Causes of Drastic Weight Loss and How to Overcome It

Weight loss can occur through effort, such as diet or exercise. But if you lose weight drastically without any particular effort to lose it, there is a possibility of an illness. This condition needs to watch out for and find out the cause. The limit of weight loss that needs to be watched is if it reaches 4.5 to 5 kg, or more than 5 percent of initial weight, in a period of 6-12 months. For example, if your initial weight is 70 kg, you need to be vigilant if you lose up to 4 kg, even though you are not on a diet or are trying to lose weight.

Causes of Weight Loss Drastic

Drastic weight loss is a sign of malnutrition, a condition when the body lacks the nutrients it needs to function and improve. Eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, can be one of the causes. Stress or severe depression can also make you lose weight. Apart from some of the causes above, weight loss can also indicate a drastic following conditions:

1. Hormone disorders

Hormone disorders can cause excessive weight loss. is hyperthyroidism and diabetes.

2. Chronic illness

Drastic weight loss is one of the symptoms of chronic diseases that indicate organ damage, such as heart failure, kidney failure, or liver failure. Patients with this disease usually experience loss of appetite. In addition, autoimmune diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can also be a cause of weight loss dramatically.

3. Gastrointestinal disease

Some intestinal disorders that cause weight loss dramatically include stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatitis. The problem of absorption of nutrients, such as in celiac disease, can also cause weight to drop dramatically.

4. Infection

Infection can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites. Keep in mind, not all infections can cause weight to drop dramatically. Infections that can make the body lose weight significantly include tuberculosis, HIV / AIDS, and intestinal worms.

5. Cancer

Drastic weight loss can be one of the symptoms of cancer, such as lymphoma, leukemia, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer.

6. Tooth and mouth disease

Toothache, gums, or canker sores do not directly cause weight loss, but can interfere with the process of chewing and swallowing food, resulting in difficulty eating. Oral hygiene that is not maintained can also make the mouth feel acidic, thus causing a reduction in appetite.

7. Side effects of drugs

Long-term treatment can affect body weight. This can be caused by side effects of nausea and decreased appetite, due to consumption of certain drugs. One drug that causes many side effects to lose weight is chemotherapy. In addition, drug abuse and alcohol consumption habits can also cause weight loss drastically unhealthy. Neurological diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's dementia, can also cause weight loss to drop dramatically, although indirectly due to reduced independence and ability to perform a variety of basic activities, including eating. Because there are many conditions and diseases that can cause weight loss to drop dramatically, this complaint needs to be checked by a doctor. The doctor will conduct a complete physical examination, nutritional status assessment, and supporting examinations if needed, to ascertain the cause.

How to Overcome Weight Loss Drastically

How to deal with weight loss dramatically depends on the cause. In addition to overcoming the cause, what is also very important in the treatment of weight loss dramatically is improving nutrition and calorie intake, so that the body's needs are met. To determine the target of increasing weight, improving nutrition, and administering medicines to overcome this condition, the participation of nutrition doctors and other specialists is needed, according to the patient's illness. The doctor will determine the type, amount, and method of feeding, as well as the provision of nutritional supplements if needed, to improve the nutritional status.