I have previously been checked for anemia, but that came up negative.  So, what other reason could there be for these crazy - and sometimes insatiable - smell cravings?

[steve80]

maybe cravings for such substances are due to all the artificial highly potent flavor/smelling stuff in our food these days o_O perhaps some persons' bodies get confused :-D  while others just might have smelled those things since their childhood, aquired a taste for it and subconsciously associate these smells with something positive. I mean... why not. Lots of people even like the taste of burned tobacco, while everyone who tries first in youth (or childhood nowadays...) has to force himself to get used to it because it's disgusting :-D If one can aquire a taste for smoke, why not all the other things listed... Doesn't seem particularly weird to me, in comparison to people who voluntarily inhale gaseous residues of burned substances.
*just making wild guesses* :-)

As a child I liked the smell of a particular brand of "lighter petrol" hehe. But not so much that I wanted to sniff it for its own sake.

[soccermom14]

I am not pregnant.  I am in my 30's.  I am overweight.  I am not anemic.  I have a lot of anxiety.  And, I crave the most unusual smells.  I am addicted to the scent of permanent markers, gasoline, sulphur phosphates, Pine Sol, bleach, Gain detergent, diesel exhaust, dust, tire stores, just about anything that has a harsh fume to it.  I don't crave sweet smells.  I used to crave sweet smells like shampoos, perfumes, potpourri, years ago in my 20's.  When I was pregnant years ago, I craved dirt and Pine Sol like crazy!  But, now, for some reason--- I cannot fascinate myself enough with the "fume" smells that so many products emit!  I don't sniff them to get high.  I don't want to eat them, though I've dabbed a touch of Gain detergent on my tongue to see if it would relieve my addiction to the smell.  I like to take cleaners with bleach and spray them on a paper towel and smell it.  I have to take it with me sometimes, before traveling far.  I cannot keep myself from looking under the bathroom sinks of my friends' houses, to see if I can find something to take a whiff of.  I keep a marker in my pocket and purse all the time, and no matter where I go, I have to have it.  I like to pull over and smell it, but I'm embarassed that someone is going to see me.  The other day I put the tip of the marker in my mouth to see what it tasted like. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good, either.  If I knew that Pine Sol wouldn't kill me, I'd drink it.  

What is this?  I've done research.  I don't know if it's PICA or not and if it is, is there anything to do about it?  This is a growing problem, from what I've discovered.  Is there research on this topic being checked out?  

[snneely]

wow,,, I am so relieved. my family thinks im crazy. i just recently started having the urge to sniff at first Ajax cleaner. I love it so much i would inhale the can until i'd choke from the particles mouth. ivealways loved the smell of gasoline, but not as much as i do now.
my sister accidentally got attacked at the gas pump and got her sweater and jeans soaked with it. she came home and immediately gave me the sweater off her back bcuz i begged for it so much. i wanna sniff rubbing alcohol until i cant sniff anymore. problem is, when i smell these fumes..i'm never satisfied. ive been wanting for a while now to be in the midst of any chemical that has a powdery-like texture. that will leave a cloud of heavy dust or smoke. i wanna be right in the middle of it..inhaling.
yes, i could sniff these fumes all day. yes, i cant get enough. but the only difference with me is that i enjoy it so much i find myself getting turned on by it. ( as weird as that may sound)
unbeknownst to me i began  making moaning sounds. im getting turned on just thinking about it. things like clorox disenfecting wipes, rubbing alcohol, ajax, gasoline, bathroom cleaners, and sometimes even powder(bcuz of the dusty, smoke type texure.
i want these urges to go away. but in a weird way, i dont!!!

im 24..female. at first i thought i was pregnant but im not. at least now i know what to tell my doctor to check for. thanks alot!!

[juliagulia0304]

I am having problems with Anemia. My doctor has put me on HUGE iron pills and We've even been talking about blood transfusion. But i find myself EATING ICE. when i work at the mall I always go to starbucks and get a VENTI glass full of ice and when i'm working at the nursing home i keep my water bottle full of ice. it's ridiculous.

I have this face wash taht when i am washing my face it smells sooo good i want to eat it and it scares me half to death. But the doctor says it's just because i'm low on iron.

