When you are on a weight loss journey, the shedding of every inch and kilo must be celebrated as it comes with a lot of effort. But if you are losing weight unintentionally and without any effort, along with experiencing a series of worrisome symptoms, you must investigate the reasons behind it, as it could indicate a disease that may be ruining your physical or mental health. Sudden weight loss of this kind is very different from planned weight loss, and it deserves a closer look. Put simply, sudden weight loss is a symptom to investigate, not a result of weight loss supplements.
According to the Mayo Clinic, losing more than 5% of weight in the span of 6-12 months without doing any exercise or following a diet, especially, should be a cause of concern and may indicate a problem. Experts say unintentional weight loss is something that happens when you lose weight without changing your diet or exercise routine and could indicate stress or a serious disease. In such cases, reaching for weight loss supplements is never the right response; the goal is to find the cause, not mask it.
What is Unexplained Weight Loss?
“While typical weight loss is due to a change in lifestyle habits, decreased caloric intake, or an increase in physical activity, unexplained weight loss, or losing weight without trying, can be a cause for concern. It might indicate an underlying medical or disease. That is why one should take unexplained weight loss seriously,” says Deepti Khatuja, Head – Clinical Nutritionist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon.
“Many a time, a patient is brought into the hospital with a symptom of weight loss, which appears to be of great concern to the patient or his or her accompanying relatives. Unintentional weight loss is when you lose weight without changing your diet or exercise routine. It can be a sign of stress or a serious illness. Weight loss can occur in patients with normal appetites or decreased appetites. This is why sudden weight loss should never be brushed aside as a good thing.”
When Should You See a Doctor?
“A good rule of thumb is to see your doctor if you have lost a significant amount, more than 5 percent of your weight, within 6 to 12 months. Numerous medical conditions cause sudden, unexplained weight loss,” says Dr. Hyacinth Peninnah Paljor.
It can be tempting to explain the change away or to try weight loss pills, but sudden weight loss needs a proper diagnosis, not a quick fix. Self-medicating can delay the treatment that actually matters.
What are the Common Reasons for Unexpected Weight Loss
Some of the common reasons for unintentional weight loss are:
Diabetes
One of the major causes of unwanted weight loss is Type 1 diabetes (juvenile diabetes), although it may also happen in Type 2. If you have Type 1 diabetes, your immune system attacks cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Without insulin, your body can’t use glucose for energy. This results in high blood glucose. Our kidneys remove unused glucose through urine.
As sugar leaves your body, so do calories, says Deepti Khatuja. “Symptoms associated are frequent urination, dehydration, fatigue, blurry vision, excessive thirst, excessive hunger. Treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus includes insulin, blood sugar monitoring, diet, and exercise,” says Dr. Paljor. Here, sudden weight loss is a warning sign of uncontrolled blood sugar, not something to treat with weight loss pills.
Cancer
Cancer is a disease that causes abnormal cells to quickly divide and spread. According to the American Cancer Society, one of the first signs may be unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more. “This is common with cancers of the pancreas, lung, stomach, and esophagus.
Cancer increases inflammation. This promotes muscle wasting and disrupts appetite-regulating hormones. A growing tumor may also increase your resting energy expenditure (REE), or how much energy your body burns at rest. Cancer cachexia is a wasting syndrome that is linked to many cancers.
It’s most common in gastric and pancreatic cancers, as well as some lung, head and neck, and colorectal cancers in their later stages,” says Khatuja. “Early symptoms may be fever, fatigue, bleeding from any site, changes in moles, a lump in the breast, hoarseness of voice, or there may be no symptoms other than weight loss.
Treatment depends on the type of cancer. It may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy,” says Dr Paljor. In these cases, sudden weight loss can be the earliest clue, which is why it should never be dismissed or hidden behind weight loss supplements.
Tuberculosis
Another cause of unexplained weight loss is tuberculosis (TB), a contagious condition that usually affects the lungs, says Khatuja. “It’s caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Weight loss and decreased appetite are some of the common symptoms of TB.
Although TB can affect different organs of the body, like abdominal TB, etc and unexpected weight loss is quite common,” adds the Fortis expert. TB is life-threatening and requires timely intervention. One is detected with TB while having symptoms such as constant cough, chest pain, and even unintentional weight loss. So, don’t forget to take charge of your health, says Dr. Aniket Mule, consultant internal medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road.
Hyperthyroidism
“As the thyroid oversees your metabolism, it’s understandable that thyroid problems could lead to weight gain. While having a fast metabolism can help you lose weight, having one that is too fast can be harmful.
Rapid weight loss and sometimes additional complications, such as a raised heart rate, more anxiety, jitters, tremors, or insomnia, are all symptoms of an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism),” says Khatuja.
