ice cube eating?

Question

i eat a lot of ice cubes and people have told me that i have pagophagia, which is the compulsive consumption of ice. i was also told that it could be caused by iron deficiency or diabetes. im would like to know if ice cravings are ALWAYS linked to a health problem. is it possible for healthy people to crave ice for no reason or is there usually something wrong?

Answer 1

there is nothing wrong, i love ice cubes

Answer 2

If I were a doctor, one of the first questions I would ask you is are you thirsty a lot of the time, and do you urinate frequently, like eight to ten times a day? The reason for this, is because thirst and frequent urination are two of the first symptoms of diabetes. Eating ice may be the way you get a lot of water in your body, and in itself, it is certainly not harmful. Maybe you just like the sensation of ice in your mouth -- the coldness and the crunchiness of ice. Certain unusual cravings can be a sign of some deficiencies in your nutrition. That's why pregnant women crave certain unusual foods or beverages. But in your case, that may not be an answer, as you didn't say you were pregnant. What I would recommend is to see your doctor for a complete blood workup. That way, he or she can tell by blood tests whether you are diabetic or if you have an iron or other deficiency. If everything tests out okay, then even if you have an obsessive-compulsive desire to eat ice, just go ahead and enjoy it. It is a comparatively harmless obsession, craving, or whatever your friends choose to call it. It isn't going to hurt you or anyone else, as long as you are given a clean bill of health from your doctor. Good luck!

Answer 3

like everyone else is saying there is nothing wrong with your behavior. a psychologist/psychiatrist would be quick to say that this is a disorder (some manner of obsession) since 1. it is out of the norm and 2. it gives them a job, however there is no biological basis for this (i.e. chemical imbalances and such, which are speculative). the wrong i can see from eating too much ice is either tooth damage (wearing down/making them sensitive--my mom tells me the latter) or water toxicity, but i'd imagine you'd have to eat a large amount of ice to do that.

Answer 4

Human cravings are WAY too complex to link to something that isolated.
Many people who chew on ice simply do it because they like the cool ice in their mouth and they feel of the ice going crunch under their teeth.
They have no health problems, they have no "Anxieties" and they certainly are very normal people.
Crunch away!

Answer 5

I still eat Ice cubes(:

Answer 6

The only connection that eating ice to diabetes would be is thirst. If you are constantly wanting to drink water, this is a good sign you might be diabetic.

I have also know eating ice to be a nervous habit; BAD FOR THE TEETH.

Answer 7

I am not sure you might want to talk to your health care provider and ask. I craved ice when I was pregnant all the time. I ate ice so much I chipped a tooth. So ask your doctor. Good Luck!!!!

Answer 8

Um. I don't understand how eating ice would be connected to a deficiency. It's just water, only frozen. Don't worry about it. Getting plenty of water is good for you, even if you do get a lot of it in ice form.

Answer 9

I heard once, and this is not to be fresh or anything, that it is linked to sexual frustration. Which I don't believe is a health problem as much as it is an annoyance. Also that was about crunching ice, might not be exactly what you mean.

Answer 10

That's a question for your doctor will have the answer to. But other than that there can't be anything wrong except maybe you could damage your teeth if you chew incorrectly. At least your getting your daily requirement of water.

Answer 11

Ice eating can be a symptom of some deficiency. It may just be a habit.