[Snooky0049]

I just looked up PICA and some of the symptoms seem to match what people are writing about here. However, it is a diagnoses for 'eating non food items'. I have not (like many of you here) eaten the things that I crave to smell. PICA also does not mention smell at all. Also there is quite a lot of causes, from (the easiest to cure) Iron deficiencies to mental diseases. I am like the rest of you 'normal' functioning. I printed off the messages and I am taking it to my doctor. Hopefully she will be able to help.

[pardus]

i also have these cravings sometimes particularly for chalk, wet cement and such....but unlike most of you i'm male and i eat fairly well with no restrictions to anything...i also work out and was wondering if these cravings were a way of my body telling me that i need to consume particular nutrients for muscle growth or growth in general as im only 19??

any ideas?

[zinclady]

I have been doing a lot of research on zinc deficiency and an important first sign is loss of smell, as well as pica and many other odd cravings. Zinc is so basic to our body’s functioning (enzymes, reproduction, digestion, brain, immune system, and much more) that even a mild deficiency causes major problems in every bodily system-including hair loss, both obesity and anorexia, depression, acne, all dental problems, and much more. Zinc is lost from our bodies from chemicals, sugar (zinc is a component of insulin, and is lost every time we eat sugar!) and processed foods. Someone mentioned diet soda-every ingredient depletes zinc! Zinc is in all sources of protein, so we should all have enough, but there are so many chemicals that we’re exposed to-preservatives, taste enhancers, pesticides, metals, food dyes, solvents, medications, estrogens, etc.-that we’re probably all at least somewhat low in zinc, and teens, young adults and elderly may be quite low. To pardus-zinc is absolutely required for building muscles-check out ZMA (but they should be adding copper to protect the heart, prevent premature white hair and much more).
Many of the cravings mentioned here-ice, sand, clay, concrete, soil and chalk-are definitely from a mineral deficiency.  A deficiency in zinc leads to an imbalance of metals: low usable copper, which leads to low blood iron (as someone mentioned) as well as high storage iron (dangerous).  Heavy metals can accumulate in zinc deficiency because zinc normally takes them out of the body, and heavy metals then displace zinc further. Someone I know with ADHD, who is low in zinc, also craves strong smells, like deodorants, gasoline, lighter fluid, air fresheners, cleaning products, so I believe these cravings are from a mineral imbalance, probably with some accumulation of heavy metals (which all Americans have to some extent).
Zinc and copper are our protective minerals in many ways, and they help us properly digest our food so we can get all our other nutrients, including minerals like iron, B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin A. I think everyone should be taking at least some zinc and copper, along with a tablespoon of cod liver oil (vitamin D and fatty acids are necessary for zinc absorption) and boron (helps with copper and protects teeth!). Take zinc and copper (they both must be taken or else zinc lowers copper) at least 2 hours apart: 25 to 50 mg zinc and 3 to 5 mg copper. Also, no high doses of vitamin C or calcium-they displace zinc. Also, cut way back on sugar/processed foods, especially soda, and eat lots of pumpkin seeds, seafood and beans! All my friends and family are taking zinc and copper now and there’s been some great results, so I really think this will help. Be patient though, it can take up to 2 years to correct a zinc deficiency.

[Niffer991]

The craving for things like paint and dirt is usually from a deficiency in either Vitamin D or Calcium. Your doctor can have these tested so ask and find out where you are at.

Good Luck

[celticgal]

wat do i do i have aneamia and not do i only crave this wierd stuff ive been eating it since 2 years bt only very small amounts and i stopped for ages bewteen these two years.

sometimes going to the toilet is hard especially when im menstruating.

i want to tell a doctor bt i dnt no what to do and what will the doctor do to me or say?
what should i tell my doctor? im so scared

plz plz help me guys!!!!

thnku soo much

celtic

[Northcoast]

Celtic,  just tell your doctor what you are experiencing.  I'm sure he or she has heard it ALL before.  You can even admit to the doctor that you are embarrassed and scared by this so you want to address it head on.  Make a list of things you want to ask before you go into the doctor so you can refer to it.  Everything is going to be just fine!  But you have to take that first step and call for an appointment.  Good luck!

