What Causes a Person to Crave Soil? The Link to Pica

November 28, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2025 review in BMC Oral Health, craving non-nutritive substances like soil is strongly associated with underlying nutritional deficiencies, particularly anemia. This unusual compulsion, known as pica, can cause a person to crave soil and is often linked to the body's attempt to self-correct a mineral imbalance.

Quick Summary

This article explores the reasons behind the compulsion to eat soil (geophagia), focusing on links to nutritional deficiencies, pregnancy, and mental health issues. It also covers the associated health risks and treatment options.

Key Points

Iron Deficiency Anemia: The most common cause for craving soil is an iron deficiency, with the craving often subsiding once iron levels are normalized with supplements.
Pica is the Underlying Disorder: The compulsive ingestion of non-food items like soil is formally known as pica, and geophagia is the specific term for eating earth.
Associated with Pregnancy: Pica, including soil cravings, is common during pregnancy due to increased nutritional demands and hormonal changes.
Psychological and Developmental Links: Stress, anxiety, and certain mental health conditions like OCD or intellectual disabilities can also cause pica behavior.
Health Risks are Significant: Eating soil can lead to serious complications, including parasitic infections, lead poisoning, intestinal blockages, and dental damage.
Treatment Addresses the Root Cause: Addressing the underlying nutritional deficiency, using behavioral therapy, and treating associated mental health issues are the primary strategies for managing and resolving pica.
Cultural Practices can Play a Role: In some cultures, geophagia is a socially accepted practice, often linked to traditional beliefs about medicinal properties, though it carries health risks.

Understanding Pica and Geophagia

Geophagia, the specific term for eating earth, soil, or clay, is a type of pica. Pica is an eating disorder characterized by a compulsive desire to consume non-food items that have no nutritional value. While it can affect anyone, pica is most commonly observed in young children, pregnant women, and individuals with intellectual disabilities or certain mental health conditions. The motivations behind this behavior are complex and can stem from a variety of physiological, psychological, and cultural factors.

Nutritional Deficiencies: The Primary Driver

One of the most widely accepted theories for why a person develops an urge to eat soil is an underlying nutritional deficiency. The body's craving for soil can be a sign that it is attempting to replenish low levels of certain vitamins and minerals.

Iron Deficiency (Anemia): This is one of the most common deficiencies associated with geophagia, particularly in pregnant women. The act of chewing or eating soil may provide a temporary sensation that the body associates with nutrient replenishment, even if the soil does not provide a bioavailable source of iron.
Zinc and Calcium Deficiencies: Other mineral imbalances, such as low levels of zinc or calcium, have also been linked to pica. In some cultures, certain types of clay are believed to be rich in minerals, and consumption is thought to be a way to supplement the diet, though this is not a medically recommended practice.

Psychological Factors and Comorbid Conditions

Beyond simple nutritional causes, psychological factors can play a significant role in causing a person to crave soil. These drivers often point to underlying mental health conditions or stress-induced behaviors.

Stress and Anxiety: Pica can serve as a coping mechanism for individuals experiencing significant stress or anxiety. The repetitive nature of the behavior or the texture of the soil may provide a temporary sense of comfort or relief from emotional distress.
Mental Health Disorders: Conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, and intellectual disabilities are frequently associated with pica. For these individuals, the behavior can be a compulsive act or a manifestation of other neurological issues.
Sensory Stimulation: For some, particularly those on the autism spectrum, the taste or texture of the soil is stimulating or pleasant, which reinforces the desire to eat it.

Other Potential Causes

Several other factors can contribute to or exacerbate the desire to eat soil:

Pregnancy: Hormonal changes and the increased demand for nutrients during pregnancy are well-known triggers for pica, with geophagia being a common manifestation. Some pregnant women also report eating soil to help with nausea or stomach discomfort.
Cultural Practices: In certain cultures, consuming specific clays is a traditional practice believed to have medicinal or ceremonial properties. This learned behavior can be passed down through generations.
Malnourishment: In some resource-limited areas, or due to a restrictive diet, extreme hunger can lead individuals to eat non-food substances like soil to feel full.

