Possible causes of sudden weight loss. What are the dangers of losing weight

The word “weight loss,” similar to “fat burning” and many other similar terms that imply weight loss (usually due to the fat component), is usually associated with something useful, healthy, correct and necessary for everyone.

And although public views have now changed a little, giving rise to movements such as “body positivity”, which often encourages people with excess body weight, the majority of the inhabitants of our planet still tend to see a lot of negativity in being overweight. The reason for this is the state of health, which directly correlates with a person’s obesity and affects not only the quality of his life, but also its duration. Therefore, when we talk about weight loss in overweight people, we are certainly talking about the positive aspects that losing weight can provide.

But does it happen when weight loss is not a reason to rejoice, but a dangerous symptom? When does a significantly dropped number on the scale become a reason to be wary and check your health? Of course yes, answers Pavel Baranov

– specialist in the field of nutrition, endocrinology and psychology, member of the Russian Association of Endocrinologists, member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, author of many popular articles in the field of sports medicine, dietetics and psychology, participant in the international festival of healthy lifestyle and sports SN PRO EXPO FORUM.

Let's look at what can happen to health, which can cause a person's weight to collapse in a short time.

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Malnutrition

According to modern research, more than 50% of our planet's population is undernourished. This means that these people are not getting the nutrients they need in the right quantities. The reasons are different, from economic to geographical. If malnutrition continues long enough, it can have a significant impact on a person's health, including severe weight loss. Of course, the best way to prevent this is to eat a balanced diet with enough proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Unfortunately, such nutrition is not available to everyone. And many of those to whom it is still available simply do not care what and when they eat.

Loss of muscle mass

Loss of muscle mass begins at about 40 years of age and progresses much faster after age 75. Preventing the development of this condition will include both consuming enough calories (including maintaining a protein norm of 0.7 g/kg and above), and maintaining physical activity at any time. age. Western countries are often a positive example in this regard, because it is not so difficult to meet men and women involved in sports there who are well over 70.

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Hyperthyroidism

Unexplained weight loss may be a sign that a person has a thyroid disease called hyperthyroidism or thyrotoxicosis, which causes the thyroid gland to produce excess amounts of hormones. Sometimes a person may not know that he has such a disease and may not take any of the measures necessary to prevent its development. Weight loss will typically be one of a constellation of symptoms including increased heart rate, heat intolerance, hair loss and insomnia. If a person suspects that he has such a disorder, he should undergo a diagnosis of the thyroid gland by an endocrinologist.

Reasons for sudden weight loss due to endocrine system disruption

Since all metabolic processes in the human body are regulated by hormones produced by the endocrine glands (pituitary gland, adrenal glands and thyroid gland), if their work malfunctions, weight gain or sudden loss occurs, respectively.

If the glands work too intensively, you will lose weight sharply, but if it works too slowly, this can lead to weight gain and obesity. Therefore, our specialists strongly recommend not only seeking help if you have such a symptom, but also regularly undergoing thyroid examinations (blood tests for hormones, ultrasound).

In our clinic you can undergo a full comprehensive examination, take the necessary tests, and get advice from an experienced doctor. Do not delay, because disruption of the thyroid gland can lead to even more dire consequences and complications.

Peptic ulcer

Unexplained weight loss can sometimes be one of the signs of an ulcer.

Stomach ulcers

- these are local defects of the mucous membrane that develop on the inner surface of the stomach, as well as in the upper part of the small intestine.

Since the main symptom of peptic ulcers is abdominal pain, they often cause a decrease in appetite. Lifestyle modifications combined with prescribed treatment are the best way to get rid of this problem. In such a situation, it is necessary to contact a gastroenterologist.

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Alarms

In some cases, weakness, fatigue and dizziness may be signs of emergency conditions. You should call an ambulance immediately if they are accompanied by the following symptoms:

loss of consciousness, fainting
convulsions
impairment or complete loss of vision
severe vomiting
severe chest pain
disturbance of consciousness
fever
speech disorder.

*MRI – magnetic resonance imaging,

**CT – computed tomography

References

Sukhorukov V.S. et al. Diagnosis of Pompe disease // Russian Bulletin of Perinatology and Pediatrics - 2010. - T. 55. - No. 6.
Starostina E. G. Hypoglycemia and hypoglycemic coma // Medical Council - 2013. - No. 5-6.
Litovchenko T. A., Zinchenko E. K. Arterial hypotension is the initial stage of the formation of chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency (treatment features) // International Neurological Journal - 2011. - No. 6.
Dvoretsky L. I. Iron deficiency anemia // M.: Newdiamed - 1998. - T. 37. - P. 3.
Vorobyova O. V. Chronic fatigue syndrome (from symptom to diagnosis) // Difficult Patient - 2010. - T. 8. - No. 10.
Shkolnikova M. A. Cardiac arrhythmias and sports - the edge of risk // Russian Bulletin of Perinatology and Pediatrics - 2010. - T. 55. - No. 2.

GZEA.PD.18.09.0435i

Cancer

Severe weight loss can be one of the symptoms of cancer. There are several types of cancer, such as leukemia, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast and colon cancer, which often lead to significant weight loss.

Some cancers increase resting metabolism, meaning the body burns more calories, while others can produce inflammatory proteins that can lead to weight loss. Treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy often cause a decrease in appetite and can lead to side effects including nausea, vomiting and mouth ulcers that prevent you from eating. All this also affects weight loss.