[Tyra76]

WOW!! I am not from another planet! I have told all of my family and friends about my cravings and they think I am crazy, my boyfriend even told me that I was doing it for attention. My biggest cravings are vapor rub, moth balls, pine-sol, finger nail polish and cedar but all the other things mentioned, I love too!  I have to admit, I have went the extra mile, I have been eating vapor rub on a regular basis for over a year. I started having to carry it with me all the time and then after a while, I couldnt resist it anymore!! I had to taste it! It was the most wonderful thing that I had ever tasted! Just commenting on it, I am having to eat it because my mouth is watering. I could just take a moth ball and dip it in vapor rub and have a glass of pin-sol along with it and be in hog heaven! I havent tried anything oraly except for the vapor rub, I just hope that I can continue to fight it off. Coal is another thing, its not the smell but just the fact that when I chew it, it leaves gritt in my mouth. Ice is another thing that I cant get enough of. I have had problems with my iron and I am on a anti-deppresent called Effexor, I am a white female, 32 years of age. I also have social anxiety problems. Does anyone else crave moth balls?

[donnabarlow]

I was driven to the emergency room yesterday.  I thought I was dying.  After being there for hours.  They said I was anemic.  I had lost 1/2 of my blood count.  They wanted to transfuse me.  I chose iron supplements.  Well, I said that to say, that explains my TWO super cravings.  I had to have extra PICKLES on my double cheese burger.  And I hate pickles.  I don't recall when it began, but the craving was there.  Now for the ultimate super craving.  Sniffing gas.  I had it for the last month or so.  I got to have it.  I want it now. At the gas station I would sit in my car with the door open and inhale the fumes with great concentration.  When I would get home at night (dark so no one would see me) open my gas tank and sniff as much fumes as would come out.  I crave gas in the morning, day, and night.  What makes it so bad, I like the cravings.  This has to be damaging in some way.

[gurleygirl]

I have the same story as most of you but have found healthier ways to somewhat curb the cravings. I crave wood shavings, soil and if I see a pile of cement, dirt, sand etc. at a construction site my mouth waters endlessly. So I started eating things that come straight from the soil and have that "dirt" taste associated with it such as, celery and radishes. The best thing by far though is the rosemary and basil that I've planted in my back yard! The second my mouth starts to water I run out to the yard, pick some leaves and chew away! It doesn't get rid of it totally but it works better than anything else and it's healthy! Try it, you won't be sorry!

[gurleygirl]

I have the same story as most of you but have found healthier ways to somewhat curb the cravings. I crave wood shavings, soil and if I see a pile of cement, dirt, sand etc. at a construction site my mouth waters endlessly. So I started eating things that come straight from the soil and have that "dirt" taste associated with it such as, celery and radishes. The best thing by far though is the rosemary and basil that I've planted in my back yard! The second my mouth starts to water I run out to the yard, pick some leaves and chew away! It doesn't get rid of it totally but it works better than anything else and it's healthy! Try it, you won't be sorry!

[gurleygirl]

I have the same story as most of you but have found healthier ways to somewhat curb the cravings. I crave wood shavings, soil and if I see a pile of cement, dirt, sand etc. at a construction site my mouth waters endlessly. So I started eating things that come straight from the soil and have that "dirt" taste associated with it such as, celery and radishes. The best thing by far though is the rosemary and basil that I've planted in my back yard! The second my mouth starts to water I run out to the yard, pick some leaves and chew away! It doesn't get rid of it totally but it works better than anything else and it's healthy! Try it, you won't be sorry!

[gurleygirl]

I have the same story as most of you but have found healthier ways to somewhat curb the cravings. I crave wood shavings, soil and if I see a pile of cement, dirt, sand etc. at a construction site my mouth waters endlessly. So I started eating things that come straight from the soil and have that "dirt" taste associated with it such as, celery and radishes. The best thing by far though is the rosemary and basil that I've planted in my back yard! The second my mouth starts to water I run out to the yard, pick some leaves and chew away! It doesn't get rid of it totally but it works better than anything else and it's healthy! Try it, you won't be sorry!

