Although unintentional weight loss is a welcome surprise for many people, sometimes it can indicate an underlying health problem or medical condition. If you're losing weight despite a healthy appetite or even an increase in your appetite, you should see your doctor to determine the exact cause, especially if you've lost more than 10 pounds or 5 percent of your body weight.
Significance
Most unexplained or unintended weight loss occurs due to health issues that cause decreased appetite, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Undesired weight loss can happen when you have a poor appetite due to HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy treatments or congestive heart failure. Some medications, aging, depression and viral illnesses such as the flu can cause weight loss due to a decreased appetite, the Mayo Clinic says. If you're experiencing unintentional weight loss but still have a normal appetite or an increased appetite, you could simply be burning more calories than normal through daily physical activities. More seriously, you could have an underlying medical problem.
Causes
Aside from increased activity levels, potential causes of weight loss despite an increased appetite can include certain types of cancer, which can lead to a condition called tumor-induced weight loss or "TIWL," says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Certain gastrointestinal conditions and malabsorption disorders like gastric atonia, indigestion, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, stomach ulcers and celiac disease can also cause weight loss, the Mayo Clinic notes. Parasites and some other infections such as tuberculosis may cause weight loss in spite of an increased appetite, as well. Diabetes, thyroid disorders, adrenal insufficiency, hypercalcemia and other endocrine disorders can also cause this type of weight loss. Other potential culprits include neurological illnesses like stroke, Parkinson's disease, dementia and multiple sclerosis. Chronic diarrhea and drug abuse are other possible underlying causes, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Dangers
Experiencing weight loss despite an increased appetite can still lead to malnourishment and even starvation in some cases, particularly when TIWL, parasites or a malabsorption disorder is the underlying cause. In fact, people who have TIWL may appear to get proper nutrition through their diet, when in fact they are at the same time showing early signs of starvation, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Similar effects can occur with other causes. If you've lost more than 5 percent of your body weight over the course of less than six to 12 months, you should see your doctor, warns the University of Maryland Medical Center. For example, if your base weight was 180 pounds and you lost more than 9 pounds unintentionally and despite an increased appetite, this is more than 5 percent of your body weight.
Considerations
Unexplained weight loss isn't always a sign of a serious underlying disease, however. In many cases, you're simply seeing the effects of changes in your diet and physical activity levels, the Mayo Clinic says. Perhaps you are burning more calories than you can keep up with in your diet or you are unconsciously skipping meals due to a hectic schedule. Mild illnesses, dental problems, eating different foods than usual, stress, increased exercise and taking diuretics or laxatives can all cause unintended weight loss, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. To stay on the safe side, see your doctor to find the cause of your unexplained weight loss.
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