Every person would like to have a good figure and get rid of excess pounds. This statement applies to both women and representatives of the stronger sex. Good results in losing weight can be achieved through a balanced diet and sports training. But sometimes people are faced with a situation where body weight decreases without the influence of external circumstances. Later in the article we will talk about the reasons for sudden weight loss in men and what should be done if such a problem occurs.
Is it dangerous?
Regardless of what factors provoked a rapid decrease in body weight, this phenomenon can lead to serious illnesses. In this case, symptoms characteristic of any pathology are observed. In addition, the causes of sudden weight loss in men lead to general malaise.
What kind of weight loss is considered rapid? The answer to this question depends on the individual characteristics of the person. If a man weighs 150 kg, losing ten kilograms in 30 days is not a pathology. Losing weight like this will be beneficial. However, in other cases this situation is dangerous. For example, for a man who weighs 60 kilograms.
Experts say that if a person loses 10 kg in 30 days, they should seek medical help. Moreover, if there is a deterioration in the general condition. A decrease in body weight by 20%, compared to the initial indicators, threatens the health and life of the individual. Therefore, with significant weight loss in men, it is important to visit a doctor as soon as possible.
What diseases cause weight loss:
- Prolonged psycho-emotional stress (loss of appetite) - Acute and chronic infections and parasitic diseases (intestinal infection, tuberculosis, syphilis, malaria, amoebiasis, helminthiases, HIV infection) - Gastrointestinal diseases (esophageal strictures, cicatricial pyloric stenosis, malabsorption syndrome, chronic enterocolitis , liver cirrhosis, chronic pancreatitis) - Eating disorders (bulimia nervosa, anorexia) - Oncological diseases
With any malignant neoplasms in the body of patients, the tumor takes away cellular metabolites (glucose, lipids, vitamins), which leads to disruption of biochemical processes, depletion of internal resources occurs and cachexia (exhaustion) develops. It is characterized by severe weakness, decreased ability to work and the ability to care for oneself, decreased or lack of appetite. In many cancer patients, cancer cachexia is the immediate cause of death.
Weight loss, as a leading symptom, is characteristic of a certain endocrine pathology (thyrotoxicosis, hypopituitarism, type 1 diabetes). In these conditions, the production of various hormones is disrupted, which leads to a serious disorder of metabolic processes in the body.
Thyrotoxicosis is a syndrome that includes conditions caused by an increase in thyroid hormones in the blood. Increased processes of protein and glycogen breakdown occur in the body, their content in the heart, liver, and muscles decreases. It is manifested by general weakness, tearfulness, and unstable mood. Troubling attacks of heartbeat, arrhythmias, sweating, hand tremors. An important symptom is a decrease in body weight with preserved appetite. Occurs in diffuse toxic goiter, toxic adenoma, and the initial stage of autoimmune thyroiditis.
Hypopituitarism is a syndrome that develops due to insufficient secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland. Occurs with pituitary tumors, infectious diseases (meningoencephalitis). It manifests itself as a progressive decrease in body weight (up to 8 kg per month) with the development of exhaustion (cachexia), severe general weakness, dry skin, apathy, decreased muscle tone, and fainting.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by an absolute deficiency of insulin as a result of autoimmune damage to the beta cells of the pancreas, which leads to disruption of all types of metabolism and, above all, carbohydrate metabolism (there is an increase in glucose in the blood and its excretion in the urine). The onset of the disease occurs in childhood and adolescence and progresses rapidly. The most common symptoms of the disease are thirst, frequent urination, dry and itchy skin, progressive weight loss despite increased appetite, and abdominal pain.
Intoxication syndrome is characteristic of infectious diseases, tuberculosis, and helminthiases. The causative agent of the disease, penetrating into the human body, releases toxins that have a damaging effect on cellular structures, disrupt immune regulation, and the function of various organs and systems is disrupted. It is manifested by febrile or subfebrile temperature, loss of appetite, loss of body weight, increased sweating, and weakness. A significant decrease in body weight is typical for long-term, chronic infections.