[mebchiln]

the felling  of wanting to eat dirt smell dirt or dirt like suplment. is not an  unplesant to me i did have this feeling one time before when was pregent not only did i want to eat dirt i needed to smell it.!! seafood was a craving also as well a a lot of veg. and fruit . not that didnt  like or have anything to do with this things anyway but having a child made the want or need more .... if u know what i mean ...!!! i am now 41  and no im NOT>>>!!! PREGANT!!!  so im wondering if it has any thing to do with the change ?? and if so WHAT FROM HERE..!!?????

[Tapryal]

I went to India where one of my relatives had severe craving for  raw rice for years. She also felt tired. She had tied many things but without much relief. I gave her following treatment with instant relief with one treatment.
1- Intravenous Iron sucrose 200 mg in 250 ml saline over 45 minutes.
2- Intravenous Magnesium Chloride/ Zinc/ Selenium/ Iodine- in 250 ml over 2 hours. It is a symptom of a multi mineral deficiency.
3- Continued oral supplement- containing these items as follow up maintenance.
Years of symptoms disappeared in one day.
You cannot do the above IV on your own but oral treatment is available at one month course costing $110.00 . with money back guarantee.
Fax [phone].

[Michelle2899]

I love to eat paper!! The taste is great I always wondered why I crave paper??

[Josie2306]

I too have had weird cravings for smells....I've found myself wandering thru Lowe's smelling the wood.  I've bought the big black markers to scribble on paper and keep in my car for the smell.....finally I went to the doctor and found out my iron is very low.  Also my potassium and B-12 are low.  My thyroid is off.  I am going to start taking a Rx of Iron and I need to give myself shots of B-12 weekly.  

[plumstonedandpolished]

My mouth is defiantly watering, ive always had these cravings, and i embrace them, although i don't give in, i do think a lot about them: dirt, Ajax, and blood. It's not like a hunger, it is just an urge, an odd want for absorption of smell, texture, minerals, and i don't even know! My finger tips curl as well as my toes in their shoes, their want is more powerful than my control, always restraining my fists to my sides in embarrassment and slap of sanity.
It's unexplainable really, very odd, but very obsessing. I also don't like to eat processes food, people may call me a "health nut" but I really do just like those foods, ive always been this way and never really fit in before it was the "cool thing to do" in higher level high school/college.

[doody06]

I am so glad I found this? It started when i was pregnant with my last 2 kids, i had to have that stupid vivks nose inhaler, omg, i never went anywhere without it, then i started sniffing sharpies, you know the metal ones! YUMMY! I stay up late and when my husband and kids r in bed, i sniff away! I get so scarded i will wake up with a nose full of black marker, explain that one?  Thank god i havent gotten caught yet. I cant help it, i started to stick the marker in my mouth and suck the marker? WTF????? omg heaven. i dont do it to get high, but this one time i got dizzy! I am really worried, one day i loked at my "life saver markers" and i threw them out..... ok i suffered. o the agony.....so i went 2 weeks without anything, then i pumped gas and the smell,  it was so good, i stuck my finger in the tank, i acted like i was wiping it , then i said o let me get a paper towel, so it looks like im cleaning it off, i sniffed it all the way home. now im sniffing paint from under my sink that has been for years. im really getting nervious.

[kissbug26]

So does anyone know if there has been scientific and/or medical research about any of this???

[btvs2678]

I have low iron due to a very heavy menstrual bleeding and I am just like the rest of you (which makes me feel a bit less crazy). I have the weirdest cravings when my iron get really low.I crave paper. Not just any old paper, I want the brown paper towel the most but, I also want brown paper bags, and cardboard. I L-O-V-E to chew on brown paper towel. I do sometimes swallow it but, usually chewing it does the trick. I gets so bad that everytime I am in a bathroom with the brown paper towels in it, i have to have some. I salavate just thinking about it. I even keep some in my purse. I also love the smell of  permanent mark to the point of wanting to eat it. I have the same problem with Windex, and other glass cleaners. I know that once my iron level gets back up the cravings for paper and certain smells goes away but, when it is low, those cravings take over my life.

