Some may seem harmless on the surface, like minor hair-loss or feeling cold more frequently. But other effects can be very damaging to your physical and mental health in the long run.
Photo: Active Health. A loss in muscle mass often comes with decreasing metabolism rate, which further destabilises the fat-to-muscle ratio. Weaker muscles translate to more inconvenience in day-to-day activities like carrying heavy groceries or climbing the stairs.
Even if the number on the weighing scale ends up looking nicer, your quality of life may not be as rosy. Many of our bodily functions are regulated by naturally occurring elements.
Any imbalance to the proportion of these elements could be potentially dangerous and may cause conditions such as seizures and arrhythmia irregular heartbeats. Electrolytes in particular are critical to cellular function and integrity. If the latter were to break down, it wouldn't be long before the rest of the body follows suit. Extreme weight-loss deprives your body of the essential nutrients that are necessary for healthy function.
Furthermore, deficiencies in certain nutrients like vitamin D and calcium can lead to an increased risk of developing certain health conditions or predispose you to injury. One such example of a disease associated with nutritional deficiency is anaemia, which is characterised by feelings of weakness and fainting spells and can occur when you your intake of iron is insufficient.
When gallstones form, severe pain is experienced along with indigestion. These juices then harden inside the gallbladder and can block the opening, causing indigestion which leads to further pain and discomfort. Consuming insufficient calories or expending too many of them will definitely lead to adverse effects on your energy levels.
Apart from feeling physically tired, your cognitive functions may take a hit as well as your productivity. Your mood can also be affected — drastic weight-loss is often accompanied with constant feelings of irritation.
An over-active thyroid can cause rapid weight loss, despite causing constant feelings of hunger. Hyperthyroidism results in the production of excessive amounts of thyroxine, which can push your body's metabolism past its limits. How do inflammatory conditions affect your weight? The more identifiable, obvious symptom is a sharp decrease in appetite which could be due to an infection.
The more insidious reason is that inflammation in the gut affects how nutrients are absorbed and lead to cases of malnutrition. A dysfunctional gut can lead to diarrhoea and vomiting, which dehydrates your body and makes you lose more weight. Inflammation and absorption issues could be caused by tumours in the colon and bowels, which affect appetite and how your body processes and absorbs food.
Muscular atrophy is another common side effect of diabetes — another mechanism of drastic weight-loss. Depression is often accompanied by a loss of appetite which can lead to weight-loss. People may gain or lose weight in response to seasonal changes or when facing important or stressful life changes, such as moving home or starting a new job.
However, a person may wish to see a doctor if they experience significant weight loss that has no clear explanation. In this article, learn about the possible causes of unexplained weight loss and when to see a doctor.
Several medical conditions can cause unexplained weight loss. People can help their doctor pinpoint the underlying cause by paying attention to any additional symptoms that they experience. Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces more hormones than the body requires.
People sometimes refer to this condition as an overactive thyroid. Burning more energy and calories can lead to unintentional or unexplained weight loss. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:. The symptoms of depression can also cause weight loss. In a prospective study , researchers examined the causes of unexplained weight loss in 2, adults. According to the researchers behind a study , there is evidence to suggest that people with depression may have associated suppressed interplay among the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands, which may affect the function of the gastrointestinal GI tract.
Changes to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland can also affect the adrenal glands, which produce multiple hormones. These hormones include cortisol, which helps regulate blood pressure, blood glucose level, and metabolism.
Ulcerative colitis, on the other hand, only affects the large intestine. Weight loss is a common symptom of both conditions, especially among younger people. Other symptoms of IBD include:. Muscle loss, also known as muscle atrophy , occurs when the muscles shrink or waste away. This condition can cause unexplained weight loss. People can often prevent muscle loss through proper nutrition and regular exercise.
Physical therapy after an injury or stroke may help reverse or prevent muscle loss. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights.
Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Unexplained or unintentional weight loss may seem a welcome change for some people, but asking about the potential causes is important. Unintentional weight loss may be a sign of a medical condition, and these potentially serious causes can range from thyroid problems to cancer. It's why unexplained weight loss should always be a reason to talk to your healthcare provider.
This article looks at weight loss you don't expect to see, some reasons for why people experience it, and what happens as you and your healthcare provider work together to find and treat the cause. This would mean a pound loss in a pound man, or losing between 6 and 7 pounds for a pound woman. The weight loss occurs without any attempt to lose weight, such as cutting the calories you eat or starting to exercise.
Many conditions that lead to unintentional weight loss are difficult to diagnose in the early stages, and sometimes a number of blood tests or imaging studies such as X-rays are needed to find the cause. Continue to ask the question "why" until you feel confident you have the answer, and don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion if needed. There are many reasons for unexplained weight loss, some of which are serious.
For adults not living in a nursing home or other care setting, the most common reasons are cancer, digestive tract disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease , and mental health-related causes like depression. A study found this weight loss was the second-strongest predictor of some types of cancer. Weight loss may be the first sign of blood-related cancers such as leukemias and lymphomas , or solid tumors such as lung cancer especially adenocarcinoma of the lung , colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
Weight loss can also occur when an early-stage tumor such as breast cancer comes back. People with diabetes usually fall into two categories: Type 1, which is an autoimmune disease, and Type 2, which often develops later in life when the body can't make or process insulin properly. A third type, called gestational diabetes, is temporary and occurs only during pregnancy. Unexplained weight loss can occur with both types but is more common in Type 1 diabetes.
There are several conditions that cause hyperthyroidism , a condition in which the thyroid gland in the neck is overactive. They include autoimmune disorders such as Graves' disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in the United States. Iodine exposure, medication error, and even pregnancy also may cause an overactive thyroid. Hyperthyroidism speeds up your metabolism, which can lead to weight loss.
Weight loss may be linked to the loss of comparatively heavy muscle tissue, sometimes called muscle atrophy or muscle wasting. Depression can cause changes in eating habits that can lead to weight loss or weight gain. Depression affects many people from all walks of life, and roughly one in every six people will experience depression at some point in their lives. Addison's disease is an endocrine disorder that is related to problems with the adrenal glands found atop each kidney.
These glands produce key hormones, or chemical messengers, like cortisol. The lack of these hormones in Addison's disease may be the cause of weight loss, fatigue, and other symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis RA is best known for causing joint pain and damage, but it also can bring on muscle wasting and weight loss known as rheumatoid cachexia. RA may be related to inflammation of the digestive system and gastrointestinal disease , which may contribute to unintentional and unexplained weight loss.
Both men and women may have unintended or unexplained weight loss. Some autoimmune disorders, like RA and Graves' disease, occur more often in women. Eating disorders and depression happen more frequently in women, as does pregnancy-related weight loss. Men face risks due to cancer cachexia, digestive problems, and infections like endocarditis.
If you have unintentional weight loss, be ready to give your healthcare team a complete and careful medical history. Along with the physical exam, it's how a healthcare provider will determine your risk factors and narrow the possibilities for underlying medical conditions.
Be prepared to answer questions including:. The blood tests that your healthcare provider orders will depend on many factors, including any symptoms.
0コメント