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and characterized by the formation of specific granulomas in different organs and tissues. The most common form of tuberculosis is pulmonary tuberculosis, which, in addition to intoxication syndrome, is characterized by a dry cough or with sputum, shortness of breath, chest pain associated with breathing, hemoptysis, and pulmonary hemorrhage.
Helminthiasis is a parasitic human disease caused by various representatives of lower worms - helminths. They release toxic substances that cause intoxication of the body and disrupt digestion processes.
Helminthiasis is characterized by a gradual development of the disease, weakness, abdominal pain associated with eating, weight loss with preserved appetite, skin itching, allergic rashes similar to urticaria.
Significant loss of body weight, up to cachexia, not associated with dietary habits as a result of immune disorders, is characteristic of connective tissue diseases - systemic scleroderma and polyarteritis nodosa.
Systemic scleroderma is manifested by damage to the skin of the face and hands in the form of “dense” swelling, shortening and deformation of the fingers, pain and a feeling of stiffness in the muscles, and damage to internal organs.
Polyarteritis nodosa is characterized by skin changes - marbling of the limbs and torso, intense pain in the calf muscles, increased blood pressure.
Weight loss is typical for most diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Acute or chronic inflammation leads to a change in metabolism towards catabolism (destruction), the body's need for energy increases, and the processes of absorption and digestion of food are disrupted. To reduce abdominal pain, patients often limit their food intake themselves. And dyspeptic symptoms (nausea, vomiting, loose stools) lead to losses of proteins, microelements, electrolytes, which leads to disruption of the delivery of nutrients to tissues.
Nutritional dystrophy is a disease that occurs due to prolonged malnutrition and starvation, in the absence of an organic disease that could cause weight loss. It is characterized by a progressive decrease in body weight. There are 2 forms: cachectic (dry) and edematous. In the initial stages, it is manifested by increased appetite, thirst, and severe weakness. There are disturbances in water and electrolyte metabolism, amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). Then weakness increases, patients lose the ability to care for themselves, and a hungry (nutritional-dystrophic) coma develops. Causes of the disease: social disasters (hunger), mental illness, anorexia nervosa (refusal to eat due to a desire to lose weight).
Signs of illness
Significant weight loss in a short period of time does not go away without leaving a trace. A person experiences a deterioration in their general condition, which is expressed in the following symptoms:
- Feeling overwhelmed, decreased ability to work.
- Dehydration.
- Significant reduction in the volume of subcutaneous tissue.
- Anemia and deficiency of essential substances.
- Deterioration in the appearance of the skin (sallow or pale tint, sagging, wrinkles).
- Dryness and hair loss, brittle nail plates.
- Inflammation of the oral mucosa.
- Retention of stool.
- Pathologies of the urinary system.
- Sexual function disorders.
- Anxiety.
- Manifestation of aggression.
- Depressed emotional state.
Common factors that contribute to weight loss
What are the most common causes of sudden weight loss in men? Among them are circumstances associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, as well as health problems. The main factors contributing to weight loss should be listed:
- The presence of bad habits, abuse of junk food, emotional stress. An unbalanced diet, the presence in it of a large amount of salty, fried foods, spices and alcohol-containing drinks leads to disorders of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract.
- The presence of parasites in the body. There is a widespread belief that helminthic infestations are typical only for minors. However, weight loss in men due to helminthiasis is quite common. Parasites enter the human body due to non-compliance with hygiene standards, consumption of meat or fish dishes that have not undergone proper heat treatment. This primarily applies to lovers of medium-cooked meat, as well as sushi and other Japanese dishes.
- The presence of a malignant neoplasm. A significant decrease in body weight, a feeling of weakness, loss of appetite and decreased ability to work - all these signs may indicate the development of a cancerous tumor.
- Pathologies of the digestive system. These include ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, chronic inflammatory processes in the stomach, pancreatitis, diseases of the liver and bile ducts. These ailments contribute to loss of appetite and poor absorption of nutrients.
