If you're much lighter than you were a few weeks ago and didn't purposely diet or exercise, you may have suffered from unintentional rapid weight loss. Unintentional weight loss can occur from illness or a sudden loss of appetite. Also, chronic diseases like AIDS and cancer can contribute to unplanned weight loss, the National Institutes of Health reports. There are a number of dangers of unintentional rapid weight loss. If you feel like you can no longer control your body weight, talk to your doctor right away.
Impaired Immunity
Losing ten percent of your body weight can significantly impair your immune system, S. M. Massompoor of Shiraz University reports. Your immune system requires nutrients such as protein, vitamin A and vitamin C to function. Inadequate intake of these nutrients -- commonly found alongside unintentional weight loss -- can cause your immune system to not function as well.
Infections
A suboptimal immune system makes infections more likely, Massompoor adds. Also, a body that is losing weight may purge stored reserves of vitamins and amino acids that are necessary to stave off infection.
Mortality
Unintentional weight loss significantly increases the risk of dying from all causes, reports the American Academy of Family Physicians. This is especially true for older people, the AAFP adds.
Depression
Rapid weight loss can lead to depression, the AAFP adds. However, as depression is often a contributing factor of unintentional weight loss, it's unclear whether depression causes weight loss or weight loss causes depression. In nursing homes, more than one third of all cases of unintentional weight loss are caused by depression, the AAFP states.
Alzheimer's
People with Alzheimer's disease who lose weight increase the progression of the disease, the AAFP reports. However, unintentional weight loss doesn't seem to effect the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Physical Function
People who unintentionally lose weight aren't able to exercise or perform their activities of daily living as well as people with stable weight, reports Shabbir M.H. Alibhai of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.
Quality of Life
Those that have lost significant amounts of weight unintentionally tend to have a poor overall quality of life, adds Alibhai. Reversing unintentional weight loss through supplementation can partially reverse the loss of quality of life, reports Alibhai.
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