# Blood and Skin: Eating Problem?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 1, 2001, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713 "2001-10-01T03:16:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![d12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@d12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d12)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713/1 "2001-10-01T03:16:44Z")

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Lately I’ve aquired a taste for my own blood (from scabs) as well as all that bulky skin from the bottom on my big toes. I like to chew/play with it in my mouth. Am I a Canibal? Do I have problems that should be addressed?

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713/2 "2001-10-01T14:04:58Z")

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You almost certainly have a vitamin deficiency, most likely an iron deficiency. Take vitamins for a week, see if you stop doing it.

Eating odd things like chalk and charcoal (and scabs and dead skin) is called “pica” and is a symptom of anemia.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713/3 "2001-10-01T14:30:22Z")

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do you bite your nails?

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713/4 "2001-10-01T14:45:35Z")

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**DDG** , don’t be so certain. _autophagy_, or eating of oneself does not have such a high correlation with iron deficiency as eating of clay. It may have a higher association with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2001, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blood-and-skin-eating-problem/84713/5 "2001-10-01T14:48:14Z")

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Also, blood just tastes good.