Why does a person lose weight for no apparent reason? Reasons for sudden weight loss in women, men, teenagers

It happens that a person suddenly notices that his clothes have suddenly become too big for him, his watch is dangling on his hand, and his favorite ring has begun to slip off his finger, and all this without any effort on his part. Why am I losing weight for no reason? – it’s not so rare to hear this question. It’s worth saying right away that weight loss never happens without a reason. Another thing is that a person cannot always determine the cause on his own, so if such a condition suddenly appears, you should definitely consult a doctor. Why?

Because often significant weight loss most often has medical reasons, and sometimes quite serious ones. A person who goes to the doctor with a complaint that he is losing weight for no reason may be suffering from malignant cancer, anorexia nervosa, diabetes mellitus or AIDS. In elderly patients with a similar complaint, the first priority is diabetes and oncological diseases, in young patients - anorexia nervosa and infectious diseases (HIV, tuberculosis, etc.).

Diseases that contribute to weight loss

All diseases that cause serious weight loss are divided into three groups:

1. Diseases accompanied by decreased appetite and decreased intake nutrients into the body. These include gastrointestinal diseases such as ulcerative colitis, gastritis, infectious diseases, malignant tumors, nervous diseases (depression, anorexia);

3. Diseases in which the body's energy consumption increases: thyrotoxicosis, spastic paralysis, pheochromocytoma.

If you are wondering why am I losing weight for no reason, the first thing you need to do is go through medical examination in order to exclude the above diseases.

A person may argue that he feels well, nothing hurts, and apart from the strange weight loss, nothing else bothers him. However, this should not be a reason for complacency, as unexplained weight loss is often the first early symptom disease, the so-called manifest sign - the one from which pathology begins to manifest itself. Needless to say, the earlier treatment is started, the greater the chances of a complete recovery.

If the examination did not answer the question of why a person is losing weight for no reason, this is not yet a reason for carelessness. It is necessary to continue medical supervision, since with continued weight loss, symptoms will certainly increase.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

“I eat right and go to training. But I’m not losing weight!” - it doesn’t happen? Of course it happens. In the process of losing weight, mistakes are sometimes possible that slow down the transformation from a pupa to a butterfly. Analyze your behavior: maybe it’s for the reasons listed below that your weight just can’t move?


The first reason: there is no calorie deficit

Regular exercise helps burn calories. However, the most common mistake when losing weight lies in the fact that, by increasing physical activity, we quietly begin to eat more. Sometimes this happens unconsciously. But it also happens that we know and justify our mistakes in nutrition, consoling ourselves with the phrase: “Tomorrow I’ll work it out in the gym.”

What to do?

The process of losing weight is slowed down because the required calorie deficit is not created. When you consume energy, you consume it in the same amount. You must definitely monitor your diet: indulgences are acceptable, but if they do not become a system.

Second reason: sedentary lifestyle

If you sit in the office at the computer all day (or at home in front of the TV), then even despite regularly visiting the gym, your lifestyle is considered sedentary. This is why the body spends little energy and fat reserves remain in place

What to do?

To lose weight, 2-3 workouts a week is not enough if you sit for 6-8 hours a day. Make other efforts to rev up your metabolism. For example, walk outside every day, avoid the elevator and escalator. In the office, try not to sit still all working day - get up more often, go to your colleagues in another department instead of talking with them using instant messenger or phone. Limit the time in front of TV or try to do simple exercises while watching it - spin a hoop, do a “bicycle”, etc.

Third reason: muscle growth

It seems like you’re eating right, and you’ve increased your workload. But the scale arrow froze at one number... The thing is that changes occur in your muscle mass, and they are not visible on the scales. Simply put, the fat deposits in your body are gradually burned, and muscle mass increases. And since it weighs more, the numbers on the scale may also increase.

What to do?

Look not only at the fluctuations of the scale needle, but also visually note changes in your figure. The same weight with the same height can look different in people: a girl weighing 60 and height 168 cm may have an athletic, toned body or solid folds of fat. Keep an eye on the volume of your figure: if it decreases, you are on the right track.

Reason Four: Mindless Calorie Restriction

If you decide to simply reduce your daily caloric intake, for example, to 1300 kcal, this may not work. As a result of incorrect calculation of daily caloric intake and an ill-considered diet, you will be haunted by a feeling of constant hunger. As a result, the feeling of dissatisfaction and stress increases, all thoughts revolve only about food, mood swings and breakdowns are possible. In short, you are not you when you are hungry.

