Side Effects of Excessive Weight Loss

Side Effects of Excessive Weight Loss
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Millions of people strive to lose weight each day. Diet programs, exercise routines and weight-loss surgeries are becoming mainstream as the number of obese adults rises each day. People sometimes become so wrapped up in losing weight that they don't stop to think of the significant side effects from excessive weight loss.

Stretched Skin

When you lose a massive amount of weight in a hurry, the skin will not have time to return to its normal elasticity. This leaves a large amount of excess skin over the body. This is most commonly seen when people undergo gastric bypass surgery. People who have undergone weight-loss surgery may be lacking collagen in the skin, which can keep it from shrinking along with the body during periods of weight loss. If excess skin is an aesthetic problem for you, cosmetic surgery can be done to remove the extra skin from the body. This type of surgery does leave large scars over the body where the skin is removed.

Infertility

It is true that some people are asked to lose weight in order to become more fertile. Losing too much weight, however, can actually cause problems for women who are trying to become pregnant. Rapid weight loss can interfere with the body's ability to produce hormones and can cause an absence of menstruation in women. Excessive weight loss can lead to a condition called hypogonadism, when the sex glands in the body slow or cease production of hormones in the body. This condition is directly related to infertility.

Gallstones

When you lose weight in excess, it could interfere with the balance of bile salts and cholesterol in the blood. When this occurs, the cholesterol will harden in the gallbladder in a condition called gallstones. These gallstones can become lodged in the bile ducts and can cause inflammation of vital organs such as the liver, pancreas and bladder. Some people will require surgery to remove gallstones or the gallbladder while others will not. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or can grow to the size of a golf ball.

Hair Loss

In order to grow at a healthy rate, the hair needs protein. A diet that has caused excessive weight loss may deplete the body of essential vitamins and nutrients needed to sustain normal hair growth. It is common for people who lose a large amount of weight to experience significant hair loss. The good news is that this condition can be reversible as long as you bring vitamins and minerals back into the diet. It should be noted that protein needs to be one of the most important additives in the diet to restore hair loss due to excessive weight loss.

References

Article reviewed by Lauren Fritsky Last updated on: Jan 2, 2011

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