Today, overweight is an urgent problem. This is due to the fact that many people lead an inactive lifestyle, abuse high-calorie foods. There are many ways to deal with extra pounds. Sudden weight loss is taken less seriously than weight gain. However, such a symptom may indicate a violation of the body.
Fast weight loss is a condition that needs attention
Specialists say that if an individual's body weight decreases by more than five percent every seven days, this phenomenon signals he alth problems. Rapid weight loss is accompanied by a deterioration in well-being. According to medical research, there are two categories of factors that provoke weight loss - general and pathological. And if in the first case the individual, as a rule, is able to solve the problem on his own, and the body weight stabilizes, then the second requires seeking medical help. This symptom should not be ignored. After all, it is often associated with pathologies thatlead to sad consequences.
General factors
The rapid decrease in body weight is not always a symptom of the disease. There are other circumstances that provoke strong weight loss. Common causes of weight loss include:
1. Emotional overstrain, fear, grief, or feeling overwhelmed.
2. Too mobile rhythm of life, irregular eating.
3. Transitional age.
4. Intensive sports.
5. Addiction to alcohol or drugs.
6. Significant events in an individual's life (exams, job change, romantic relationship).
However, experts say that in most cases, sudden weight loss has medical causes. Various failures in the functioning of the organs and systems of the human body provoke not only weight loss, but also other unpleasant symptoms.
When should you worry about your he alth?
The rapid loss of kilograms, which is not only noticeable when weighing, but also catches the eye of others, as a rule, is associated with a deterioration in physical condition and a decrease in the ability to lead a normal life. A person who is losing weight for no apparent reason (intense training, diet changes and restrictions, emotional upheavals) should consult a doctor and undergo examinations. This recommendation is especially relevant in cases where weight loss is accompanied by disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, fever, fatigue, or any otherailments.
Illnesses that cause rapid weight loss
The list of pathologies that provoke a sharp weight loss is quite extensive. To ailments leading to a noticeable decrease in body weight, experts rank the following:
1. Diabetes mellitus.
2. Cancer.
3. The presence of parasites in the body.
4. Disorders of the activity of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland.
5. Inflammatory processes in the pancreas.
6. Serious infectious processes (syphilis, tuberculosis).
7. Malfunctions in the activity of the stomach, gallbladder, intestines or liver.
8. Deviations in eating behavior.
9. Mental illness, mental disorders.
These and other reasons for weight loss are discussed in the following sections of the article.
Weight loss with cancer pathologies
Malignant neoplasms in the body signal themselves by changing the shade of the skin, whites of the eyes, weight loss, fragility of the nail plates and hair. And although the patient may not be aware that he is developing a tumor, such symptoms often make him start to worry about his he alth and undergo examinations. As a rule, a sharp weight loss is observed with cancerous pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. In case of illness of other organs, this symptom indicates an advanced stage of the disease.
You can suspect the presence of neoplasms in the presence of the following manifestations:
1. Long healing even of minorskin lesions.
2. Nodules, swelling anywhere on the body.
3. Defecation and urinary disorders.
4. Hoarse voice.
5. Constant feeling of being broken.
6. Changing the tone of the skin.
If these signs are found, a person should contact a medical facility. The sooner the pathology is detected, the greater the patient's chances of recovery.
Tuberculosis
This is an ailment that in most cases affects the respiratory tract. As a rule, with this infection, the patient has pronounced symptoms. One of its signs is weight loss. Other manifestations of TB include:
1. Violent cough with sputum containing blood and pus.
2. Feeling broken.
3. Excessive sweating, especially during sleep.
4. Feeling of discomfort in the chest area.
5. Discharge of mucus from the nose.
This infection cannot be handled at home.
Therapy in the hospital, the supervision of a doctor and taking medication for a long time allow patients to get rid of it at an early stage of the disease. A person who refuses medical measures dies in two or three years.
Weight loss with diabetes
This pathology is considered one of the common causes of rapid weight loss. In the presence of this disease, the patient has an excessive craving for food, fatigue, decreased vision, severe thirst andfrequent urination. In the blood, an increased content of sugar and a lack of insulin are found. However, such manifestations are characteristic only for the first variety of the disease. The second type, on the contrary, leads to a set of extra pounds.
Thyroid dysfunction
Another common cause of weight loss is thyroid disease. These pathologies are accompanied by hormonal disorders.
