- What is abnormal weight loss?
- What can be the causes of weight loss?
- Does stress make you lose weight?
- When to worry about weight loss and who to consult?
- What blood tests are advised in case of significant weight loss?
What is abnormal weight loss?
“Weight loss is considered abnormal when a person loses 4 or 5 kilos in a few weeks without a nutritional approach. In smaller people, a weight loss of more than 5% from the initial weight in a few weeks is a warning sign. answers Dr. Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache.
What can be the causes of weight loss?
THE causes of unexplained weight loss are very numerous. “Weight is associated with the balance between energy intake and loss. Weight loss is explained by a decrease in intake or an increase in expenditure (increased catabolism) or by a combination of the two”, explains Dr. Chicheportiche-Ayache.
Chronic pathologies, digestive or infectious, can be the cause of weight loss by lower intake or increased catabolism. “So, hyperthyroidism is an important cause of weight loss with increased appetite”, informs Dr. Chicheportiche-Ayache. Excessive production of thyroid hormones actually increases metabolism. “THE type 1 diabetes or 2 uncontrolled increases energy expenditure and appetite often significantly as well, as does thirst”, describes the doctor.
There malabsorption can also cause weight loss with increased appetite. “It is often associated with bulky, often greasy stools”, says Dr. Chicheportiche-Ayache. A celiac disease may also be accompanied by unexplained weight loss despite retained appetite. “Food and therefore nutrients are not absorbed by the digestive wall”, explains the doctor.
This weight loss is often associated with chronic diarrhea. There Crohn’s disease can also help you lose weight. Weight loss is accompanied by digestive pain. Finally, “low consumption of cannabis can increase appetite but lead to weight loss”, teaches the nutritionist.
A loss of appetite may be the cause of weight loss. “This is particularly the case in people with mental disorders, such as severe depressionor significant eating disorders such as restrictive anorexia nervosa”, describes the doctor.
“THE cancer (whether solid tumors or blood cancers) is also an important cause of decreased appetite, due to the tumor effect itself but also due to treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in ENT localizations/oesophageal”, she adds.
Of the medications can also lead to loss of appetite and therefore weight loss. “This is particularly the case with amphetamines, certain antidepressants, in particular serotonin reuptake inhibitors (such as Prozac), of the metformin“, details Dr. Chicheportiche-Ayache.
There large amounts of cannabis use, cocaine or opiates also causes a loss of appetite leading to weight loss. A heavy alcohol consumption also decreases energy needs and can therefore be accompanied by weight loss. “A peptic ulcer poorly treated can be the cause of a drop in intake because people who are afraid of having pain eat less”, says the doctor.
“In the elderly, at home or in institutions, a loss of appetite can be linked to dental, financial or mobility problems”, reports the nutritionist.
Finally, infectious pathologies, such as HIV-AIDS or tuberculosis such as parasitosis (tapeworm for example) or endocrine pathologies, for example Addison’s disease, just as taste alterations can also be the cause of abnormal weight loss.
Does stress make you lose weight?
“THE stress rather has a tendency to gain weight due to hormonal mechanisms, in particular the secretion of cortisol and emotional mechanisms (appeasement through food), answers Dr. Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache.
However, very high stress with a knotted stomach can suppress appetite and lead to weight loss.
When to worry about weight loss and who to consult?
Whether the weight loss is rapid or gradual, any significant unexplained weight loss that lasts must have your doctor consulted first. “This one is best placed for evaluate this weight loss because he knows his patient and can carry out an interrogation in order to understand where this weight loss can come from and prescribe the first major examinations taking into account the signs associated with weight loss (fever, pain, night sweats, fatigue, etc.). .)”, explains the nutritionist. Additional examinations may be prescribed by specialists afterwards.
What blood tests are advised in case of significant weight loss?
THE blood tests basic are a Complete Blood Count (NFS) which analyze platelets, red blood cells, different categories of white blood cells, the dosage of C-reactive protein (or CRP), sedimentation rate (ESR), dosages of sodium, potassium, creatinine, specific enzymes for the liver.
“We also prescribe protein electrophoresis, hormone level assays (thyroid, adrenal), possibly tumor markers, markers of autoimmune diseases such as sarcoidosis, hepatitis B or C serologies, HIV”, informs Dr. Chicheportiche-Ayache, who specifies that these analyzes are function of the context, of the age.
“At the beginning, we do fairly broad searches and then we evaluate in a specific way”, she specifies.
Source: interview with Dr Corinne Chicheportiche-Ayache, nutritionist doctor (Paris 16th).
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