See your clothes coming off looser or the scales swinging down without any effort? Although voluntary shedding of weight is a phenomenon to be proud about, inexplicable weight loss may be one of the most real causes of confusion and worry. Your body may just be raising a veiled flag letting you know that something is below the surface which requires care.

To begin with, breathe. We do not necessarily have to be doomed because of some unexplained weight loss. A great number of causes can be treated, even trivial. The author believes that it is the body that speaks and is a critical aspect of listening. This post will serve as your useful guide in learning the typical factor provoking unwanted weight loss and will provide you with what to do next with a level mind and know-how.

So what does it mean by unexplained weight loss?

It is when you lose that you tend to worry doctors:

• out without attempting to lose in 6 to 12 months 5 per cent of your body weight.
• Example: In case you weigh 160 pounds (73 kg), any 8-pound (3.6 kg) weight loss that takes place during such a period is something to be taken into consideration.
• Substantial, obvious improvement after a few months, albeit not necessarily more than 5%.
• A steady declining weight on the scale which you cannot explain as change in diet or exercise.

What Causes Unexplained Weight Loss?

To lose weight it all comes down to burning calories than you take in. An unexplained weight loss implies that this imbalance is occurring not due to conscious manipulations of your diet or level of activity. The villains tend to be in some general categories:

Metabolism: Your Body is Burning More Calories Than Normal:

1. Hyperthyroidism (Overactive Thyroid): Your thyroid gland is a kind of thermostat in your body. It increases your metabolizer when it becomes over active (hyperthyroidism) greatly. You use your calories quicker, usually with such symptoms as anxiety, fast heartbeat, heat, tremors, and hunger (in a paradox, you still lose weight).
2. Chronic Infections: Combat with chronic infections (such as tuberculosis, endocarditis, or even parasitic infections) becomes exhaustive in terms of energy that your body will have to acquire. This active struggle adds up to your metabolic rate and burns additional calories.
3. Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Pathological conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD Crohn, ulcerative colitis) produce a persistent inflammatory state. The inflammation is metabolically challenging, raising the amount of calories burned.
4. Some Cancers: Cancer cells are hungry of energy. The increasing tumors require a substantial number of calories and nutrients. There are also some cancer cells that secrete substances which cause a change in metabolism and raise the metabolic rate of burning calories. Cancer is one of the potential causes but we have to keep in mind that it is not the most common as well as not the only reason of unexplainable weight loss.

Malabsorption: Your Body is absorbing fewer nutrients:

1. Celiac disease This is an autoimmune disease condition whereby the lining of the small intestine is destroyed by the presence of gluten (protein found in wheat, barley, rye). Repair of this damage is unable to take place healthily, and this causes reduced weight, diarrhea, bloating, and fatigue.
2. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): As mentioned above, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis cause inflammation in the digestive tract, impairing its ability to absorb nutrients effectively. Diarrhea and abdominal pain are common.
3. Chronic Pancreatitis: Pancreas is the organ on which the body relies on the production of enzymes to digest food comprising of fats, proteins and carbs. The consequence of chronic inflammation is the destruction of the pancreas that produces less enzyme resulting in poor digestion of food and malabsorption (particularly fats) causing loss of weight and greasy stools (steatorrhea).
4. Other Gut Problems: Type 2 diabetes can also impair absorption of nutrients due to other intestinal conditions such as the small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), chronic parasite infections (e.g., giardiasis), or surgical alterations to the gut (such as gastric bypass, but this is done purposefully).

Loss of Appetite or Reduced Intake (Fewer Calories In):

1. Mental Disorders: It is also a significant factor that is commonly underestimated.
   • Depression: Has a significant effect on the appetite (adversely affecting serves to reduce it), the desire to cook and the desire to eat. There is a combination of fatigue and sadness.
   • Nerves: extreme anxiety might lead to nausea, feeling of perpetual nervousness that hinders appetite, or vomiting which makes food disturbing.
   • Grief & Significant Stress: Big occurrences in life or too much stress in life can greatly affect the eating habits and the regulation of appetite.
2. Medications: You may find that weight loss or a loss of appetite is mentioned as a side effect of many everyday medications. Examples include
   • ADHD stimulants (for ADHD)
   • Some antidepressants (such as those of the SSRIs but others are weight gain-inducing)
   • Thyroid drugs (in the case of excessive dose)
   • Chemotherapy drugs
   • Some diabetes drugs (such as Metformin and GLP-1 agonists, which are indeed usually used deliberately to cause weight loss)
   • Some antibiotics
   • Be sure to regularly check over possible side effects with your physician or pharmacist.
3. Chronic Pain: This is generalized pain in any part of the body; hence food disappearance may be hard or bring in lack of appetite or nausea.
4. Dental Problems: Aching teeth, Dentures that do not fit, mouth ulcers or chewing/swallowing poorly may make eating unpleasant or difficult resulting in small quantities of food being consumed.
5. Neurological disorders: A disease such as Parkinson, advanced dementia or stroke can impede eating (chewing, swallowing) or slowdown signals of the brain to eat. Substance Use Disorders: Alcoholism and drug abuse can highly disturb the regular eating habits and nutrition absorption.