- Tuberculosis of the respiratory system (lungs, trachea). Nowadays, regular examinations of children and adults are carried out to prevent pathology. If a person is diagnosed with this disease, he is sent to a dispensary where long-term therapy is provided. If diagnosed early, tuberculosis is treatable.
- Diabetes. This disease is associated with a lack of insulin.
- Violations of the functions of the vital veins, which lead to an acceleration of metabolism.
- Pathologies transmitted through intimate contact. One of the most common and dangerous diseases is AIDS.
- Mental disorders, eating disorders.
- Living or working in an area with excessive radiation levels.
About the causes of weight loss in men
So, we list the main, most common factors that contribute to weight loss. Here they are:
- Bad habits. Alcohol abuse and friendship with tobacco undermine a man from the inside. His body is poisoned, and healthy metabolism is disrupted. Nutrient components supplied with food stop being absorbed. And then the man has to change his clothing size.
- Wrong lifestyle. Unbalanced, chaotic nutrition, lack of sleep, chronic fatigue lead to weight loss. If a man does not have breakfast, drinks coffee or tea during the day, and has pizza for lunch and dinner in the evening, then this lifestyle will soon lead to metabolic disorders, gastritis, and ulcers. And then he will no longer be able to eat what he wants.
- Parasites. The causative agent of excessive thinness can be helminths. Parasites enter the body due to improper or insufficient hygiene, from raw fish and meat. Developing in the gastrointestinal tract, worms take nutrients from a man. They grow and multiply, but he loses weight and gets sick. Performance decreases, headaches, weakness, and allergic reactions appear. Tests will help determine the presence of parasites in a man’s body, and anthelmintic therapy will relieve the problem.
- Malignant tumors. Neoplasms take away all the vitality of any person. Cancer is accompanied by exhaustion, decreased ability to work, and severe weakness. Oncological diseases are difficult to identify at an early stage of their development. As a rule, men do not pay attention to the first warning signs. And they ask for help when it’s too late to do anything.
- Diseases of the digestive system. When the process of digestion and assimilation of food is disrupted, replenishment of energy costs becomes impossible. Fats and carbohydrates are supplied in insufficient quantities, which leads to weight loss.
- Infectious diseases. The most dangerous in terms of weight loss is tuberculosis. Once the disease was incurable, but today, at an early stage, it can be completely cured.
- Diabetes. Disease of the endocrine system disrupts metabolism. In most cases, it leads to dramatic weight loss. Other endocrine disorders are also accompanied by weight changes because the metabolic rate increases.
- Promiscuous sexual intercourse. They lead to the development of sexually transmitted diseases. Signs of such diseases extend to intimate parts of the body and to the body as a whole. One of the most dangerous is HIV infection. A person with immunodeficiency cannot cope even with a common sore throat or cold, because his defenses are very reduced.
- Stress. This is the scourge of modern life, from which representatives of the stronger half suffer at any age. Against the backdrop of severe emotional upheaval, people can even develop cancer. Stress leads to the fact that a person does not eat anything, and if he does eat, he may experience digestive disorders. He is losing weight dramatically. If stress is “relieved” by alcohol, then you can expect not only weight loss, but also more dangerous diseases.
- Living in an area with increased radiation and related work. Constant exposure to radiation promotes rapid weight loss. Therefore, you need to limit yourself from being in such places. And if health problems arise during professional activities related to radiation, then you need to change your job.
What should a man do if he suddenly loses weight?
First of all, do not delay contacting an infectious disease specialist, oncologist, or endocrinologist. You will probably be asked to undergo a full examination, undergo a series of tests, have a chest x-ray, and an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. Today there are many options for comprehensive diagnostics without testing. The choice remains with the man. The main thing is to act and not wait for weather from the sea.
Other negative impacts
Among the reasons for sudden weight loss in men, experts cite factors associated with poor nutrition.
Such circumstances include:
- Diets, including medicinal ones. A significant decrease in body weight in this case may be associated with the individual characteristics of the body.
- Consumption of low-quality products (canned food, noodles and instant purees).