What to do?

First, correctly calculate your calorie needs. After all, as a result of too much of a calorie deficit, your metabolism slows down. Accordingly, weight loss slows down. Secondly, carefully plan your diet, namely: increase the amount of protein and reduce the amount of carbohydrates. Protein foods (fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products) give a feeling of fullness for long time and helps reduce the number of calories consumed. And one more thing: don’t forget about vegetables, fruits and foods containing fiber - they are also low in calories, but will help eliminate the feeling of hunger for a long time.

You can read about how to determine BJU and calorie intake here

Fifth reason: meals are not organized correctly

Until now, many of us live by the principle: eat breakfast yourself, share lunch with a friend, give dinner to your enemy. Eating our entire daily calorie intake in the first half of the day, we try to limit food intake in the evening or “not eat after six” in order to lose weight. This often leads to the opposite result...

What to do?

Eat often, but little by little. It is better to eat 5-6 times a day, but in small portions. This way your body learns to be satisfied with less food and you don’t overeat. In addition, frequent small meals help to avoid surges in blood sugar, which provoke fat deposition.

Sixth reason: you sleep little or are nervous a lot

Are you worried about work or is stress haunting you? personal life... You skip meals or, on the contrary, eat too much... You suffer from insomnia or lack of sleep... All this can affect the metabolic processes occurring in the body. For some, stress acts as a catalyst for losing weight, while for others, due to constant “nerves,” the process, on the contrary, slows down.

What to do?

Organize your day. Try to go to bed at the same time, use meditation or breathing exercises to reduce the effects of stress. If you can’t handle it yourself, don’t tolerate it - contact a specialist.

You can read about how to avoid overeating under stress here

Reason seven: You're not being honest with yourself.

Even when calculating the calorie content of breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner, we can inadequately estimate the total daily caloric intake. We can actually forget about all the foods that ended up in our stomach during the day. Do you remember munching on a couple of cookies a colleague offered you? Did you try the dish several times while preparing it? Did you pinch off a piece of bread? Or does it “not count”?

What to do?

Keep a food diary. Or - which is easier - make notes directly on your phone, because most of us always have it with us. Write down everything you eat right away, without leaving it for later. All this data will help to adequately estimate your total calorie intake.


Eighth reason: you drink little water

You drink juices (freshly squeezed), tea (green, without sugar), coffee with a fat-burning effect, believing that there is enough liquid. Meanwhile, only ordinary pure water- a catalyst for metabolic processes, and the rest of the liquid can be equated rather to food.

What to do?

Drink water before breakfast, and 20 minutes before meals, but not immediately after meals. You need to drink at least two liters of clean, still water per day. Only in this case will the process of burning calories go faster.

Ninth reason: the plateau effect

You have successfully lost weight and suddenly your body seems to have become greedy: it doesn’t want to “give away” a single gram of excess weight. At the same time, your nutrition is clearly organized, you attend training just as before - in a word, nothing happened that could slow down the process. Apparently, the whole point is that a plateau effect has set in - the body has become accustomed to the current loads and standard calorie intake.

What to do?

Don't panic and be patient. Try to adjust your training system and increase the load. Or “shake up” your body with fasting days.

About what fasting days will help activate weight loss, you can read here

Tenth reason: presence of diseases

Finally, some nutrition-independent and physical activity reasons that interfere with weight loss. So, there are a number of diseases that affect the process of losing excess weight. This may be hypothyroidism (decreased thyroid function), diabetes mellitus or prediabetes and some others.

What to do?

Visit a doctor, check your blood for sugar and thyroid hormones. If there is some kind of disease, do not despair. If it is successfully corrected over time, you will successfully get rid of excess weight.

If sudden weight loss among representatives of the stronger sex is associated with diet and increased physical activity, then there is nothing surprising or alarming about this. When men start running, going to the pool or going to the gym, they quickly lose weight thanks to the hormone testosterone, which is produced in their body during sports activities and actively promotes the burning of fat deposits. But how can you explain the fact that a person suddenly began to lose weight, while leading a sedentary lifestyle and not restricting himself in nutrition? Causes sudden weight loss may be different, but they are all directly related to health problems.

Stress as a factor in weight loss in men

Among the most common factors that cause sudden weight loss in people, doctors include emotional stress and associated stressful situations. Life modern men cannot be called calm, worries and stress lie in wait for them everywhere: at work, at home, on trips, on vacation. It is enough for the average representative of the stronger sex to become seriously nervous, as this is immediately reflected on the arrows of the scales.

