Our findings have shown that soil was mainly consumed to satisfy a specific craving for soil, which is in accordance to previous findings that soil is rather craved and not eaten as a last resort.
23 The craving for soil is the main factor for geophagists to pursue the consumption. T
he intensity of craving for soil can be compared with the one for alcohol or cigarettes, which are in accordance with previous findings.
23 Geophagists even see themselves as addicted to soil and any disruption of the consumption can cause withdrawal symptoms such as sweating and nervousness, which have been described previously.
49 According to the American Psychiatric Association, the eating of nonnutritive, nonfood substances must be developmentally inappropriate (Criterion B) and not part of a culturally supported or socially normative practice (Criterion C).
50 However, our results have shown that nonpregnant women and men did not suffer from an eating disorder, but rather from a withdrawal syndrome. Therefore, geophagy should not be seen as an eating disorder, such as pica. According to our results, soil can be consumed as a “natural stimulant” to improve the mood. This might be in conformity to previous findings that soil may be consumed as a response to psychological stress.
51 Experimental geophagy in rats contributed to a significant improvement in behavioral parameters, confirming the antistress effects of the use of natural ingredients.
52