Reasons For Unexplained Weight Loss
Unexplained weight loss can be caused by many reasons, most of which are related to health problems. In any case, this is an important symptom that should not be ignored and requires prompt contact with a healthcare professional.
Today, body weight has many aesthetic and social meanings. For this reason, you must first make sure that you have lost weight for no apparent reason. Sometimes it happens that a person’s perception of their own body image changes.
In this regard, Dr. Jorge Quiroga Vila, Director of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, points out that as many as 50% of patients who seek medical attention for unexplained weight loss have not actually lost weight.
If you have really lost weight, there are several possible reasons for it.
Unexplained weight loss
Unexplained weight loss is often a sign of systemic illness. However, before we continue, we need to determine what significant or clinically significant weight loss means.
It is not easy to determine when weight loss should be a concern. However, there is an almost absolute medical consensus on one particular parameter. 5% weight loss from a person’s total weight over 6 to 12 months should be a reason to consult a doctor. Therefore, the most important thing is not how many pounds have been lost, but what percentage of the total weight it represents.
While this fact may seem obvious, it is important to emphasize it: weight loss must be unintentional. In other words, you should be concerned if the weight loss happened on your own without doing anything special.
The main reasons
There are many reasons for unexplained weight loss. In 75% of cases, it is possible to identify the cause. People usually lose weight because they get fewer calories than they need or because they suffer from a disorder that prevents their bodies from absorbing nutrients properly. Sometimes it’s because of both.
It is very common that these unexplained weight loss results from depression. It is very important to analyze whether a person is suffering from a near death, divorce, or some traumatic event before losing weight.
Weight loss is the first symptom of some diseases. This applies to gastrointestinal tumors, infectious diseases such as HIV, endocarditis, tuberculosis and fungal or parasitic diseases.
Weight loss is common in hyperthyroidism or pheochromocytoma, diabetes, and adrenal insufficiency. Although weight loss is associated with several types of cancer, in these cases the patient also suffers from other symptoms.
Age and weight loss
Age is an important factor in analyzing the causes and consequences of weight loss. This happens at certain stages or conditions:
- Newborns. It is not uncommon for babies to lose up to 10% of their weight during the first 15 days of life. This is because babies excrete fluids through feces or urine. Since then, babies are expected to grow by half a pound a week until they are six months old.
- Older people. Weight loss is a normal part of the aging process, as long as it happens gradually. Loss of muscle and bone mass is also normal, but sudden explained weight loss is a sign of health problems.
- We should also note that many times the weight decreases rapidly during pregnancy. This occurs in mothers who suffer from dizziness and vomiting during the first trimester and therefore are unable to maintain an adequate diet. These patients should check with their doctor.
- Mental stress is also a common cause of weight loss. High cortisol levels and eating at unusual times of the day lead to this. Likewise, compulsive use of psychoactive drugs can affect weight.
What to do if you notice unexplained weight loss
If you find that you have lost a lot of weight in a short time and find that there are changes in your body’s function, contact your doctor. The healthcare professional knows the steps that need to be followed to find the cause and resolve the problem.