In addition to a sharp decrease in body weight, men during periods of stress complain of sleep disturbances, indigestion, headaches, increased irritability, depression, absent-mindedness, and fatigue. More often human body able to cope with difficult life situations on one's own. But if the stress does not go away and is accompanied by further weight loss, then the man needs to seek help from a doctor as soon as possible.

The reasons for sudden weight loss in men can be serious illnesses that require immediate treatment.

Rapid weight loss in many cases is explained by the fact that the body suffering from a hidden disease is trying to fight it, drawing the energy it lacks for this from fat deposits and muscle tissue.

At the same time, the man continues to eat well and does not understand the reasons for the sharp decrease in body weight. Unreasonable weight loss in any case is a reason to make an appointment with a doctor. The faster a specialist identifies the disease that triggered weight loss, the greater the person’s chances of recovery.

Endocrine diseases and weight

Often the reasons for weight loss in men and women lie in pathologies of the thyroid gland. When problems arise with this organ, endocrine system In humans, accelerated formation of compounds is observed, as a result of which the kilocalories entering the body with food occur too quickly. Despite the fact that a person continues to eat heavily and lead a sedentary lifestyle, his weight literally melts before our eyes. If you do not consult a doctor in time, hyperthyroidism, a disease characterized by increased production of thyroid hormones, may develop against the background of endocrine disorders. Signs of hyperthyroidism are:

  • sudden weight loss of up to 10 kg when increased appetite occurs;
  • constant rapid heartbeat (up to 120-140 beats per minute);
  • heavy sweating (even in rooms with low temperatures);
  • tremor of fingers;
  • excessive irritability;
  • sleep problems;
  • sexual dysfunctions.

The only way to avoid hyperthyroidism or cure it at the initial stage, when the pathological changes in the body are not so serious, is to contact an endocrinologist as soon as a person begins to experience sudden and unfounded weight loss. A timely examination will help the doctor make the correct diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.

The reasons for sudden weight loss may be hidden in diabetes. This insidious disease at the initial stage can manifest itself as an indomitable appetite, against the background of which the patient rapidly loses weight. Characteristic features diabetes mellitus are also a constant thirst that cannot be quenched with large amounts of water, irritability and the specific smell of acetone from the mouth. With the disease, a person may experience short-term fainting. But more often than not, at the initial stage of this disease, nothing bothers a man except sudden weight loss against the background of increased appetite. If you suspect that you have any of the symptoms characteristic of diabetes, the first thing a person needs to do is take a blood test for sugar, a referral for which can be obtained from your doctor.

Other reasons for rapid weight loss

Weight loss in men may be associated with cancer. Very noticeable loss weight gain occurs in people suffering from cancer of any organ digestive system. However, this symptom is not typical for initial stage disease, it most often manifests itself already from the third stage and for this reason cannot be used to diagnose the disease.

A rapid decrease in body weight is evidenced not only by the listed ailments. The reasons for sudden weight loss in men may be problems with the gastrointestinal tract, infectious diseases, drug addiction, poor nutrition, and tuberculosis. Even if, despite significant weight loss, a man continues to feel well and lead his usual lifestyle, he still needs to visit his doctor and, if necessary, other specialists. Such precautions will help a person to promptly identify serious diseases and successfully treat them.

Weight loss (emaciation) is a common sign of disease. Sudden weight loss is called emaciation or cachexia (the latter term is more often used to denote extreme exhaustion). Moderate weight loss can be not only a symptom of a disease, but also a variant of the norm, due to the constitutional characteristics of the body, for example, in people with an asthenic body type.

The basis for weight loss may be insufficient or malnutrition, impaired absorption of food, increased breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the body and increased energy expenditure (exogenously and endogenously caused). Often these mechanisms are combined. For different diseases, the time of onset, severity and specific mechanisms of weight loss differ significantly.

Causes of weight loss

Weight loss can result from: external factors(restriction of food intake, injury, infection) and internal (metabolic disorders, digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body).

Causes Mechanisms Conditions
Restricting food intake Impaired consciousness Traumatic brain injuries, strokes.
Swallowing disorder Tumors, narrowing of the esophagus, larynx.
Decreased appetite Anorexia nervosa, intoxication.
Indigestion Impaired digestion of proteins and fats Atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis
Malabsorption of nutrients Celiac disease, enteritis, colitis.
Metabolism (metabolism) disorder The predominance of destruction processes (catabolism) over synthesis processes Severe injuries, burns, malignant neoplasms, endocrine pathology, diseases connective tissue.

