I am losing weight for no reason and now?

The accelerated weight loss without apparent reason can cause many concerns and doubts. When this loss does not occur intentionally, it must be evaluated to prove the reasons for this situation. However, some points should be considered in this regard, such as periods of increased stress, as changes, whether of home, work or even separations, can indeed affectthe organism in this sense.

But if still the weight loss that is being noticed has no connection with these factors, because there is no occurrence of them at this time and not even the action of a diet, it is necessary to be alert. Some disorders and diseases linked to thyroid, diabetes or cancer can cause a sudden and silent weight loss, so it is worth evaluating with a specialist.

Below, see a little more on the subject!

Diagnostics

The diagnoses for any type of disease or disorder should be made with the help of a suitable professional who can clearly evaluate what is going on, with exams, tests and other methods that can prove if there is something wrong with your body.

Therefore, it is always very important that when you notice any symptom you seek the help of a suitable professional because he will give all the necessary guidelines for a complete and clear diagnosis regarding your health status.

Learn a little more about the diagnostic process!

Done primarily by a general practitioner

The first step to have a complete and safe diagnosis is to seek the help of a professional. At this first moment, a general practitioner will be able to evaluate and verify that there is in fact a change in your weight, taking into consideration the information regarding the previous weight and the period covered so that there was a considerable weight loss.

For example, in this case the general practitioner will evaluate if in about three months the patient has lost more than 10kg, which is a very high number. Thus, he can refer the patient to other specialists if he finds it necessary or notices that something may be wrong in some area of the organism, due to hormonal or other issues.

Blood Tests

If the professional thinks it is necessary, he will refer the patient to undergo some necessary tests that will prove if there is indeed a problem. The blood tests are the most common to be done, because through them it is possible to identify if the weight loss is due to some hormonal disorder.

An example of what can be evaluated during this diagnostic process is whether there are elevated levels of TSH, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. This is because this hormone can actually cause weight loss. Also in the blood tests there is the possibility of evaluating a possible hyperthyroidism, which raises the body's caloric expenditure and byconsequence causes excessive and rapid weight loss.

Magnetic resonance imaging or X-ray examinations

In case of suspicion of more serious diseases, if the first exams, which are the blood tests, do not show anything abnormal, it is necessary that the patient undergo further tests. In this case, there is a possibility that the weight loss is caused by diseases such as cancer, which can only be noticed and identified through these more in-depth exams.

Therefore, it is also common for doctors to ask for MRIs and x-rays to evaluate the patient more thoroughly to get a clear diagnosis of what is going on with their health to find the reasons for the weight loss.

Possible causes of sudden weight loss

There are some possible causes for sudden weight loss that should be considered, and throughout the diagnostic process they will be raised and analyzed in depth by the doctors in charge.

But it is also necessary to know a little more about this subject to have an idea of what to question and how to act, because some symptoms may go unnoticed throughout the process and they can help a lot in the search for a complete and clear diagnosis. Diseases that act silently appear through common symptoms, and it is important to be aware of this.

Read on for some possible causes!

Hyperthyroidism

There are many reasons for sudden and accelerated weight loss, and among these various options is hyperthyroidism. The first symptoms that something is wrong with the thyroid gland is weight loss. In this case, there is an excessive production of hormones, and these are responsible for controlling and regulating the metabolism, so that it occurs in the correct way.

But when some kind of disturbance occurs in this production there can be acceleration or decrease of this. Hyperthyroidism speaks about acceleration. If there is an acceleration in this metabolic action, the body will certainly burn more calories and consequently there will be weight loss.

Diabetes

In another bias, it is also important to highlight that the excessive and rapid weight loss can be a very clear symptom of another serious disease, which is diabetes. This one acts even in a silent way, and when its first symptoms appear, it is necessary to immediately go to a doctor so that he/she can help in the process of controlling the disease.

The most common types of diabetes are diabetes 1 and 2, and there is also the option of gestational. It occurs due to a lack or deficiency of insulin, an important hormone for the body because it takes energy to the cells, without it the cells start to use body fat for their processes, as a source of energy, and so there is weight loss.

Cancer

Cancer is a very silent disease, which is only detected after some very apparent symptoms appear. And weight loss can be one of them, if it occurs unexpectedly and without apparent reasons. But it is worth mentioning that it is more common to have this very large weight loss when the cancer is already in an advanced or metastatic stage.

Tumors located in places such as lung, neck, head and gastrointestinal tract end up facilitating more for weight loss. This occurs because there is a very high energy expenditure of the body to fight the disease, which is caused by the presence of a substance called cytokine.

Depression and other psychological illnesses

Depression and other psychological illnesses can also be the cause of unexpected, constant and very rapid weight loss. This is because it is very common for patients facing psychological illnesses to eventually lose their appetite, and this will affect the entire system.

The feelings that come from psychological disturbances, such as impotence, guilt and other even more serious ones can cause patients to stop eating and lose their appetite completely. To diagnose depression, however, it is not necessary to do tests, because everything is done clinically by evaluating the symptoms and signs that the patient presents.

Verminosis

Worms can also be the cause of weight loss problems. In this case, it is interesting to be aware that these are less and less common problems, as they arise due to lack of basic sanitation and other such issues, such as foods that carry these agents. But even so, many people can still be affected by these worms.

