These are the causes of a metabolic disorder | Metabolic disorder – What does it mean?

These are the causes of a metabolic disorder

Since the range of metabolic disorders is very wide, the causes are also very diverse and different. Some metabolic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, are congenital and thus genetically determined. In this case, this means that the child has fallen ill due to the inheritance of a certain defect in the DNA.

In order to detect such congenital metabolic disorders at an early stage, standard tests are carried out during pregnancy and shortly after birth. Nutrition also plays an important role. If an unbalanced dietary intake or the renunciation of certain foods is given, metabolic disorders can also be caused by the deficiencies.

For example, a deficiency of certain vitamins or a lack of iron can occur. Some metabolic disorders are caused by an interaction of various risk factors. For example, the development of diabetes mellitus type 2 is favored by overweight, a lack of exercise and an unbalanced diet.

There are often several possible causes for a metabolic disorder. In gout, the excessive accumulation of uric acid in the blood is the problem. This is usually caused by a disturbance in kidney function. Congenital defects as well as a disorder caused by diabetes mellitus can be responsible for this.

Can a metabolic disorder be triggered by stress?

Stress influences almost all processes in the body. Increased cortisol and adrenaline are produced, which can also increase the blood sugar level, for example. In addition, a long-lasting stress level can lead to an increase in the breakdown of vitamins.

The reason for this is that mainly B vitamins are needed for the production of hormones, such as norepinephrine and serotonin. They are therefore needed to produce hormones that play a role in psychological processes or in the regulation of blood pressure. Thus, stress can lead to a deficiency of vitamin B if it is not sufficiently absorbed through food.

By these symptoms one recognizes a metabolic disturbance

Since the range of metabolic disorders is very wide and can affect a wide variety of organs or organ systems, the symptoms of the disease are accordingly very different. There are, however, a few more general symptoms that accompany several metabolic disorders. However, it must also be taken into account that these symptoms can often also be indicative of other, less serious diseases.

A doctor should therefore be consulted for clarification. A change in weight can be accompanied by a metabolic disorder. For example, if there is an underactive thyroid gland, this is usually accompanied by an increase in weight.

Accordingly, weight loss is often associated with hyperthyroidism. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract can also indicate a metabolic disorder. If abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea regularly occur after eating, this may be due to the fact that the digestive tract cannot properly utilize a certain food substance.

Other possible symptoms of a metabolic disorder can be dizziness or fluctuations in blood pressure, as is often the case with diabetes mellitus, for example. Weight changes are typical for a metabolic disorder of the thyroid gland. Underfunction, also known as hypothyroidism, results in weight gain and overfunction, hyperthyroidism, in weight loss.Of course, it is difficult to conclude from a change in weight to a metabolic disorder.

However, there may be a few signs that should be taken into account if you suspect a metabolic disorder. Typically, the weight change in a metabolic disorder occurs without any change in the amount of food. If this is unclear, it may be necessary to document how much is eaten per day and to observe the weight progression in parallel.

In addition, for example in the case of hypothyroidism, there is also a reduction in drive. Those affected often feel tired and exhausted. In the case of hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, nervousness and mild irritability are typical side effects that should be taken into account.