What diseases cause weight loss:

For any malignant neoplasms in the body of patients, the tumor takes away cellular metabolites (glucose, lipids, vitamins), which leads to disruption of biochemical processes, depletion of internal resources occurs and cachexia (exhaustion) develops. It is characterized by severe weakness, decreased ability to work and the ability to care for oneself, decreased or lack of appetite. In many cancer patients, cancer cachexia is the immediate cause of death.

Weight loss, as a leading symptom, is characteristic of a certain endocrine pathology (thyrotoxicosis, hypopituitarism, type 1 diabetes). In these conditions, the production of various hormones is disrupted, which leads to a serious disorder of metabolic processes in the body.

Thyrotoxicosis is a syndrome that includes conditions caused by an increase in thyroid hormones in the blood. Increased processes of protein and glycogen breakdown occur in the body, their content in the heart, liver, and muscles decreases. It is manifested by general weakness, tearfulness, and unstable mood. Troubling attacks of heartbeat, arrhythmias, sweating, hand tremors. An important symptom is a decrease in body weight with preserved appetite. Occurs in diffuse toxic goiter, toxic adenoma, and the initial stage of autoimmune thyroiditis.

Hypopituitarism– a syndrome that develops due to insufficient secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland. Occurs with pituitary tumors, infectious diseases (meningoencephalitis). It manifests itself as a progressive decrease in body weight (up to 8 kg per month) with the development of exhaustion (cachexia), severe general weakness, dry skin, apathy, decreased muscle tone, and fainting.

Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a disease caused by an absolute deficiency of insulin as a result of autoimmune damage to the beta cells of the pancreas, which leads to disruption of all types of metabolism and, above all, carbohydrate metabolism (there is an increase in glucose in the blood and its excretion in the urine). The onset of the disease occurs in childhood and adolescence and progresses rapidly. The most common symptoms of the disease are thirst, frequent urination, dry and itchy skin, progressive weight loss despite increased appetite, and abdominal pain.

Intoxication syndrome is characteristic of infectious diseases, tuberculosis, helminthiases. The causative agent of the disease, penetrating into the human body, releases toxins that have a damaging effect on cellular structures, disrupt immune regulation, and the function of various organs and systems is disrupted. It is manifested by febrile or subfebrile temperature, loss of appetite, loss of body weight, increased sweating, and weakness. A significant decrease in body weight is typical for long-term, chronic infections.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and characterized by the formation of specific granulomas in different organs and tissues. The most common form of tuberculosis is pulmonary tuberculosis, which, in addition to intoxication syndrome, is characterized by a dry cough or with sputum, shortness of breath, chest pain associated with breathing, hemoptysis, and pulmonary hemorrhage.

Helminthiasis is characterized by a gradual development of the disease, weakness, abdominal pain associated with eating, weight loss with preserved appetite, skin itching, allergic rashes similar to urticaria.

Significant loss of body weight, up to cachexia, not associated with dietary habits as a result of immune disorders, is characteristic of connective tissue diseases - systemic scleroderma and polyarteritis nodosa.

Systemic scleroderma manifested by damage to the skin of the face and hands in the form of “dense” swelling, shortening and deformation of the fingers, pain and a feeling of stiffness in the muscles, damage to internal organs.

For polyarteritis nodosa characterized by skin changes - marbling of the limbs and torso, intense pain in the calf muscles, increased blood pressure.

Weight loss is typical for most diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Acute or chronic inflammation leads to a change in metabolism towards catabolism (destruction), the body's need for energy increases, and the processes of absorption and digestion of food are disrupted. To reduce abdominal pain, patients often limit their food intake themselves. And dyspeptic symptoms (nausea, vomiting, loose stools) lead to losses of proteins, microelements, electrolytes, which leads to disruption of the delivery of nutrients to tissues.

Nutritional dystrophy is a disease that occurs due to prolonged malnutrition and starvation, in the absence of an organic disease that could cause weight loss. It is characterized by a progressive decrease in body weight. There are 2 forms: cachectic (dry) and edematous. In the initial stages, it is manifested by increased appetite, thirst, and severe weakness. There are disturbances in water and electrolyte metabolism, amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). Then weakness increases, patients lose the ability to care for themselves, and a hungry (nutritional-dystrophic) coma develops. Causes of the disease: social disasters (hunger), mental illness, anorexia nervosa (refusal to eat due to a desire to lose weight).

