What is allotrophagia: Tarrare’s disorder that made him eat anything

2023-05-27 00:33:19

It is said that no one has manifested such a great need for food as Tarrare, one of the most disturbing characters of the story that he possessed such a voracious appetite, that it led him to eat everything. Discover what is allotrophagia, Tarrare’s disorder that made him eat anything.

Who was Tarrare?

Tarrare was born in 1772, in a town in Lyon, in France. It is unknown if Tarrate It was his real name or a nickname, since there is not much information about his last names or the origin of his parents. What is known is that from a very young age he showed signs of allotrophagya strange disease that causes a exaggerated appetite, that does not calm down even if it takes one constant food intake.

After the abandonment of his parents for not being able to satisfy his nutritional needsTarrare lived for a time on the street, eating what he could to avoid starve to death, This is how he discovered that he could turn his condition into a way of earning a living, challenging people to eat anything to earn some coins.

What is allotrophagy: Tarrare’s disorder that made him eat anything / Photo: Getty Images

The story tells that Tarrare had an insatiable appetite, despite ingesting large amounts of food, including raw meat, buckets full of apples, dead animals, and even inedible objects such as glass, nails, candles, and coins, to name a few.

In the last months of his life, he contracted tuberculosis and it only lasted a few months because the intense diarrhea they ended their life. However, before he died, the doctors of the time diagnosed allotrophiaa strange condition that, although it allowed him to eat anything, constantly showed signs of starvation

What is allotrophagy?

The Allotrophagia or Pica syndromeit’s a eating disorder It can especially affect children. According to the University of Navarra Clinic, the main characteristic is that the person who suffers from it suffers a irrepressible desire to ingest less nutritious substances, objects or food, for example, glue, pieces of paper, plastic, dirt, whatever can satisfy the appetite.

What is allotrophagy: Tarrare’s disorder that made him eat anything/ Photo: iStock

When consuming substances that lack a Nutritional value, it is possible that the person puts his health at risk. Currently, it is estimated that this type of disorder corresponds to between 4 and 26% of the population worldwide.

Some causes of allotrophagy are the nutritional disorders, mental illnesses and psychological problems. According to specialists, it is important to treat this type of disorder as soon as it is suspected to avoid complications, such as increasing the risk of suffering gastrointestinal diseases or social maladjustment.

What are the symptoms of allotrophagy?

The behavior pattern of a person with allotrophagia characterized by a persistent need to eat inappropriate substances, not very nutritious for the level of development of the person, preference for unusual substances such as earth, ice, paper, hair, ashes, chalk, mattress foam, among others.

What is allotrophagy: Tarrare’s disorder that made him eat anything/ Photo: iStock

On the other hand, they can develop emotional difficulties or behavioral, such as anxiety, developmental disorders, or autism spectrum disorders. The intake of non-food substances can lead to medical complications, such as poisoning, intestinal obstructions, tooth damage, nutritional deficiencies, infections or poisoning.

now that you know what is allotrophagyperhaps you no longer feel that it is so terrifying the history of Tarrare and you could even understand how difficult it was to live with this condition and be rejected by society.

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