[Weesy68]

Yes, PICA is very specific to iron deficiency anemia.  They do have odd cravings, like dirt or ice.  Ice seems to be the most common.  It may go with other deficiencies as well, but PICA is a symptom of iron deficiency anemia which is the most severe form of anemia.  There are two kinds of anemia and they are important to differentiate.  The best test for ID anemia is through ferritin levels not hemoglobin and hematocrit.  Vegetarians are most often the people who suffer from iron deficiency anemia because of the lack of iron in their diets, but it is also caused by malnutrition as well as internal bleeding so it needs to be checked.  I have it right now and I was not a vegetarian and have never been.  I also tested perfectly normal on my hemoglobin and my hematocrit.  Low normal but normal.  When they tested my ferritin levels, because more symptoms were appearing, I had a level of 18.  If you look on the internet at the credible sites, most will treat for levels under 20 at the least, but studies showed symptoms like restless leg will appear at levels below 50.  My mother in her 60s had a ferritin level in the 50s.  That is how different our levels were.  At 18 I had very cold hands and feet and was layering my clothing and putting on extra blankets and sleeping fully clothed in sweats at night and the temperature was in the 60s.  It will make you feel horrible.  I would wake up at 6:45, get my kids up for school, grab a quilt and lay on the couch in the front room so I could say bye to them as they left for school.  It was that bad, and I felt like a terrible mom.  It is important not to take iron unless you have your iron checked.

To put it simply, the hemoglobin and hematocrit only show what is circulating in your blood.  Your ferritin is your total body iron stores so it shows what you have available as backup.  Your hematocrit and hemoglobin will appear normal if your iron stores are having to release their backups in order to keep you going because that's the point of having backup.  In ID anemia those values will eventually drop when you have used up all your stores and you now have no emergency backup either.  Then you will feel extremely ill and probably end up in the hospital.  When your ferritin is low you will be hard pressed to get extra energy when you need it for exercise or just simply living.  If you are tired often and you're having these cravings or the symptoms I've had I would suggest you have the ferritin checked, and don't be surprised if your doctor isn't familiar with the value of a ferritin test because too many rely on the hematocrit and hemoglobin, which basically means that you aren't going to get help until you are at that crisis level.  

I guarantee your local health department does know about ferritin, and so does the National Institutes of Health and other credible institutions, so if your doctor won't check, find a doctor who will.  I tell you this because after having been treated with a supplement (mine happens to be Chromagen Forte, but you can also take an over the counter) I have seen a huge difference.   My hands are no longer pale all the time.  They actually have blood in them.  My Raynaud's which came on around the same time as the anemia also seems to be resolving.  Warm showers felt so good because the blood would go into my hands and feet.  I still have a ways to go before my stores are built up but I can tell you personally that iron deficiency anemia is not a walk in the park, and you do not have to have very low levels to begin having symptoms.  Some people can go very low without symptoms while others will notice it below 20 ng/ul, which was my case.  Ferritin is one of the lab values they test when someone complains of restless leg syndrome.  If it helps anyone, my hair is finally beginning to show improvement as well after I have complained for five years of it falling out to no avail from the docs.  Sorry to be so long but if this post helps anyone, then I'll be happy.  Please don't supplement with iron without knowing what your levels are as you can get iron toxicity.

[Jateime]

Join the Cornstarch Discussion Group it is for people with PICA.   You will find that a lot of the people there have the same desires and cravings like you.  

Here is a link:  Cornstarch-***@****

The Cornstarch Discussion Group
Do you eat “NON-FOOD/Non Nutritional" items such as ice, dirt, clay, laundry starch, cornstarch, etc., then you may be have PICA, a craving for non-food items. This discussion group is for anyone who has PICA or has a partner, friend, or child dealing with it. PICA can affect anyone. Unfortunately, too many of people are embarrassed to discuss it even with anyone. Here you may share your experiences, there is no need to be embarrassed . . . YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Remember, PICA is a medical disorder and should be diagnosed and treated by your physician. PLEASE SEEK HELP! . . .

"ALL ARE WELCOME HERE!"

ALL THAT IS ASKED OF YOU IS THAT YOU DO NOT USE ANY PROFANITY, WORDS, OR PHRASES THAT WILL OFFEND OTHER MEMBERS.