Weight Loss Screening

To detect weight loss, somatometric indicators are determined. These include: dynamics of body weight loss, Quetelet body mass index (body weight-kg/height m²), shoulder circumference (in the area of ​​the middle third of the shoulder of the non-working arm).

Using laboratory indicators, the severity of weight loss is determined, possible reasons. IN general analysis blood reveals an inflammatory process, anemia. Diabetes mellitus is determined by a blood glucose test. The levels of the hormones TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T3 and T4 (thyroid hormones) are examined to assess the function of the thyroid gland. Biochemical blood parameters: liver tests (to assess liver function), creatinine (to detect renal failure), electrolytes. Proteinogram and acute phase proteins are examined to assess the degree of protein starvation and determine the inflammatory process. Rheumatic tests - to identify connective tissue diseases and immunodeficiency states. Analysis of feces for helminth eggs. According to indications, specific antibodies to pathogens of infectious diseases, HIV infection, tumor markers, and markers of tuberculosis are determined. They also conduct studies of the gastrointestinal tract: fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, ultrasound of the abdominal organs. X-ray of the chest organs - to identify the inflammatory process, tuberculosis, and oncopathology.

When identifying the corresponding pathology, consultations with specialists are necessary: ​​infectious disease specialist, rheumatologist, phthisiatrician, oncologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist.

If organic pathology is excluded and the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa is confirmed, an examination by a psychiatrist is necessary.

Weight loss treatment

Treatment for weight loss should begin as early as possible, avoiding the development of severe exhaustion, which is difficult to treat, until clinical, laboratory and somatometric parameters stabilize. First of all, you need to establish nutrition. It should be fractional 6-8 times a day, balanced, contain an increased amount of proteins, vitamins, have sufficient energy value, in combination with medicines, improving digestion and absorption of food. It is necessary to limit coarse plant fiber, exclude fried, salted, pickled foods, alcoholic beverages, and spicy seasonings. In case of impaired consciousness, severe nausea, vomiting, enteral nutrition (through a tube) or parenteral nutrition (intravenously) is administered with special nutritional mixtures.

Which doctors should I contact if weight loss occurs:

The changes that occur in the body during weight loss cause serious disturbances in the digestive system, metabolism, weaken the immune defense, and cause dysfunction of the endocrine glands, therefore, when the first signs of a symptom appear, you must immediately consult a general practitioner (general practitioner, pediatrician, family doctor).

You may also need to consult a doctor:

Endocrinologist
- Oncologist
- Gastroenterologist
- Psychologist
- Infectious disease specialist

Many people dream of losing excess weight to fit into your favorite jeans or feel free to wear a swimsuit. Losing weight is often a goal for many women. But weight loss, however, can also be a symptom of many diseases. Therefore, if you notice that you are losing weight quickly without... visible reasons, - be careful.

Sometimes a person loses weight without wanting it, and wonders: “why am I losing weight for no reason?” Weight loss that is not the result of your efforts (diet, exercise) is an undesirable condition. We are talking about a situation where weight decreases significantly as a result of a lack of nutrients in the body.

Deficiency of nutrients occurs due to poor nutrition or increased energy needs of the body for various reasons, such as intense physical activity, illnesses, injuries, surgeries, stress and much more.

Types of weight loss

The main reason why a person loses weight is due to insufficient nutrient intake. This applies to protein, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and microelements. Based on the above, weight loss can be divided into several types:

  • Weight loss from lack of energy and protein. In this case, the body turns to the reserve, if there is one. The first step is to use fat reserves. If the weight loss process drags on, the body will begin to use proteins. In extreme cases, with uncontrolled weight loss, it can lead to loss muscle mass. In addition to using up reserves, the body simultaneously decreases its basic energy needs, which over time reduces them to a minimum (this is the main reason why losing weight on purpose and consciously is not so easy). The man looks unhealthily thin. Such weight loss can be caused by hunger strike, lack of appetite, poor nutrition, indigestion;
  • Weight loss with sufficient energy intake, but insufficient protein (especially those containing the so-called essential amino acids, which the body cannot produce itself). This type of weight loss can occur if the body has an increased demand for protein intake. We are talking about a condition caused by multiple injuries (car accident, fall), burns, bedsores;
  • Thinness caused by lack of protein. Of course, this fact is a direct threat to the developing organism, especially in young children. Therefore, it is important to monitor your diet and ensure proper intake of nutrients. People who use an insufficient amount A squirrel, at first glance, may look normal but is critically ill inside.