Alterations In The Way Your Body Processing Nutrients:

Uncontrolled Diabetes(Type 1& Type 2): Diabetes results in insensitivity of the body to the use of glucose in the body to provide energy when the level of the sugar rises to an extreme value. Instead, it begins to burn muscle and fat, resulting in loss of weight. This is usually coupled with extreme thirst, urination, and tiredness. It is one of the most important indicators that diabetes should be controlled in a better way.

What to do when Unexplained Weight Loss needs a Doctor (Sooner than later)

Although certain reasons may be rather minor or even temporary (such as a temporary stomach bug), unexplained weight loss should never be disregarded. It would be vital to seek your healthcare provider in case:

• In 6-12months time, you lose much (5 percent or greater body weight) without any effort.
• The lose of weight is either fast or chronic.
• It comes with other worrying symptoms including:
  • Fatigue or weakness that does not go away
  • Fever or night sweats
  • Pain (anywhere, abdominal, chest, bone and joint)
  • Bowel changes (diarrhea, constipation, bleeding with stool)
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Cough or dyspnea that does not go away
  • Bump or swelling in any area
  • Considerable mood or memory variation or changes The changes are in the level of thinking.
  • Too much thirst or passing too much urine

What to Expect When You See Your Doctor

You should be ready to talk about your experience in details. Your physician will probably:

Take a Thorough History:

• What is your loss of weight? At what span of time?
• Did you change diets or exercises?
• How do you eat? Appetite changes?
• Any additional symptoms (name them all, however insignificant they might appear)?
• Which drugs/supplements do you take?
• Any meaningful stress, changes in life or mood?
• Medical history of the family?
• Use of smoking/ alcohols/drugs?

Physical Examination:

Take your vital signs, examine your chest, underarm, lymph nodes, abdomen, thyroid, etc., to check that everything is fine.

Order Diagnostic Tests:

Depending on your history and exam they may include:

1. Blood Tests: Full blood count (FBC), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP- which profiles the liver (S.G.P.T) / kidney, electrolytes and blood sugars), Thyroid profile (TSH, Free T4), inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP) tests of infections, vitamins levels (such as B12 and D), and diabetes tests (HbA1c).
2. Urine Tests: To monitor infection, kidney functions or diabetes.
3. Stool Tests: To check infection, blood, or malabsorption difficulties.
4. Imaging: X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, or MRI scans may be required, as well, to search for issues in the chest, abdomen, or pelvis.
5. Endoscopy/ Colonoscopy: In case of GI concerns then they can directly examine the digestive tract and acquire a biopsy.

Finding Answers and Moving Forward

The journey of getting solved about the weight loss without any reasons might seem frustrating or anxiety-inducing. The cause may require some time and maybe a number of tests in order to establish exactly what the cause is. Allow yourself time and bear with the change.

• Be Your Own Advocate: Make it clear what your symptoms and concerns are. Ask question when you do not know something.
• Monitor: It might be a good idea to keep a basic journal on your weight (it is okay to do this once per week) as well as your appetite rating, any symptoms, and the food you are eating (or lack of food) in case that is applicable.
• Bring Support: Bring a friend or a family member with you to a visit so that you can bring a backup brain as well as being a source of emotional support.

The Good News: Many Causes Are Treatable

It should be remembered that knowing the cause is the initial step to feeling better. Be it the case of the oversensitivity of the thyroid, an infection, the regulation of medicines, support of depression or anxiety, letting go of teeth problems, or a management of diabetes, efficient solutions are available to greatest part of the causes. The identification of the trigger enables you and the doctor to help you design a focused approach to deal with the underlying issue, ensure the stabilization of weight and enhance your health in general and well-being.

Final Thoughts: Listen to Your Body

Weight loss with no reason behind it is not some random figure in the scale; it is the signal of your body. Although you are feeling worried it is good to consider directing the concern into constructive measures. Never ignore it or wish it will simply disappear. Visiting a physician is not an overreaction, but a clever and required move to diagnose your health.

By considering the most frequent triggers on this list, you are already in a better position to hold an educated discussion with your healthcare specialist. To be able to get back your equilibrium, sense of tranquility, and health, it is important to get to the bottom of unexplained weight loss.

Disclosure: In this blog post I am not giving medical advice, I am merely describing my situation. This is not medical advice and should be seen as such.

FAQ: Unexplained Weight Loss