This condition provokes pronounced symptoms, for example:
1. Increased food cravings and weight loss.
2. Feeling hot.
3. Trembling hands.
4. Frequent and loose stools.
5. Increased heart rate.
6. Constant thirst.
7. Disorders of memory and attention.
8. Menstrual irregularities in women.
9. Decrease in sexual desire in the representatives of the stronger sex.
Addison's disease
When the adrenal glands malfunction, a person loses weight. In addition, this pathology is characterized by the presence of the following symptoms:
1. Feeling of muscle weakness and weakness.
2. Bronze skin tone.
3. Hypotension.
4. Abdominal pain.
5. Loss of appetite.
6. Cravings for s alty foods.
7. Gagging and upset stool.
senile dementia
This disease occurs mainly in the elderly. Most often, the disease affects people 65 years of age and older. However, sometimes it starts earlier, and this situation is associated with unfavorable heredity. In senile dementia, there is a strong deterioration in memory. A person ceases to correctly navigate in the environment, does not recognize relatives and friends, is not able to serve himself independently. The disease is accompanied by weight loss. Weight loss is explained by the fact that the patient forgets to eat.
Hodgkin's lymphoma
This is a cancerous pathology that affects the human lymphatic system. In the early stages, the disease is manifested by weight loss and an increase in the size of nodes in the neck and armpits.
In addition, Hodgkin's disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:
1. Loss of craving for food.
2. Profuse sweating at night.
3. Broken.
4. High temperature.
Violation of the activity of the digestive tract
The list of such ailments includes many pathologies. As a rule, all of them are associated with insufficient absorption of nutrients. Naturally, at the same time, a person is rapidly losing weight. In addition, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are accompanied by defecation disorders, a feeling of pain in the abdominal cavity, flatulence and vomiting, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, and temperature. Weight loss and diseases of the digestive organs are inextricably linked also because a patient with such ailments loses his appetite.
Infestation
Contrary to popular belief, this pathology occurs not only in children, but also in adults. It arises due tothe use of poorly washed vegetables and fruits, as well as meat products containing inconspicuous eggs of worms. Sudden weight loss, lack of food cravings, nausea, weakness and bowel problems can be signs of the presence of parasites in the human body.
Emotional overload
Negative experiences (grief, excitement, depression) often lead to a rapid decrease in body weight.
The individual experiencing these feelings often refuses food. In addition, the substances that the body produces during a period of emotional overload contribute to the rapid processing of nutrients.
Addictions
Weight loss in men due to addictions is quite common. The use of tobacco and alcohol-containing products interferes with the normal absorption of compounds important for the human body. As a result, a person loses kilograms.
However, this condition only develops in individuals who suffer from addictions for a long time.
Problems of motherhood
Next, we will talk about weight loss during gestation and after childbirth.
Some time after conception, the expectant mother begins to feel the symptoms of pregnancy. Speaking about weight loss (reasons in women), we should mention such a phenomenon as toxicosis. It occurs in the early stages of gestation and is accompanied by vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness. It must be remembered that such a malaise is not always safe for the mother and fetus. If weight loss and nausea persist in late pregnancy, the woman should seek medical attention.
In some cases, body weight may decrease after delivery. This is primarily due to the increased burden that falls on the shoulders of a young mother.
As a rule, she does not even have time to rest and eat properly. Lactation also contributes to weight loss, as it involves the consumption of nutrients. In addition, weight loss may be associated with a depressed state after childbirth, which is explained by overwork. We must not forget that many women, in an effort to maintain their figure, begin to follow a strict diet after pregnancy. In conditions of intense physical exertion and lack of sleep, a young mother sometimes loses too much weight.
Several more possible explanations
There are other reasons that provoke a decrease in body weight. As such factors can be listed:
1. Loss of teeth, difficulty chewing.
2. Use of drugs that cause loss of appetite and nausea (for example, during a course of chemotherapy for neoplasms).
3. Recovery from injuries, surgeries or severe infections.
4. Incorrectly selected diet for weight loss, which deprives the body of the necessary substances and contributes to rapid weight loss.
5. Vitamin deficiency.
Danger sharpweight loss
Many girls strive to get in good physical shape. They deliberately restrict themselves in food, refuse any kind of food. The rapid loss of kilograms leads to serious consequences. Reduced ability to work.
Hair and nails become brittle. There are irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Do not choose your own power supply system. It is better to consult a doctor on this issue.