- Poor diet due to a busy work schedule.
- A sudden transition to a vegetarian or raw food diet.
- Observing religious fasts for a long time.
The main reasons for weight loss in men: where to go
In addition to rapid weight loss, signs of hyperthyroidism include: rapid heart rate, hot flashes, excessive sweating, mood swings, depression, panic attacks, bulging eyes, muscle weakness and fatigue.
People suffering from peptic ulcers also often suddenly begin to lose weight. Stomach ulcers are caused by inflammation that develops on the inside of the stomach wall or the upper part of the small intestine. This causes noticeable pain and leads to loss of appetite. Due to a person’s refusal to eat, frequent attacks of nausea and vomiting during a peptic ulcer, weight loss occurs. Some other common symptoms of this digestive system ailment are: a feeling of fullness after a few bites of food, bloody stools, chest pain, chronic fatigue.
Various parasites that grow in the body are another common reason why a person begins to lose weight inexplicably quickly. The list of the most common human parasites includes: Giardia, as well as pinworms, nematodes and other worms. Most often, the parasite enters the body through the skin through contact with animals or the mouth through consumption of contaminated foods.
A person infected with parasites, as a rule, wants to eat all the time, but the calories entering the body go to fight the disease. Weight loss and increased appetite are not the only symptoms of parasites.
They also include abdominal pain, anal itching, weakness, diarrhea and vitamin deficiency. Although it may seem strange, depression can also lead to unintentional weight loss.
This common mental disorder results in persistent feelings of sadness, loss, frustration or even anger, which can affect various aspects of daily life.
Often in this case, appetite decreases, which causes weight loss. Research in applied physiology shows that during depression there is a tendency towards hypoglycemia, in which the levels of thyroid hormones T3 and T4 decrease.
In addition to poor appetite, depression is characterized by poor concentration, negative and even suicidal thoughts, sleep problems and other difficulties.
However, in some cases, during depression, a person gains excess weight, trying to get rid of problems through frequent meals of high-calorie foods. Unexplained weight loss is one of the first noticeable signs of various types of cancer, including prostate, breast, lung, pancreatic, ovarian and colon cancer.
The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells accelerates the metabolism, causing the entire body to wear out, using its resources to the maximum. This leads to loss of muscle and fat mass. When cancer cells begin to spread throughout the body, it can negatively affect the functioning of various internal organs. Cancer can cause chemical changes in the body that make it difficult to gain weight, even despite eating a high-calorie diet.
Cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy, also often lead to loss of weight and appetite. In addition to this, the treatment causes many side effects: nausea, vomiting, mouth ulcers, which makes the process of eating painful and uncomfortable.
This is an intestinal disease caused by inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract. One of its symptoms is sudden weight loss.
Endocrine system dysfunction
This occurs due to decreased appetite, food apathy, poor absorption of nutrients, loss of calories due to frequent diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding. Crohn's disease is characterized by relatively low levels of hunger and loss of pleasure from eating. Other symptoms of the disease: low-grade fever, diarrhea, decreased energy, cramps, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
This infectious disease caused by mycobacteria affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones, digestive, reproductive and nervous systems. In addition to rapid weight loss, symptoms of tuberculosis include: frequent and severe cough that does not go away for more than a month, chronic fatigue, fever, night sweats, etc.
These diseases most often develop in middle-aged and elderly people. Such health problems also cause weight loss. A study by scientists at the London Institute of Psychiatry this year found that weight loss is often observed before the characteristic symptoms of dementia appear.
The accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide in the brain disrupts the body's weight regulation mechanism, leading to accelerated weight loss and is one of the initial symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. People infected with HIV also lose weight quickly. Their immune system cannot get rid of the virus, which gradually destroys it, and the body stops fighting infections and diseases.
Sudden and severe weight loss is no less alarming than weight gain. The reasons for losing weight are divided into 2 large groups: general and medical. A person can cope with common causes on his own or with the help of friends and relatives. As for the second group, it is impossible to do without the help of medical knowledge. Weight loss associated with diseases of organs and systems is the most life-threatening.