The weight loss in this case is due to the fact that the worms end up absorbing most of the nutrients consumed through food, leaving little or almost nothing for the body to maintain and perform its processes. Therefore many times these worms also cause drowsiness, fatigue and lack of energy.

Intestinal problems

The problems in the gastrointestinal regions are also very common to happen for several factors and they can lead to weight loss, because they can hinder the absorption of nutrients that will benefit the body. Common inflammatory diseases, such as colon syndrome or irritable bowel are the most common to happen.

Another disease that can also impair bowel function and cause weight loss is Crohn's disease. Some of these problems cause constant diarrhea, which makes the body unable to absorb the necessary nutrients leading to a very large energy deficit and consequently weight loss.

Weight loss in various situations

Weight loss can be a common problem for all ages, but despite this, the reasons can be very different and should be evaluated by a specialist according to the reality of the patient, whether elderly, babies or even pregnant women.

This is because each situation is different and can lead to different problems, besides the fact that the treatments should also be different for each type of patient. Therefore, this is a problem that can occur at all ages, but there are treatments that can help.

See below!

Weight loss in infants

Weight loss for babies is something that worries mothers a lot, but it is common that newborns end up losing about 10% of their weight in their first 15 days of life. This happens because there is a gradual expulsion of liquids, through feces and urine.

But it is expected that after this period the baby can increase about 250 grams per week until it reaches six months of age. But if it does not happen this way, it is necessary to have the intervention of a pediatrician for an evaluation regarding the child's development.

Pregnancy weight loss

Many women contrary to what is imagined end up losing weight throughout pregnancy, even with the growth of the belly. This is a normal situation, however curious it may be. In this case, the justification for this weight loss of pregnant women comes from the lack of proper nutrition due to nausea and lack of appetite during this period.

Thus, it is important to consult a nutritionist to evaluate what can be done so that these issues do not harm the mother or the baby in their development. This, because it is expected that the normal pregnant woman acquires about 10 to 15kg throughout pregnancy.

Weight loss in the elderly

With aging, it is inevitable that many older people go through significant changes in their bodies. Therefore, taking into account that this is a common process to happen, at first it is not cause for concern. This is because with age many go through changes in taste, which can also come from the use of common medications with advancing age.

Another reason why the elderly may be affected by weight loss is that many may acquire dementia, which causes them to forget meals. These are necessary precautions to take, and observe the behavior of the elderly to assess whether this is a common weight loss or may be being caused by other agents.

When it's not normal

The weight loss in some cases, as mentioned, can be considered normal, but it is necessary to evaluate how this process is happening, if it is being constant and advancing to alarming levels or if everything is happening as expected taking into consideration the age or even period such as pregnancy.

But there are also other times that this constant and accelerated weight loss should be considered as a problem. And below you can check in more detail the situations that are worth paying more attention and take care!

Lose 5% of weight in 3 months

The concern should begin to arise when this period of weight loss extends. In this case, weight loss becomes something to be considered as a health risk when losing more than 5% of body weight in a period of 1 to 3 months.

Taking this aspect into consideration, it is essential that you seek medical help because this constancy in weight loss may be some disease or disorder in fact. So it is important to monitor the changes in your body and these issues so that you can detect problems, however small they may be, early on.

Fatigue

Some signs are essential to realize that the weight loss is going through more alarming levels and it is necessary to seek for a medical help to avoid that even bigger problems end up arising and damaging your health. Extreme tiredness and at any time of the day are clear signs that there is something really wrong.

Therefore, if associated to the constant and accelerated weight loss you notice that the fatigue is increasing in your day-to-day life, even without performing complicated and intense tasks, it is time to seek for a professional so that he/she can perform a diagnosis regarding what is happening.

Lack of appetite

As obvious as it may seem, lack of appetite is a clear sign that your body is not working the right way. If in line with this, weight loss is happening at a very fast pace and as this increases your lack of appetite also grows, you need to take action.

This is a clear sign that your body is reacting to some problem, not necessarily more serious, but can some hormonal disorder easily resolved with medications and other practices. But it can also reveal something more serious, which is why early diagnosis is so important.

Unregulated bowel

Signs are shown by the body all the time and a deregulated bowel, being able to miss several days without going to the bathroom properly or also going for several periods of the day, in the case of diarrhea, can indicate that something is not right.

If you have noticed that there is a very large weight loss and have been experiencing bowel problems constantly, this is a sign that your body is not absorbing the necessary nutrients, in case of constant diarrhea, and this can lead to dehydration, in addition to the problem causing this situation, which needs to be investigated as soon as possible.

Frequency of infections

It is common that people who find themselves facing problems regarding weight also end up with various problems caused by infections.

If besides the loss of pace you have noticed that colds and flus have been a constant in your life, you should also evaluate with a specialist what is going on, because these symptoms bring important signs that other aspects of your health are not doing very well and need proper care.

Can weight loss without reason be fatal?

Weight loss without apparent reasons can cause very serious problems if not evaluated in the correct way, with specialists who can find the real problem for this situation. This, because as several diseases show their symptoms through weight loss, as mentioned cancer and other hormonal disorders, the lack of monitoring of carelessness with these issues can yesin fact be fatal.

That is why it is so important that when you notice these symptoms that can worsen over time that you seek a doctor to evaluate, because the problems can be easily resolved and thus you avoid a series of other bad symptoms that can lead to irreparable damage to your health.