Comparison of Potential Causes for Geophagia


Cause	Description	At-Risk Population	Associated Risks
Nutritional Deficiency	Cravings triggered by a lack of essential minerals like iron, zinc, or calcium, signaling the body to seek replenishment.	Pregnant women, individuals with anemia, malnutrition, and restrictive diets.	Inadequate absorption of nutrients, potential poisoning from toxins in the soil.
Mental Health Conditions	Compulsive behavior arising from conditions such as OCD, schizophrenia, or developmental disabilities.	Individuals with pre-existing mental health diagnoses or cognitive impairments.	Potential for severe and long-lasting pica behavior, requiring targeted therapeutic intervention.
Psychosocial Stress	Using geophagia as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, or trauma, particularly in childhood.	Children experiencing neglect or abuse, adults with high stress levels.	Social isolation and the development of unhealthy long-term coping strategies.
Cultural Norms	Inherited traditions where specific clays or earths are consumed for ceremonial, medicinal, or perceived aesthetic benefits.	Members of cultures where geophagia is an accepted practice.	Risk of consuming toxic heavy metals or parasites depending on the source of the soil.

Health Risks Associated with Eating Soil

Regardless of the root cause, consuming soil can pose significant health risks. The potential dangers far outweigh any unproven benefits and necessitate medical evaluation.

Infections: Ingesting soil can expose an individual to various parasites (like hookworms), bacteria, and other pathogens, leading to parasitic infestations or severe infections.
Poisoning: Contaminated soil can contain toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, or arsenic. Long-term exposure can cause heavy metal poisoning, leading to neurological damage and other severe health issues.
Gastrointestinal Complications: The ingestion of indigestible materials can lead to digestive tract problems, including constipation, abdominal pain, intestinal blockages, or even bowel perforation. Some types of clay can also bind with nutrients in the stomach, further hindering absorption and worsening nutritional deficiencies.
Dental Damage: The gritty, hard nature of soil can cause significant damage to teeth, leading to excessive abrasion, cracks, or enamel erosion over time.

Seeking Professional Help

If you or someone you know is craving or eating soil, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional. A doctor can perform tests, such as blood work, to identify any underlying nutritional deficiencies, infections, or poisoning. In many cases, addressing the deficiency, particularly with iron supplements, leads to the cessation of pica behaviors. If the cause is psychological, therapy and behavioral interventions are often recommended. Treatment plans are tailored to the individual's specific circumstances and underlying issues. Early intervention is key to preventing potentially life-threatening complications.

Conclusion

Understanding what causes a person to crave soil is the first step toward effective treatment. While the compulsive desire, known as geophagia, can be a complex manifestation of psychological stress or cultural traditions, it is most often a direct symptom of underlying nutritional deficits, such as iron deficiency anemia. Rather than an adaptive behavior, eating soil is a high-risk practice that exposes individuals to infections, heavy metal poisoning, and other serious health issues. For anyone experiencing these cravings, seeking a medical evaluation is the safest and most effective course of action to diagnose the root cause and begin a proper treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

The medical term for the specific practice of craving and eating soil, earth, or clay is geophagia. Geophagia is a type of pica, which is a broader eating disorder involving the compulsive consumption of any non-nutritive, non-food substance.

Yes, craving and eating soil is frequently a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Numerous studies and clinical observations have shown that correcting low iron levels, typically with supplements, can resolve the craving.

Yes, psychological factors can contribute to the craving. For some, eating soil can be a coping mechanism for stress or anxiety, while for others it may be a compulsive behavior associated with mental health conditions like OCD or schizophrenia.

No, eating soil is not safe during pregnancy. While often linked to hormonal changes and nutritional needs, it poses significant risks to both the mother and fetus, including exposure to heavy metals and parasites, as well as nutrient malabsorption.

Eating soil carries several dangers, such as parasitic infections (e.g., hookworms), exposure to toxic heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and potential gastrointestinal problems including constipation and intestinal blockage.

Diagnosis of pica involves a medical history review and various tests to check for underlying issues like nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal poisoning, and infections. Treatment depends on the cause but often includes nutritional supplementation, behavioral therapy, and addressing any co-occurring mental health disorders.

The most effective management involves a medical consultation to address the underlying cause. This may include iron or other mineral supplements if a deficiency is found, and behavioral techniques to find healthier sensory alternatives or distractions.