In addition to weight loss, signs of such an infection include: night sweats, fever, sore throat and muscle pain, rashes, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Hello, dear readers! I dedicate my research today to men and want to take a detailed look at sudden weight loss in men, the reasons for its occurrence, and when to start sounding the alarm. My research will help determine the health risks of rapid weight loss. Although it is believed that the fair sex pays more attention to their appearance, modern representatives of the stronger half of humanity are also no strangers to the desire for beauty.
Perfection of physical form is the first sign of ideal appearance. Therefore, most of us, regardless of age and gender, make a lot of efforts to get rid of extra pounds accumulated due to poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle.
However, this article will deal with the completely opposite problem.
Surely among your friends there are people who never gain weight, regardless of age, etc. But don’t be so quick to envy them. It is quite possible that these people are not in good health. If a person’s body weight stays at the same level for many years, that’s really great. But there are cases when weight rapidly decreases due to serious illness.
If you're quickly losing kilos without effort, you might want to consider getting medical help. You may be pleased with thinness, which is the ultimate dream, but an ideal figure does not indicate excellent overall health. Next, I will consider the main prerequisites for sudden weight loss in the stronger sex. Like most men, I lose weight from stress.
Any stressful situations instantly burn off extra pounds. However, I began to notice the negative impact of emotional overload on my well-being, which worries and even scares me. I began to sleep restlessly, and when I fell asleep for a short time, I jumped up from nightmares. Frequent headaches cause absent-mindedness, accompanied by excessive irritability.
I get tired quickly and am ready to fall into a prolonged depression.
Concerns from sudden weight loss while eating well made me undergo a medical examination, because I learned that a healthy male body is capable of coping with stressful situations. And my rapid weight loss indicates a hidden disease.
I advise all men who experience unreasonable rapid weight loss not to put off solving the problem, but to immediately seek advice from a medical institution. Taking care of your health does not tolerate delays!
Use of medications
Treatment with certain drugs also often leads to significant weight loss in men.
The reasons why body weight rapidly decreases often lie in loss of appetite when using the following remedies:
- Hormones that eliminate thyroid dysfunction.
- Medicines with a laxative effect.
- Means for the treatment of cancer pathologies.
- Drugs that stimulate brain activity.
Please note that if the doctor prescribes any remedy, you should strictly follow the instructions for it. The fact is that in some cases, men taking such medications sharply lose weight precisely because of incorrect dosage or too long a treatment period.
Useful video
Watch this video about what hormones affect weight loss:
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Bad habits
The negative effects of harmful substances contained in alcohol-containing products and tobacco are factors that contribute to weight loss. Nicotine impairs the absorption of essential substances and causes loss of appetite. Drinks containing ethanol cause poisoning and disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolism. Drug use is also a cause of sudden weight loss in men. This addiction provokes a decrease in the body's resistance, loss of appetite and muscle atrophy.
Emotional stress
It is believed that representatives of the stronger sex are much easier to cope with traumatic events in life than women. However, the male body is also influenced by various mental shocks. And emotional stress is usually accompanied by loss of appetite. In this case, the human body is forced to make up for the deficiency of nutrients from its own reserves (fat tissue and muscle).
A prolonged state of stress can provoke depression. This disease can be recognized if the following signs are present:
- discomfort in the chest area;
- headaches;
- nervousness;
- sleep disorders;
- increased blood pressure;
- decreased ability to work, memory impairment;
- loss of sexual desire;
- apathy and depression;
- disorders of the digestive system.
If the cause of a man’s sudden weight loss is emotional stress, he should consult a specialist. Anti-anxiety medications and anti-depression medications help cope with the problem.
Consequences of sudden weight loss and methods of treatment
Many women and girls begin to joyfully rub their hands as soon as they see that their weight has begun to decrease. After all, beauty standards require ideal shapes and the absence of excess fat in the figure. But with a sharp loss of weight, you should work hard, because this may indicate the development of various diseases. In addition, even in itself, total getting rid of excess kilograms in a short time may well cause unpleasant consequences.
