What are the top 10 reasons of weight loss?

A slow and intentional weight loss keeps you active and healthy, but sudden and unintentional weight loss might indicate an underlying health problem. So you must consult your doctor if you notice an unexpected weight loss. It may indicate to one of these health problems –

1. Diabetes – It mostly occurs in people with Type 1 diabetes. As there is not enough insulin or your body doesn’t response to insulin well, your body starts utilizing fats to get energy, which causes weight loss. Some of its symptoms are –

(a) polyuria

(b) weight loss

(c) fatigue

(d) swollen gums

(e) blurred vision

(f) excessive thirst

(g) excessive hunger

(h) slow healing of wounds

2. Hyperthyroidism – It happens when your body has an overactive thyroid gland producing too much thyroid hormone. It causes calories to burn very quickly, which leads to unintentional weight loss. Some of its symptoms are –

(a) fatigue

(b) sleep problems

(c) intolerance of heat

(d) irregular heart rhythms

(e) anxiety

 

3. Depression – It is generally defined as a feeling of sadness when you lose interest in everything. Depression leads to poor appetite, as it affects those parts of your brain that control appetite. Some of its symptoms are –

(a) poor or too much sleep

(b) continuous sadness

(c) low energy

(d) irritation

4. RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) – In this disease, the lining of your joints is attacked by your own immune system, which causes inflammation. Chronic inflammation can increase your metabolism speed, causing weight loss. Some of its symptoms are-

(a) swelling and pain in joints

(b) stiffness in joints when you don’t move for a long time

5. COPD –  Its full form is  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is a disease of lungs and includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis is caused due to a virus which damages bronchioles, and they become clogged, blocking the flow of oxygen. Emphysema is found in smokers or people who breathe in irritants regularly. It damages air sacs present in the lungs, due to which the body doesn’t get enough oxygen. Sometimes COPD doesn’t show any symptoms, but sometimes these symptoms are –

(a) tightness of chest

(b) cough

(c) breathing difficulty

(d) fatigue

(e) swelling of legs and feet

6. Endocarditis – It is caused due to the collection of bacteria, particularly germs, in your heart. It causes the inner wall of your heart to swell. In most cases, people also suffer from fever due to which the temperature of the body is increased. It also increases the metabolism of the body, which causes weight loss. Some other symptoms are –

(a) headache

(b) pain in chest

(c) pain in abdomen

(d) cough

(e) breathing problems

(f) abnormal heart sounds

 

7. Tuberculosis – It is mainly a disease of lungs but can also affect the kidneys, brain, bone marrow and spine. Sometimes people don’t show any symptoms, although they are infected with TB. This stage is called lateral TB, which develops into active TB after years and shows symptoms such as

(a) coughing for more than 3 weeks

(b) fatigue

(c) loss of appetite

(d) weight loss

8. IBD – The full form of IBD is Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It stands for some chronic inflammatory disorders of the digestive tract, such as Crohn’s disease. Due to this chronic inflammation, your body goes in catabolic stage. It leads to weight loss as it disrupts the ghrelin and leptin hormones which are responsible for hunger and satiety respectively. Some other symptoms are –

(a) fatigue

(b) bloating

(c) blood in stools

(d) stomach pain

(e) diarrhea

9. Addison Disease – In this disease, the adrenal glands are attacked by the immune system. Due to this, the adrenal glands can’t produce enough hormones such as aldosterone and cortisol. Cortisol performs many functions, including appetite. So, decreased production of cortisol results in loss of appetite and weight. Some other symptoms are –

(a) low BP

(b) weakness of muscles

(c) hyperpigmentation

10. Cancer – It leads to abnormal division of cells and also increases inflammation, which disrupts the hormones that cause appetite. Some other symptoms are-

(a) fever

(b) muscle/joint pain

(c) fatigue

(d) breathing problems