Etiology of weight loss

Undesirable weight loss is inherent in many pathological conditions:

  1. 1. Psychiatric diagnosis. This may include depression, bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder, different kinds dementia. If a person is sick, he automatically reduces the amount of food he eats, suffers from loss of appetite, or simply forgets to eat. A separate category Causes of weight loss include eating disorders. The most striking weight loss is accompanied by anorexia, as well as bulimia. Although weight loss in such cases is desirable, it is caused by a certain disease that can lead to serious health problems or even death.
  2. 2. Tumor diseases. Known fact that people with cancer lose weight quickly and greatly. Tumor cells are very active and consume more nutrients than healthy tissue cells. Cancer also activates many substances that are involved in metabolism, hormonal and nervous systems. This can lead to the rapid destruction of fat deposits and muscle structures, and on the other hand, it weakens appetite and increases the feeling of satiety. The result of this is not only significant weight loss, but also excruciating suffering for the patient.
  3. 3. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This could be a tumor or inflammatory process that reduces the intestines' ability to absorb nutrients. Such processes are most often accompanied by vomiting or prolonged diarrhea. Diseases that cause a person to lose weight sharply include ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, gastrointestinal cancer, and Crohn's disease. There are also diseases that provoke deficiency Food Industry. These are diseases of the liver, gall bladder and pancreas. Do not forget about disorders in the oral cavity, pain and problems with teeth, and swallowing disorders.
  4. 4. Functional disorders of the endocrine glands. It is often mentioned here thyroid and its increased functionality. People lose weight as a result of a fast metabolism. Characteristic Features Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland may cause anxiety, rapid heartbeat, trembling, and profuse sweating. A person loses a lot of kilograms, despite the amount of food consumed. The process of losing weight can also be caused by dysfunction of the adrenal glands.
  5. 5. Diabetes of both types. In addition to involuntary weight loss, doctors and therapists strongly recommend losing a few kilograms. This will significantly reduce the dose of insulin, and sometimes completely cure. Losing weight must be done under the supervision of a specialist. Frequent urination and thirst may also indicate diabetes.
  6. 6. Multiple organ failure. This applies to dysfunction of the liver, kidneys or heart. In addition, a disease such as obstructive pulmonary disease is accompanied by weight loss.
  7. 7. Infectious diseases. As with tumor diseases, the immune system is activated, and a feeling of satiety appears. During a long period of illness, even with minor symptoms, a person may suddenly begin to lose weight. Significant weight loss is typical of AIDS or tuberculosis.
  8. 8. Inflammatory, allergic and autoimmune diseases can also be accompanied by pathological weight loss. Common symptoms include nausea, nonspecific abdominal pain, impaired absorption of nutrients, and increased temperature, which leads to an acceleration of metabolism. A person who has lost weight is in a negative energy balance.
  9. 9. Excessive use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Buerger's disease, caused by blockage of blood vessels due to tobacco abuse, leads to weight loss in the limbs. Legs and arms lose weight due to atrophy of subcutaneous fat.

Most often, the reason for weight loss is discovered by chance during a medical examination.

Risk group

Weight loss may also be accompanied by other symptoms: weakness, fatigue, mood swings, lack of appetite, inability to swallow, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. In some cases, a person may experience symptoms such as pain, fever. To complete the picture, it should be noted which category of people is at risk of weight loss: Anorexia nervosa in girls is a disease modern society

Necessary examinations

Remember that you should not engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication. For a correct diagnosis, you should contact qualified specialist. To do this, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies:

  • blood tests for hematocrit, hemoglobin, c-reactive protein, which reflects inflammatory processes. To this should be added urine and stool analysis;
  • Ultrasound of the necessary organs, gastroscopy, colonoscopy in case of suspicion that the cause of weight loss is in the digestive tract;
  • It is also desirable to add targeted screening of the kidneys, heart, and lungs;
  • do not forget about possible mental disorders. A psychiatric examination will help to understand this issue.

Everyone can experience weight loss for various reasons. If you experience nausea, fatigue, weakness and poor health with weight loss, do not hesitate to visit a doctor for an objective assessment of the current situation.