[sue98]

Could you please post the Cornstarch link again!  I am very interested in checking it out!  Is it on this website or another.  I don't understand the link.  Thanks!

I haven't posted in a long time, but my cravings are still with me EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!!!  They never go away, and if anything, they are worse!

[MTsoccermom]

Only just recently I started having these really strange cravings again.  It all started about 9 years ago when I was pregnant with my son and for some odd reason, I HAD to sniff my mom's menthol cigarette box.  Not just take a little whiff but literally hold the box under my nose and deeply inhale.  Then to suppliment my "craving" I ate menthol-lyptus cough drops.  I just tossed it off as pregnancy hormones.  Now 9 years later, here we go again.  I am not pregnant however.  I have to inhale the unsmoked pack of menthol (and even box a pack of smokes to help).  In addition to sniffing, I now dry-smoke a menthol and am addicted to Vick's Vapor Rub.  It even gets so bad that I have to dry smoke, rub vicks on my chest, and chew on a menthol cough drop.  My hubby swears I'm weird and if that's not the worst part, I am also addicted to Sea Salt.  (weird I know)  I bought a sea salt grinder, popped off the grinder part and just started munching on the salt everyday.  Eventually I ran out and just had to buy more.  What is wrong with me and I'm so glad to see I'm not the only one who feels like a freak.  

[encelia]

OMG there are other chemical craver non junkies out there.  My issue just recently began.  I ended 8 months of chemo and radiation and I have noticed the same smells that would have sent me puking.. I now absolutely crave.  Windex, the very first moment of a burned match, clorox scented bleach wipes, rubbing alcohal (alcohol), soil, permanent markers, wood at Home depot, hand sanitizer....I will talk to my doctor about it because this has become a real craving.  I have actually thought of scenarios to clean so I can smell these things.  I found myself using the hand sanitizer at the grocery store register several times because I liked the alcohal (alcohol) smell.  I also have recently altered my diet to mostly vegetarian, and had a platinum drug which means lots of metal buildup in my body too.

[dalilop]

Asphalt, Asphalt filler, Gasoline, Dirt, amonia, dusty vents...And whatever else is to be discovered.....I chew/eat the line fillers on asphalt. A little digging and it's all mine. The taste is great. I know I must stop, but how??? The ice eating helps a little. Yikes!!

[rosemarygirl]

See your doctors and to help in the mean time, I really like crunching dried rosemary. It's good for you and you can keep a small spice jar of it in your purse.  If anyone asks, you use it to freshen your breath, which of course it will do quite well.

[quake50]

I am slightly anemic, and I have cravings for chewing wet towels, it's gross and embarassing to tell. I guess i should tal to my Dr about it?

[SonnyC]

Once upon a time, I was craving clove oil, the kind that is used for tooth pain. The next day I read that it kills microbes, and it struck upon me that I had been having a stomach virus the day before.

[chickeroo]

I have always liked strong smells but since having my daughter 6 years ago,it has been overwhelming .Like many here I am glad to see its not just me.My family and friends think I am crazy.The overwhelming need to smell deisel, petrol, disinfectant, pen markers and to stick vicks on my face for half an hour before going to bed drives me insane.It just doesn't get better.I would say its worse.I keep a bottle of tippex handy shoe cleaner etc not for a high but I just need a quick smell.I know it cannot be healthy but I cannot stop.Is there any treatment?I have mentioned to doctor but they just brushed it aside.I am a very anxious person.Could there be a link?

[TheJew88]

I LOVE the taste of dirt, cement, chalk, dry wall and pretty much everything that has to do with the smell :) or taste of dirt! It is so delicious and i don't know why?? Everytime someone hears of my 'condition' they always tell me that i'm lacking in some kind of iron or something. I don't know if they're right or not but i don't care unless someone actually gives me a definent answer or unless they tell me i can get that same taste through some kind of harry potter jelly beans or something!  I recently (2 monthes ago) stoped eating (chewing) pieces of cement because i don't want my teeth to chip away and i recemend that anyone eating cement or chewing on rocks STOP! I hate to say that because i love the taste so much, but think of you teeth in the long run. ....... That is why i'm looking for an alternative to dirt or what have you.  It tastes so good that there has to be something out there that isn't as harmful!!! Please I want something!!