What are the consequences of rapid weight loss?
Drop in blood pressure, deterioration in concentration and memory
Most often, such results appear in those who have been on strict diets for a long time. For example, this can happen with a long-term carbohydrate-free diet. If the nutrition process is improperly organized, as well as a lack of understanding of its principles, the energy supply of the brain is disrupted. As a result, the pressure drops, oxygen does not reach the main “computer” of our body, which further aggravates the situation. There are obvious failures in concentration, memory fails.
Dental and digestive problems
Most often, sudden weight changes in a negative direction still occur due to dietary restrictions. Many people think that it’s all about fats, so they completely eliminate them from their menu. But this approach leads to the destruction of tooth enamel, as well as gum disease. This happens because the notorious vitamin D, which we need so much, which is responsible for the synthesis of calcium and strengthening the bone frame, is fat-soluble. Otherwise, it simply is not absorbed and produced by our body.
With emergency weight loss, digestive problems may also appear. Often these are gastritis, pancreatitis, stomach ulcers and other unpleasant things. Gastric juice is produced in the body regardless of whether you have eaten or not, and when food is not detected, the acidic environment begins to process its own mucous membranes.
Kidney diseases and edema
Problems with the kidneys most often appear during dry fasting, which is contraindicated in any case. No one should ever go on this kind of diet, even if you were advised to do so by a close friend who allegedly practiced similar techniques. All this is pure lies, any doctor or nutritionist can confirm this. Deterioration of water-salt balance leads to serious kidney diseases, so be extremely careful.
If there is a lack of proteins supplied with food or the inability to absorb them, edema often appears. Therefore, it is worth making sure that this does not happen. With constant diets, the amount of protein in which is strictly limited, the body simply “forgets” how it needs to be processed, which leads to illness, as well as regular, not to say constant, swelling and edema.
Which specialist to contact: methods of diagnosis and treatment
Any disharmony in the body usually leads to some unpleasant consequences. Therefore, the problem of sudden weight loss in women needs to be clarified immediately. If possible, you should make an appointment with your primary care physician or family doctor, who knows you better than you. It is he who will send you for tests, examinations and various tests. Only after this will he give a referral to a specialized specialist. This could be a surgeon, gastroenterologist, endocrinologist, oncologist, neurologist and even a psychiatrist. What kind of research will have to be done?
- Detailed biochemical blood test.
- Stool analysis and smear for eggs of worms and other parasites.
- X-ray of the lungs.
- Bronchoscopy, endoscopy, FGD.
- Smear for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases.
- HIV analysis.
- Hormonal studies.
- Ultrasound of internal organs.
- Blood sugar test.
It is very important to identify the cause of sudden weight loss if it is medical. If all tests show a negative result, then it is worth looking for nutritional reasons for this phenomenon. Most likely, everything then lies in improperly organized nutrition, an unbalanced diet, and excessive exercise. Then an experienced nutritionist and a good trainer will help you. They will figure out what the problem is and give practical advice on organizing the menu and training.
Hormone imbalances
This disorder is typical for both women and the stronger sex. It can be suspected if the following signs are present:
- Decreased sexual desire.
- Sexual function disorder.
- Inability to conceive.
- Nervousness and increased drowsiness.
- Feeling overwhelmed.
- Decreased ability for intellectual activity.
Disorders of the VS functions are considered factors that provoke severe weight loss. In men, the causes of this are often pathologies of the thyroid and adrenal glands.
Thus, hyperthyroidism (a condition caused by increased production of thyroxine) is accompanied by weight loss against the background of normal appetite, accelerated heart rate, profuse sweating, trembling limbs, and insomnia. Another reason for weight loss is disruption of the adrenal glands. Its symptoms are muscle weakness, decreased blood pressure, craving for salty foods, dark skin tone and abdominal discomfort.
