What Are Some Common Causes Of Weight Loss?

Most people who are concerned with weight usually want to lose excess weight. However, there are those who have the opposite problems. These people are losing weight, but not deliberately. This weight loss can be the result of a number of problems. This article will discuss some of the more common causes of weight loss.

A common cause is a disease of the gastrointestinal system. Your GI tract primary role is to digest the foods that you eat in order to release the nutrients that your body will absorb for nourishment. When a body is malnourished because the GI tract is not functioning properly, weight loss ensues.

A common GI problem is celiac disease. This is an immune reaction to gluten that occurs in the small intestines. As the small intestines continue to get exposed to gluten, inflammation of the intestinal wall lining will develop, reducing it ability to absorb nutrients. When the body is not nourished, it will lose weight.

Crohn's disease is another type of problem with the GI tract. It is an inflammatory bowel disease where the lining of the digestive tract is inflamed. It can result in diarrhea and malabsorption of nutrients, leading to weight loss.

Hyperthyroidism can cause weight loss. When your thyroid is overactive, your metabolism rate increases. Calories are burned off at a faster rate that you can consume, leading to weight loss. You may become more irritable and nervous, and your heart rate may speed up or become irregular.

Depression can be one of the causes of weight loss. Depression not only affects how you feel, but it can manifest itself in what you do. When you are depressed, you either turn to food as a source of comfort and gorge yourself, or you turn away food because you lose your appetite to eat. Depression changes the way you think and your behavior. It is important to get it treated before the depression gets any worse.

Some medications can have side effects that causes weight loss. If you are taking medications, you need to talk to your doctor or your pharmacist about these side effects.

Eating disorders can most definitely cause weight loss. An eating disorder that is not treated can have fatal consequences. If that can be identified, see your doctor to get treatment right away.

If you cannot identify the cause of your weight loss, and your weight continues to drop despite your eating a balance diet, you should see your doctor immediately. He will give you a comprehensive physical exam and conduct tests to determine the possible causes of weight loss. In the mean time, you should start keeping a journal and keep track of how much weight you are losing. Write down when the weight loss was first noticed. Jot down the symptoms that you may be feeling, like abdominal pains, diarrhea, fever, and any sign that you think is significant. This will help your doctor in making the proper diagnosis.