[Comet_Cleaner]

OMG!!! Here I thought I was the only one to crave weird non food items...
Im 32 weeks now and my whole pregnancy I've had a craving for something, at first I thought something to eat but then I found out that what I really craved is Comet Cleaner... I sit at my desk at work all day waiting for it to be time to go home and clean my tubs and toilets, sinks etc. I get this weird excitement when I sprinkle the powder and add a little water it turns into a paste ... OOhhhh I just love it!!!  With my first pregnancy I had a craving for Gain detergent (powder)... And that one I actually ate... My husband thinks I'm going nuts!!!! lol

[Whearr00]

OMG! I have these same symptoms! I crave the smell of any cleaners, bleach, chlorine, gasoline, exhaust fumes and I am not getting high from these things and dont want to either! But my mouth waters when thinking about these things and when im near them, its all i can do to keep from putting them in my mouth! When we go to the store the first place i go is the cleaning isle... My husband gets mad at me and says i look like a junky but i really cant help it, its an addiction that is just there. I also am anemic and really always have been but what i want to know is why am i anemic? I am the biggest red meat, spinich, and oyster eating woman you've ever seen! and i like me meat raw, in fact my family cant stand to watch me eat red meat bc i eat it barely cooked! It kind of worrys me bc most of you are vegetarian and anemic and i am def. not a vegan. However i have been anemic most of my life, at least since i was 14. Does this mean i have stomach ulcers? I seen one of you write that it could be from heavely bleeding on ur period but my periods are light and usually only about 5 days.... Im not sure what to do?

[amisick87]

ahhhh thank god i thought i was the only one im going out of my mind  whats wrong with me i keep having these crazy cravings for stuff like dirt bleach comet and powder laundry soap i will go spray bleach all day in the bathroom and just smell it i will poor the comet in to the tub and just rub my ands and feet in it all day. i play in the laundry soap everytime i go to wash clothes. i take a shower and i rub the soap on my tounge i use a whole bar of soap when taking a shower not eating it but i love how it feels on me and not any saop mostly dial even tho its breaks me out. i love to eat dirt and sand its something i started as a child when my mother was prego she used to sed us out to get her some dirt so she could eat it and i would eat some before giving it to her. and something i havent dont yet but really want to is lick wer cement i dont know when it rains and the smell of the cement and the rain just does domething to me  and gas omg i loveeee it so much old car gas new caw gas big truck gas i go to the gas station and pump the gas my self i even get a little on my hand or mostly my feet so i can smell it while im driving. and when im showering i have this thing where i like how the towel feels on the back of my tounge i think tho this and hot hot showers calm the cravings for me

[allmymarbles]

You certainly know how to punish yourself. You say in an off-hand manner that you have been anemic all your life. Hello out there.... You are probably missing lots of things. Yes, minerals, of course. Add one tablespoon of liquid trace minerals to a gallon of filtered water and put it in the refrigerator for use. (That should put an end to sniffing construction sites.) That takes care of minerals. Now add a complete vitam supplement and plus additional B's. Vegan diets are off-the-wall in terms of depriving our body of its basic needs. After five years you may have developed serious deficiencies. I understand the appeal of vegetarianism, and I feel that people have too much meat in their diet, but we are omnivores, not herbivores. We need a certain amount of meat. And meat has lots of those lovely B vitamins.

I hear people talk about Indians being vegetarians and how healthy they are. Most people have never known an Indian. Well I have (having spent quite some time in India) and I find them to be irritable, with little stamina. I chalk that up to a shortage of B's, not to a character flaw.

Good luck and bon appetit!

[ron659]

hi i have only just started to get weird cravings for about 2-3 months now, i crave for washing detergents, cleaning detergents, fabric softner exspecially wen ive just washed me clothes i just want to smell and eat the smell so bad, the smell of anything damp, and the freakyest one is having a bath with green radox, dipping my flannel into the water and sucking the water out of it, also the taste of the bubbles. this is not good i know. can someone please give me any advise!!!