Brief overview
- Causes of unwanted weight loss: e.g. infections, gastrointestinal diseases, food intolerances, diabetes, tumors, medication, mental illness, alcohol or illegal drugs
- When to see a doctor? If you lose weight over a long period of time for no apparent reason; if additional symptoms such as pain, digestive problems, fever, fatigue, etc. occur
- Treatment: the doctor treats the underlying cause, e.g. with medication, surgery or psychotherapy. Appetite can be stimulated by regular mealtimes, bitter foods, ginger, as well as plenty of exercise (preferably in the fresh air).
Weight loss: causes and possible diseases
A person loses weight whenever he consumes more calories than he takes in. Often, weight loss is intentional: to lose weight, many change their diet to low-calorie meals and exercise more.
Weight loss in older people is often also due to the fact that they eat very little because of tooth loss or poorly fitting dentures.
Illnesses, medications or addictive substances can also be behind unwanted weight loss.
Infections
Appetite is often reduced in acute and chronic infections. In addition, there are often symptoms such as fatigue and poor performance. Sometimes these symptoms are the first signs that something is wrong in the body. Infectious diseases that are associated with particularly severe weight loss include HIV/Aids and tuberculosis.
Weight is also lost by those who harbor parasites in their intestines, for example a cattle tapeworm or fish tapeworm.
Food allergies and intolerances
In the case of some intolerances, the body is also only partially able to process the ingested food. This is the case, for example, with an intolerance to gluten (celiac disease).
Other diseases of the digestive tract
Diseases such as gastrointestinal infections, ulcers, gastritis and pancreatitis can cause nausea and/or pain in the abdomen. This can significantly dampen the desire to eat in those affected.
In some diseases, the body is also unable to absorb sufficient nutrients via the intestines (malabsorption). This is the case, for example, with diarrheal diseases and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease.
Diseases of other organs
Metabolic diseases
Metabolic diseases can also be the reason for weight loss, for example hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland). In this case, the metabolism runs at full speed due to an overproduction of various hormones – calorie consumption increases sharply, so that those affected lose weight unintentionally despite a constant eating pattern.
People with type 1 diabetes lose weight if their blood sugar is not adequately controlled. Due to a malfunction of the immune system, the pancreas produces too little or no insulin. The lack of this hormone means that body cells cannot absorb the energy-rich blood sugar. To get the energy it needs, the body then has to resort to fat deposits.
In contrast, type 2 diabetics, in whom the body’s cells become increasingly insensitive to insulin, tend to be overweight.
Cancer
Mental illnesses
Mental illnesses can also lead to weight loss. People with anxiety disorders or depression often have little appetite and therefore eat little. However, the illnesses can also manifest themselves in the opposite way – through weight gain, as those affected eat a lot to compensate for the negative feelings.
In the case of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, the situation is different again. In the case of anorexia, the sufferers have to fight hunger – at least in the beginning. Since they eat extremely little and often exercise excessively, they continue to lose weight.
Bulimics, on the other hand, succumb to repeated binge eating episodes. To prevent them from gaining weight, they then vomit specifically, for example by sticking a finger down their throat. Sometimes bulimics lose weight as a result.
Medications and drugs
Weight loss can also occur in people who use drugs. This also applies to the legal drug alcohol, although it contains many calories. Instead of eating a sufficient and varied diet, many alcoholics increasingly cover their energy needs with the “empty” calories they consume in abundance with beer, wine & co. Over time, this leads to malnutrition and weight loss.
Weight loss: When do you need to see a doctor?
If you have no appetite for a long time for no apparent reason and therefore weigh several kilos less, you should definitely see a doctor. Especially if you are rather thin anyway, you should go to the doctor sooner rather than later.
A visit to the doctor is also strongly advised if the weight loss is accompanied by other symptoms such as:
- pain (e.g. abdominal pain, headache)
- Indigestion @
- excessive thirst
- fever and night sweats
- Shortness of breath
- (Blood) Cough
Weight loss: What does the doctor do?
Based on a detailed conversation and various examinations, the doctor must first find out what is causing the unwanted weight loss. Then he can initiate an appropriate therapy.
Diagnosis of weight loss
To clarify the causes, the doctor first asks you about your medical history (anamnesis). He will ask in detail about your symptoms as well as any previous and underlying diseases. Information about your eating habits and mental state is also important. Also tell the doctor if you are taking any medication. It is possible that these are the reason for the weight loss.
- Abdominal ultrasound
- X-ray overview of the chest (X-ray thorax)
- ECG (electrocardiography)
- Computer tomography (CT)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Therapy of weight loss
If the doctor has diagnosed a disease as the cause of weight loss, he will treat it in an appropriate way. Therapy options include:
- Medication: For example, type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin injections. In hyperthyroidism, thyrostatic drugs can curb the increased hormone production. For acid-related stomach problems, acid blockers help. Nausea and vomiting (as a result of a disease or treatment such as chemotherapy) can be eliminated with antiemetics.
- Surgery: Surgical intervention is necessary for some causes of weight loss. For example, if the bile ducts are blocked by adhesions, tumors or gallstones, physicians usually have to operate.
Weight loss: What you can do yourself
If your weight loss is due to a lack of appetite, you can trick your binge eating:
- Regular meal times: The body is a creature of habit. If it is calibrated to regular meals, it will eventually announce itself with stomach grumbling as soon as the usual meal time approaches. So always eat at the same times, even if it’s just a few bites.
- Arrange the food appetizingly: The eye eats with you. If you prepare and arrange your meals with love, they are more likely to be eaten.
- Ginger: Drink ginger water throughout the day – this promotes digestion and appetite. To do this, simply pour hot water over a few slices of ginger and allow the brew to steep.
- Bitters: Anything bitter also gets the gastric juices flowing, promoting digestion and appetite. For example, you can eat half a grapefruit in the morning or start lunch with a salad of arugula or chicory. Bitter substances are also provided by various tea preparations, such as those made from bitter orange peel or calamus root.
- eat together instead of alone: those who eat in pleasant company not only stay longer at the table, but also eat more.
- Exercise: Physical activity, especially in the fresh air, stimulates the appetite. Even a walk before a meal can make you want to eat.