“When the thyroid gland starts releasing an excess of its hormones, which can be due to either its hyperfunctioning state or thyroid gland damage due to infections or antibodies. Diagnosed by a simple thyroid function test,” says Dr. Johann Varghese. People sometimes mistake this sudden weight loss for a welcome change and even reach for weight loss pills, when the real fix is treating the thyroid.
Gut Diseases
Weight loss is caused by conditions such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, lactose intolerance, and intestinal damage, which can cause malabsorption. Malabsorption occurs when something prevents your gut from absorbing essential nutrients. In most cases, such as celiac disease, the gut disease can be easily treated with a gluten-free diet, and healthy weight gain can be promoted, says Khatuja. “IBD also disrupts ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and leptin, the satiety hormone. This results in decreased appetite and weight loss.
Additional symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, bloody stools, and fatigue. Treatment consists of nutritional support, medication, and, in some cases, surgery,” says Dr Paljor. Again, the answer is proper treatment, not weight loss pills or weight loss supplements.
Depression
“Depression is defined as feeling sad, lost, or empty for at least two weeks. These emotions interfere with daily activities such as going to work or school. Depression affects the same part of the brain that controls appetite, so this can lead to a loss of appetite and weight loss.
Other symptoms include constant sadness, loss of interest in hobbies, low energy, poor concentration, sleeping too little or too much, thoughts of death or suicide, and irritability. Behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and antidepressants are used to treat depression,” says Dr. Paljor.
Eating Disorders
“Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of weight. These patients severely restrict the food they eat or control the calories by inducing vomiting or misusing laxatives, diuretics, and enemas.
Symptoms and signs include extremely thin individuals, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness and fainting, absence of menstruation, constipation, intolerance to cold, dry or yellowish skin, thin hair that breaks, and low blood pressure,” says Dr. Paljor. “Psychiatric conditions like anorexia nervosa could also lead to weight loss in which the person perceives themselves to be fat and restricts food intake when in reality they are thin,” says Dr. Varghese. In such cases, misusing weight loss pills can make the situation far more dangerous.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
“Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder impacting the joints of the body. Moreover, one can also lose weight due to it as there is inflammation in the body and more calories and fat are burned each day. It is better to watch your weight when you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Take the help of an expert regarding what you should eat and delete it from the diet,” says Dr Mule.
Dementia
Having dementia can also lead to constant weight loss. Since dementia affects one’s memory, one may forget whether he/she ate food, and this can induce weight loss. So, it is essential for family members to take utmost care of the person detected with dementia, says Dr. Mule. This kind of sudden weight loss needs attentive care, not supplements.
HIV Infection and Malignancy
Any unexplained weight loss after ruling out the above causes needs to have a comprehensive evaluation to rule out HIV infection (diagnosed by a blood test) and occult malignancy. May require blood tests and imaging, says Dr. Varghese.
When in Doubt, Get Checked
If you can’t pin down why the weight is dropping, don’t wait it out and don’t turn to weight loss supplements in the hope it will settle on its own. A dependable general health team can run the right tests, narrow down the cause of your sudden weight loss, and point you to the correct specialist before a small concern becomes a bigger one.
Dr. Aniket Mule
Consultant Internal Medicine
Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road
To book an appointment call: +918108101104 or Visit: https://wockhardthospitals.com/book-an-appointment/
FAQs on Sudden Weight Loss
1. What actually counts as “sudden” weight loss?
If you have dropped more than 5% of your body weight over a 6- to 12-month stretch without changing what you eat or how much you exercise, that is the threshold doctors typically use to flag sudden weight loss as something worth checking into, not just a lucky break.
2. Can stress cause weight loss in my case?
It is possible. Stress alone can trigger unintentional weight loss in some people, just as easily as an underlying health condition might. The point is not to assume it is “just stress” without ruling out other causes first.
3. Should I be worried that sudden weight loss means cancer?
Not necessarily, but it is one of the earlier warning signs tied to cancers of the pancreas, lung, stomach, and esophagus. Because these cancers do not always come with obvious symptoms early on, unexplained weight loss is one clue doctors take seriously.
4. Is it okay to try weight loss pills or weight loss supplements if I am losing weight unexpectedly?
This is where people often go wrong. Unexpected weight loss calls for a proper diagnosis, not a workaround. Taking weight loss pills or weight loss supplements can mask the real cause of the problem, and that delay can cost you valuable treatment time.
5. How do doctors find out why someone is losing weight on purpose?
Often it begins with blood tests, a look at the thyroid, and sometimes imaging and screening for diabetes, tuberculosis, digestive disorders, HIV, etc. The idea is to systematically rule out possibilities until the actual cause is uncovered.
6. When should I really book a doctor’s appointment for weight loss?
If you’ve lost more than 5% of your body weight in 6 to 12 months without even trying, and especially if this is with fatigue, appetite swings, or stomach stuff, that’s your sign to get checked, not wait around or reach for weight loss supplements as a band-aid.
