Congratulations if you’ve set a goal to lose weight and are seeing the pounds fall off! Everything is operating as it should be.
But don’t get too excited if you’re losing weight unintentionally. Your body will most likely be unable to keep up, resulting in noticeable symptoms.
Your weight reflects your overall health, and significant weight fluctuations could indicate that something is seriously wrong.
On the surface, some symptoms, such as minor hair loss or feeling cold more frequently, may appear to be harmless.
Weight fluctuations can sometimes be caused by a psychological disorder too. Here are some scary reasons for sudden weight loss –
1. Thyroid
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).
2. Gut disease
Weight loss is caused by conditions such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, lactose intolerance, and intestinal damage, which 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.
3. Cancer
Rapid weight loss can occur as a result of cancer. If someone reports sudden weight loss but denies any changes in their diet, exercise routine, or stress level, and claims that their medications are stable, it could be a sign of something serious, such as cancer. 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.
4. Rheumatoid arthritis
A chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the joints of the body. It also happens to be capable of causing rapid weight loss. That’s because pro-inflammatory cytokines increase both inflammation and energy expenditure in rheumatoid arthritis. This means you’ll burn more calories and fat each day. Between the ages of 30 and 50, rheumatoid arthritis most commonly develops.
5. Drug abuse
People who binge on drugs frequently forget to eat for long periods of time. Drug abuse also weakens the immune system, which leads to weight loss. Some intoxicants, such as cigarette smoke, can suppress appetite and cause weight loss. You may have heard that people with eating disorders frequently smoke to suppress their appetite.