Stress as a factor in weight loss in men
Among the most common factors that cause sudden weight loss in people, doctors include emotional stress and related stressful situations. The life of modern men cannot be called calm; worries and stress lie in wait for them everywhere: at work, at home, on trips, on vacation. It is enough for the average representative of the stronger sex to become seriously nervous, as this is immediately reflected on the arrows of the scales.
In addition to a sharp decrease in body weight, men during periods of stress complain of sleep disturbances, upset stomach, headaches, increased irritability, depression, absent-mindedness, and fatigue. Most often, the human body is able to cope with difficult life situations on its own. But if the stress does not go away and is accompanied by further weight loss, then the man needs to seek help from a doctor as soon as possible.
Rapid weight loss in many cases is explained by the fact that the body suffering from a hidden disease is trying to fight it, drawing the energy it lacks for this from fat deposits and muscle tissue.
At the same time, the man continues to eat well and does not understand the reasons for the sharp decrease in body weight. Unreasonable weight loss in any case is a reason to make an appointment with a doctor. The faster a specialist identifies the disease that triggered weight loss, the greater the person’s chances of recovery.
Diabetes
Sometimes, with an increased need for food, rapid weight loss occurs. The cause in men, as well as in women, may be a lack of insulin. We are talking about diabetes.
This condition is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- dry mouth and strong feeling of thirst;
- nervousness;
- loss of consciousness;
- smell of acetone from the mouth.
Disorder of the gastrointestinal tract
It also causes rapid weight loss. The causes in men can be various dysfunctions of the digestive organs.
Most often, weight loss occurs due to inflammation of the pancreas, which is accompanied by vomiting, abdominal cramps, profuse sweating and a gray discoloration of the skin.
Gastritis also refers to gastrointestinal diseases. It is characterized by discomfort in the upper abdomen, attacks of nausea, plaque formation on the surface of the tongue, and heartburn. Disturbances in intestinal activity are accompanied by diarrhea, flatulence and stool retention.
Weight loss in men after parasites enter the body is characterized by loss of appetite, a feeling of weakness, vomiting, fever, itching in the anus, and loss of hair.
Respiratory pathologies
Tuberculosis is one of the most dangerous infections. She is difficult to treat. Among the causes of sudden weight loss in men, one of the most common is this disease.
Those most susceptible to TB are people with drug and alcohol addictions, prisoners, and people with nutritional deficiencies.
The infection is manifested by severe discomfort in the chest area, coughing attacks with the release of sputum and blood particles, profuse sweating, fever, and weakness.
Weight loss can also be caused by an inflammatory process in the lungs - pneumonia. Unlike tuberculosis, this pathology has an acute rather than chronic course.
Causes of weight loss
Weight loss can be caused by both external factors (restricted food intake, injury, infection) and internal factors (metabolic disorders, digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body).
Causes | Mechanisms | Conditions |
Restricting food intake | Impaired consciousness | Traumatic brain injuries, strokes. |
Swallowing disorder | Tumors, narrowing of the esophagus, larynx. | |
Decreased appetite | Anorexia nervosa, intoxication. | |
Indigestion | Impaired digestion of proteins and fats | Atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis |
Malabsorption of nutrients | Celiac disease, enteritis, colitis. | |
Metabolism (metabolism) disorder | The predominance of destruction processes (catabolism) over synthesis processes | Severe injuries, burns, malignant neoplasms, endocrine pathology, connective tissue diseases. |
Malignant neoplasms
Cancerous tumors are also often an explanation for why weight loss in men. This disease is accompanied not only by a significant decrease in body weight, but also by other symptoms. Symptoms depend on the organ in which the tumor has formed.
Patients suffer from various manifestations. It can be:
- Coughing attacks.
- Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Loss of appetite.
- Hoarseness of voice.
- Long healing of skin wounds.
- The appearance of compactions.
All patients with cancer pathologies experience broken, brittle hair and nail plates, and changes in complexion.
Unfortunately, men often put off visiting the doctor. When they go to the hospital, doctors can no longer do anything.