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Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is usually associated with obesity, but weight loss can also be an unexpected symptom of this pathology. When the body does not use insulin properly, the transport of glucose for further conversion into energy may also be impaired. The internal system may begin to use fat and muscle to function, which will ultimately lead to a decrease in overall body weight. Here it will be important to contact an endocrinologist and nutritionist as soon as possible, because the development of type 2 diabetes is much easier to prevent than to deal with its consequences. Type 1 diabetes, in turn, is an autoimmune disease with which a person must live his entire life.

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Symptoms of weakness during weight loss

Lack of energy is a dangerous condition for the body. The work of many organs and systems is disrupted. Getting them back to normal can be quite difficult. Plus, loss of strength threatens to slow down metabolism and reduce the rate of loss of extra pounds. Therefore, it is important to recognize the symptoms of weakness when losing weight. These include:

Chills. The body is unable to provide sufficient heat exchange. Even in the heat you want to wrap yourself up.
Dizziness and migraine due to lack of brain nutrition.
Muscle pain, general weakness. Due to energy deficiency, muscle tone is greatly reduced.
Fainting due to decreased blood pressure.
Depressive states, apathy or irritation.
Constant hunger. This is the first symptom of “distress” that the body sends when it lacks nutrition. But he won’t be able to tolerate it for long, so he will start saving energy.

Watch the video about the reasons for weakness on a diet:

Parasites

Tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms—thousands of people contract these and other parasites every year, either from their pets or due to poor food and water hygiene. Parasites absorb nutrients in the body and multiply, filling more and more space in our body and devouring more and more of its resources. This can lead to decreased appetite and weight loss without the person even realizing it. Parasites can take weeks and months, and sometimes years, to manifest themselves, which is why early diagnosis is important. A number of tests and analyzes can help deal with this problem.

Common Causes

More often, weakness and dizziness appear due to the following conditions:

A decrease in blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia), often as a result of the administration of an incorrect dose of insulin (for diabetes mellitus). Glucose levels may also decrease in healthy people who are hungry2.
Decreased blood pressure (hypotension). It is more common in young people 20-30 years old. In this case, hypotension is considered physiological and is considered as a variant of the norm. However, the condition can also be associated with various heart problems, injuries, dehydration, certain medications, and other reasons3.
Anemia is a condition caused by an insufficient number of red blood cells that carry oxygen to organs and tissues, or a violation of their function. Dizziness, weakness, and fatigue in such situations appear due to hypoxia - oxygen deficiency. The most common cause of the disease is a decrease in iron levels in the body. About 80% of anemias are associated with it4.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition in which persistent, long-term fatigue cannot be explained by any organic disease. Usually occurs at the active age of 40-59 years, more often in women5.
A heart rhythm disorder is an irregular heartbeat, an arrhythmia in which the heart beats too slowly, too quickly, or skips a beat6.
Taking certain medications, in particular, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, drugs that lower blood pressure, muscle relaxants (drugs that reduce muscle tone), sleeping pills, and others.

Depression

This mental illness can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including weight loss. A depressed person often becomes so immersed in his problems and disconnected from the outside world that he practically stops eating. Although there is no single cause of depression, many cases can be effectively treated with psychotherapy and medication. As a rule, a multidisciplinary approach in the form of consultations with a psychologist/psychotherapist and psychiatrist gives positive results.

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HIV and AIDS

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS, is a chronic, potentially life-threatening disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV can both make it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients and put a person into a depression-like state, leading to malnutrition and decreased appetite.

HIV/AIDS can also increase the risk of developing infections that cause weight loss, either by reducing appetite or making eating painful.

Scientists warn: active use of gadgets can cause overeating

Why does severe lethargy appear after sudden weight loss?

But even when the diet ends, the person does not return to an energetic life. He is further haunted by a broken state and loss of strength. Weakness after sudden weight loss is caused by a number of reasons:

Loss of muscle mass. When fast dieting, especially when strictly restricting nutrients, the body begins to conserve energy. And most of all it is the muscles that consume it. Therefore, it is easier for him to “eat” his own muscles in order to save energy and leave fat for a “rainy day.”
So the reduction in volume may not be caused by a decrease in the amount of fat, but by muscle wasting . Accordingly, a person feels weak after losing weight and is unable to do simple things.
Avitaminosis. During the diet, food intake is reduced, which means vitamins and nutrients. All this negatively affects the functioning of organs and systems.
Due to dietary restrictions, sleep disturbances may develop. And its deficiency is also the cause of weakness after weight loss.
Insufficient supply of carbohydrates to nourish the brain. This is the main source of energy. When the brain has not received enough nutrition for a long time, its activity begins to decline. Therefore, after a diet, many people feel absent-minded.

Alcoholism

Alcohol intoxication affects people differently; some people start eating more and more, while others, on the contrary, lose their appetite. But this is the case if we are talking about healthy people. Alcoholism can lead to a person losing a significant amount of weight due to the false feeling of fullness that he will constantly feel due to alcohol abuse. In addition, alcoholism can lead to peptic ulcers, which also causes weight loss. People with this disease also often suffer from malnutrition, because they often prefer alcohol to a balanced dinner. Of course, as in other cases, it is necessary to get rid of this problem with the help of a team of professionals who can lead you “by the hand” to the result.

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In addition to everything that we have discussed, there are also many other problems and pathologies that can manifest themselves in the form of a person losing a certain percentage of body weight. Chronic heart failure, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, dementia, Crohn's disease, Addison's disease, Sjogren's disease, achalasia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, etc. – all these pathologies, among other symptoms, can manifest themselves in the form of weight loss.

This once again reminds us of the importance of timely diagnosis, the need to be careful about your own health, and also the fact that any acquired disease is much easier and more correct to prevent than to treat when it becomes severe.