Unexplained Weight Loss? That’s Actually a Bad Sign for Your Health

It’s natural for your weight to fluctuate during the year. Maybe you eat a bit too much during the holidays and gain a bit of weight, or you come down with the stomach flu and end up dropping a kilo or two-a slight swing on the scale is normal and nothing to worry about.

But if you drop at least 5 percent of your body weight in less than six months-and you can’t pinpoint a good explanation for that weight loss-it’s time to let your doctor know what’s up, says endocrinologist Dr Anne Cappola. That means if you’re 68kg, a weight fluctuation of about 3-4kgs in a short amount of time should be a red flag.“It’s not common to lose a significant amount of weight without an obvious reason,” Dr Cappola says. “If you’re losing weight and nothing’s changed with your diet or activity, you need to worry about that a little bit.”

In fact, unexplained weight loss could be an early sign of a serious health condition, says internal medicine expert Dr Kerry Hildreth. Here, eight health issues that could explain why you’re losing weight so suddenly.

Thyroid issues

Weight loss is a common symptom of hyperthyroidism-or an over-active thyroid, Dr Cappola says. This means your thyroid-the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that helps regulate your metabolism and growth-is pumping out too many hormones, resulting in a slew of body changes.

“If I suspected a thyroid issue, I’d probably look for increased hunger or heart palpitations,” she explains. Sleeping problems or feeling hot all the time are also common symptoms of an over-active thyroid, she says.

Gut diseases

Coeliac disease-an autoimmune disorder in which ingesting gluten causes damage to the small intestine-can cause a drop in weight, and tends to be accompanied by other GI symptoms like bloating and diarrhoea, says gastroenterologist Dr Jamile Wakim-Fleming.

Why? If you have coeliac disease and eat gluten, your immune system freaks out a bit. This reaction can mess with the lining of your small intestine, hampering its ability to help you absorb nutrients properly, according to the Mayo Clinic. Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease can also lead to unexplained weight loss due to malabsorption as well.

Pancreatitis

Problems with your pancreas, which produces enzymes that aid in digestion, can also lead to unexplained weight loss, Dr Wakim-Fleming says. People with chronic pancreatitis-a disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed-tend to lose weight quickly (even if they are eating normally) because the body simply doesn’t produce enough enzymes for proper digestion of food to occur. Look for symptoms like stomach pain, discoloured (or oily) poop, diarrhoea, or nausea after eating fatty foods.

Depression

Loss of appetite is a common side effect of clinical depression, and one that can promote unexplained weight loss if you’re unaware that your mood swings are something a bit more serious. “In a lot of cases, the person doesn’t even notice they’re losing weight because they’re mired in the depression,” Dr Cappola explains. Irritability, heavy drinking, indecision, and problems sleeping are other common symptoms of depression.

Diabetes

“Especially early on, new-onset diabetes can cause weight loss,” Dr Cappola says. You may also feel crazy thirsty and notice you’re peeing all the time “Your body is literally peeing out glucose because you can’t absorb it, and that drives thirst,” she explains. Diabetes also causes your body to suck nourishment from your muscles, which fuels the sudden weight drop.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Dr Hildreth says inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis-a condition in which your immune system attacks your healthy tissues by mistake-or some types of infection can knock out a sufferer’s appetite, causing a drop on the scale. These conditions can also cause inflammation in your gut, which could mess with nutrient absorption, leading to unexplained weight loss before diagnosis.

Not eating enough

Dr Hildreth mentions something experts refer to as the “obesity paradox.” Later in life, weight loss-not weight gain-is associated with a greater risk of death. “As we age, the stomach empties more slowly, which makes you feel fuller longer,” she says. “Also, some of the brain signals that control appetite and fullness become attenuated.” All of this can lead to older adults eating less, losing weight, and failing to get enough nutrients to support their bodies’ needs.

“Many medications can also affect your appetite, so you need to pay attention to how much and how often you’re eating,” Dr Hildreth adds.

Cancer

Several types of cancer, as well as a tumour or ulcer in your stomach or intestines, can cause inflammation or malabsorption issues that may lead to a drop in weight, Dr Wakim-Fleming says. “If someone comes to me with unexplained weight loss, I’ll check their stomach and colon and bowels for tumours or inflammation,” she says. “I’ll als0 look for tumours in the esophagus”-the tube that connects your throat and stomach-“which can make it hard to swallow.”

Sourced from Prevention.