Mental problems
One of the factors contributing to weight loss is eating disorder (anorexia). It occurs, as a rule, in boys and young men. The cause of the development of this disease in representatives of the stronger sex is often mental illness (depression, schizophrenic disorder).
Anorexia is a condition in which a person does not get enough nutrients as a result of not eating.
Sometimes men resort to diets because of their profession as a fashion model or artist. Often the reason is statements made by peers about the fatness of a young man. Anorexia is dangerous because it provokes disruptions in the functioning of organs and body systems, which leads to death.
Another serious mental disorder is senile dementia. It most often occurs after 65 years of age. But sometimes the disease develops in middle-aged people. It often causes weight loss in men over 40. The fact is that patients with senile dementia are not able to take care of themselves, including eating on time. Such people should be constantly under the supervision of relatives or medical staff.
Causes and possible diseases
There are basically two forms of unwanted weight loss: a person loses weight because they have little appetite, or people lose weight even though they eat normally or even more than before.
The following reasons may be the cause of weight loss:
Infections: With chronic and acute infections, appetite often decreases. In addition, symptoms such as fatigue and poor performance are common. In some cases, these symptoms are the first signs that something is wrong in the body. Infectious diseases with particularly severe weight loss are, for example, HIV and tuberculosis.
Stomach, intestines, etc.: Gastrointestinal infections, gastric ulcers, or pancreatitis may cause the patient to eat less due to nausea or pain. With other gastrointestinal diseases, it is added that nutrients cannot be sufficiently absorbed by the intestines. This applies, for example, to diarrheal diseases, as well as chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease .
Worm infestation: Anyone who has parasites in their intestines, such as cattle tapeworm or fish tapeworm, will also lose weight.
Food allergies and food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, can lead to weight loss. Firstly, because they are accompanied by severe symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating and nausea, which cause those who suffer from them not to eat. Or the patient often abstains from eating because many foods are contraindicated for him. With some intolerance, the body can only partially process the food taken, for example, in the case of gluten intolerance (celiac disease).
In addition, diseases of other organs may be associated with loss of appetite. This applies, for example, to liver cirrhosis , renal failure, bile duct occlusion or adrenocortical insufficiency (Addison's disease).
Metabolic diseases, in turn, can unnaturally increase the body's caloric intake. An example of this is an overactive thyroid gland .
Diabetes: People with type 1 diabetes lose weight if their blood sugar levels are not properly regulated. Sugar is then not digested and is excreted in the urine. On the contrary, type 2 diabetics tend to be overweight.
Cancer is often associated with massive weight loss—sometimes chemotherapy can lead to nausea and fear of death, causing loss of appetite. Often unexplained weight loss is the first symptom: as the tumor grows, it deprives the body of nutrients, so the patient loses weight. This is why doctors sometimes talk about “consumer diseases.”
Mental illness can lead to weight loss. Appetite loss is common in people with anxiety disorders or depression . However, these are reversible conditions, and weight is restored after them.
Eating disorders. For eating disorders such as anorexia or binge eating ( bulimia ), the situations are different. In the case of anorexia, patients must, at least initially, fight hunger. Because they eat very little and often exercise excessively, weight loss occurs. With bulimia, a person overeats again and again. Artificially induced vomiting prevents weight gain, sometimes such people even lose weight.
Medicines and Drugs: Sometimes medications reduce your appetite. These include, for example, heart medications - glycosides, some asthma medications, ADD medications, antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs. Similar weight loss can occur in people who use drugs. This also applies, although it is high in calories, to alcohol.
How to deal with the problem?
Sudden weight loss is a symptom that requires consulting a doctor. After examinations, the cause of the loss of kilograms can be determined.
A proper diet is of great importance for recovery. You should eat little but often. Products should be light, but contain substances necessary for the body. The daily menu should include milk dishes, vegetables, fruits, fish and meat dishes. As prescribed by your doctor, you should take vitamin supplements, medications to improve digestion, medications with a calming effect, and medications that stimulate your appetite. In case of serious exhaustion, droppers and injections are used in a hospital setting.